Tommy Lyons preview: Blizzard Of Oz can earn Chase win for Mullins on home turf

The seven-year-old has won a bumper and two hurdles.

Sat, 15 Feb, 2025 - 06:32

Tommy Lyons

Gowran Park welcomes the National Hunt brigade on Saturday and on what should be another profitable afternoon at his local track for trainer Willie Mullins, Blizzard Of Oz gets the nap to take the QuinnBet Beginners’ Chase.

The seven-year-old, who has won a bumper and two hurdles, made his chasing debut in mid-December and posted a most promising effort to finish a close third behind stablemate Lecky Watson and Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Slade Steel.

Off until Thyestes Day at this track, he contested another beginners’ chase and again performed with credit in finishing third behind two of his stablemates, Quai De Bourbon and Chapeau De Soleil.

While he was fading late on that occasion, they went quite hard in the testing conditions, and he was sent on before jumping the third-last. That effort appeared to take its toll as he made a mistake at the last, and lost further ground on the run-in. This is not as strong a race as that one and there should be less pressure on the pace. Given a slightly more patient ride, he will be hard to beat.

Once again, he has some stablemates to contend with, the best of which may be O’Moore Park, while Gordon Elliott’s What’s Up Darling, with her rating of 137, is obviously a leading player, though it is quite some time since she last tasted success.

Mullins is responsible for two of the three runners in the feature, the Grade Two Red Mills Chase, and the outsider of the field, Classic Getaway, can get the job done for Closutton.

The now nine-year-old wasn’t at his best last season but his two runs to date this term have been much more encouraging, and he can upset stablemate Saint Sam, who is seeking back-to-back wins in the race, and the Henry de Bromhead-trained Journey With Me, who must leave behind a disappointing effort at Warwick.

On Sunday’s card in Punchestown, William Munny can reward connections’ decision to bypass another tilt at a maiden by taking the listed Madigan Group Irish EBF Sheila Bourke Novice Hurdle.

The lightly raced seven-year-old won a Naas bumper on his racing debut and followed up at the same venue before running a good third in the Grade One bumper at last season’s Punchestown Festival.

On his return, in a maiden hurdle at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting, he was no match for Workahead but built on that by pushing the exciting Kawaboomga to a length and a half in a Fairyhouse maiden.

Sure to take another step forward, Barry Connell’s horse has class in abundance and can get the better of some experienced rivals, who include the smart Taponthego and C’Est Ta Chance.

Earlier on the card, High Class Hero can take the QuinnBet Beginners’ Chase for Willie and Danny Mullins. The eight-year-old, who won four of his six outings over hurdles and finished a close second in a Grade One on his most recent start over timber, made a promising start over fences when runner-up to the experienced Shannon Royale.

It wasn’t a performance without its flaws, but even without considering improvement for the experience and for the first run of the season, he should be good enough to get the job done here.

The David Trundley Artist At Punchestown Novice Handicap Hurdle is a competitive race but Portnacoo, who is having his third run for Ross O’Sullivan, can get back to winning ways. Between August and October of last year, he won three times for Hugh Smyth, and his two runs for O’Sullivan have indicated that he needs a stronger test of stamina. He gets that this time, and he looks ready to resume winning ways.

GOWRAN PARK (Saturday)

Tommy Lyons

1:20 Kool One

1:55 Kitzbuhel

2:30 Crescent Moon

3:05 Classic Getaway

3:42 Blizzard Of Oz (nap)

4:15 Prince Zaltar (nb)

4:50 Introversio

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