The Irish horse racing broadcaster offers up his five selections from this weekend’s racing, including one in Saturday’s Foxrock Handicap Chase.
SATURDAY
Saturday is a big day for trainer Gordon Elliott at his local track, Navan, with yard sponsor Noel Moran backing the €100,000 handicap hurdle and the two combining with several interesting candidates throughout the eight-race card.
THE YELLOW CLAY certainly looks the ace in the pack, and there will be long faces in the camp if the exciting five year-old fails to preserve his 100% record over obstacles in the Grade 2 Tote Navan Novice Hurdle at 13:07. Sam Ewing’s mount must concede weight away all round but should be well up to the task after his commanding success over course and distance three weeks ago.
Willie Mullins is himself strongly represented and could easily reel off the first three races with hurdling debutants Kaid D’Authie, Kirsca De Thaix and Jasmin De Vaux. The market should be informative in each instance.
Elliott and Moran could also be celebrating after the Foxrock Handicap Chase at 14:17, however, as SA FUREUR ought to take plenty of beating on his return to this discipline. The Walk In The Park gelding found only the doughty Sequoiaspirit too strong in the valuable Tara Hurdle at last month’s festival fixture and is sure to be all the sharper with that outing under his belt.
The aforementioned Bective Stud Tea Rooms Handicap Hurdle is a fiercely competitive affair but my two against the field are the Cullentra House stable-companions MINELLA SIXO and SLANAGAIBHGOLEIR.
The latter put a couple of lacklustre efforts behind him when a promising fourth on his seasonal bow in a Pertemps Qualifier at Punchestown a fortnight ago and is another who should be ready to peak now.
SUNDAY
Minella Sixo is also declared for a three mile Grade 3 novice hurdle at Cork on Sunday – and would be an automatic selection there – but has to be a huge player if pointed her instead on just his fourth start under rules. Runner-up to the smart Potters Charm (a winner again since) at Cheltenham in October, he appeared ill at ease on Thurles’ sharp track last time before eventually justifying cramped odds. This stamina test promises to bring out the best in Elliott’s stoutly-bred youngster.
All eyes will be on dual Champion Chase hero Energumene as he makes his eagerly-awaited return from injury in Sunday’s Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase at Cork. Willie Mullins has certainly made things interesting by declaring six here and it will be fascinating in particular to see how the ultra-fragile Ferny Hollow fares but there isn’t really a betting angle that I can see.
Elsewhere on the card BUCK ROGERS is of interest in the 2m4f handicap hurdle at 14:50. The Bowe family’s nine year-old made a very satisfactory return from a lengthy layoff when fourth at Wexford in October and it might prove no harm that he has had an extra couple of weeks before going again, having been an intended runner at the abandoned meeting here a fortnight ago. The handicapper has certainly given him a real chance, now down to 7lb below his last winning mark, and conditions should be ideal.
