MONDAY'S Down Royal all National Hunt meeting looks decidedly tricky with the official ground description given as “good, good to firm in places”. There are plenty of horses just waiting on the better ground to show their merits which have been less than exposed during the wet months of March and April.
Gordon Elliott’s Delegate hasn’t raced since the end of January and this one might reasonably be expected to show improved form on this better ground. His trainer enjoyed a good meeting at Punchestown and Delegate should be a prime contender here in the opening 20-runner maiden.
Tony Martin runs a pair - Lord De Beaufai, rated 107 compared to Delegate’s 113 rating - with Davy Russell in the saddle and the once-raced Absainte (Denis O’Regan).
Possibly more of immediate interest is Edward O’Grady’s Magnier-owned The West’s Awake, a beaten favourite on both bumper outings, including here last February when runner-up behind Cape City Boy. Paul Townend rides him now on his hurdling bow.
There’s another maximum sized field for the handicap hurdle, it’s not much of a contest but there are a couple of unexposed types that may be of interest including Blackwater Bridge, O’Regan for Tony Martin off a mark of 86. Royal Avatar and Fighting Days are two others for the short list but I’m keenest about L’Attesa, one of the bottom weights. His last couple of runs, at Wexford most recently and at Downpatrick in March were both improved efforts and he may capitalise here. Carpet Elegance won this in consecutive years, 2014 and 13, but he’s 11 now and hasn’t raced since last July.
The Belfast Live Hurdle has attracted just six runners but is a wide open little contest. My half of the field would include Danielle’s Journey, Round Tower and Cogryhill in that order but there’s only 1lb between the whole half-dozen of them.
Three chases on the card, starting with the Monty’s Pass Beginners Chase. Gordon Elliott won it 12 months ago with long odds-on Flaxen Flare and his As De Ferbet makes plenty of appeal this time. Second to Carriganog at Kilbeggan and to Shantou Flyer at Galway during the summer, As De Ferbet hasn’t raced since his fall at the second last at Ballinrobe in the race won by Lettermacaward. Rated 128 and should be capable of coping with such as Hurricane Darwin, unlucky when falling at the last fence at Thurles back in late March, and Mick Thonic, rated 122 over hurdles and making his debut over fences.
In the two-and-a-half mile handicap chase Arthur Moore has booked Paul Townend for Mitebeall Forluck and on 7lb better terms this one might reverse last October’s form with The King Of Breaga which beat him six and a half-lengths on that occasion.
In the hunters’ chase, I’d be more than happy to side with Carrigeen Acebo over Adamstown and Chosen Dream.
