The abandonment of Tipperary last Thursday has turned to Dundalk's advantage this afternoon with the Co Louth track hosting as good a card as it has had in years.
Established star names of the winter game such as the former champion chaser Klairon Davis and the prolific Limestone Lad now travel north for the races transferred from the Junction. If their presence cannot attract a good crowd it will be surprising. Although Klairon Davis and Limestone Lad are likely to start at prohibitive odds for most punters their performances will be of immense interest with a view to later in the winter.
On paper Klairon Davis has a simple task with a 156 rating putting Merry Gale 11lbs wrong and Pas Possible 34lbs wrong. Arthur Moore's stable star is a notoriously slow campaign starter, however, and is sure to be ring rusty not having run since the end of January. On these terms though he should win first time of asking in the Cuchulainn Chase.
Limestone Lad jumped to a rating of 153 after a remarkable seven successes last season and was last seen running a decent third to the peerless Istabraq at Punchestown. James Bowe's admirable performer has a relatively straightforward task in the Ravensdale Hurdle especially with Shane McGovern taking 7lbs off his back.
Betting wise though it should pay to keep an eye on It's Time For A Win in the Beginners Chase despite the letter F appearing twice next to his name in the card.
If anything, the Willie Mullins trained gelding's jumping was too spectacular at the Listowel festival when he had a reasonable field stone cold long before the turn into the straight.
All that remained was to negotiate the two fences in the straight but he overjumped the first of them and came down. It was still a very promising performance however and a clear round will surely see It's Time For A Win do just what his name suggests. Sweet Deal was another to run at Listowel and was a losing favourite behind Bodies Pride. He should strip fitter for the bumper today and can go in while Native Rosie can overcome a four and a half month break to run a decent race in the maiden hurdle.
The two flat races are something of bit parts today. The latest Ballydoyle juvenile newcomer is Mercaldo, a son of Quiet American, and with Kinane on board he is hard to oppose against just two opponents in the seven furlong maiden.
Frisky is a horse who usually comes into his own at this time of year and is a speculative choice nine furlong handicap, especially since the topweight Precedence disappointed last time.
John Oxx will attempt to win his first Juddmonte Beresford Stakes with Polish Panache on Saturday when the colt lines up for the Group Three event at the Curragh.
Oxx said yesterday: "Polish Panache is a certain runner after finishing third behind Giant's Causeway and Brahms in the Futurity. That was good form in view of what Brahms achieved in the Middle Park Stakes."
There is likely to be just one cross-channel runner in the race. Richard Hannon, Paul Cole and Sir Mark Prescott have ruled out their entries but Mark Johnston describes Paradise Garden as a "possible".
