TIGER ROLL spearheads a strong Gordon Elliott assault on Tuesday’s €32,500 Grade Three Ballybrit Novice Chase at Galway.
The 2014 Triumph Hurdle victor appeared to have his enthusiasm rekindled by the switch to fences, winning his first two, but after struggling at Killarney and unseating at the Festival here he could only manage second behind the re-opposing Baily Cloud back at Killarney last. That night he came from an uncompromising position four out yet was only beaten a couple of lengths by the 12/1 chance.
He is joined in this two-mile-two-furlong affair by his stable-mates Taglietelle and Tocororo, with the former, a classy 152-rated hurdler, arriving on the back of his first fence Killarney fall in the race won by Briar Hill. While Tocororo had not shown herself in the same league as her two stable-mates over the smaller obstacles, she was most impressive against weak opposition at Tramore and gets all the allowances here. She ran well on her chase debut here in July when third to Talk The Lingo and Briar Hill, beaten a length-and-a-half. With that course experience to her credit, she could very well go close here.
Neverushacon and Hurricane Ben both face stiffish tasks against the Elliott trio but they’ll have their supporters and it would be a shame if the race cuts up from the eight declared runners. Three-time Kilbeggan winner Airlie Beach puts her unbeaten record on the line in her first outing away from the midlands venue in the mares’ hurdle.
Willie Mullins’ six-year-old has won a bumper and twice over the plastic hurdles, while Mullins also starts off French recruit Retour En France, the choice of Ruby Walsh, in the same race and she has been given plenty of time since changing hands for €120,000.
This makes for a tricky situation for punters. Elliott runs the recent facile Bellewstown winner Water Sprite and she could put it up to the Mullins pair – to a point. Retour En France’s absence from the track for so long is a worry but the market will educate. The champion trainer is also responsible for Dreambaby in the two-mile-five-furlong maiden hurdle, but while she won a bumper at this circuit last year she hasn’t put it all together in the jumping sphere yet. Static Jack and Baltimore Buzz are the logical alternatives.
The opening maiden hurdle is even less inspiring while still giving the impression that it is really just a match between Davy Russell on Mr Antolini, third behind All The Answers and Silver Concorde here in July and more recently beaten two lengths by Miro at Downpatrick, and locally-trained Cable, whose bumper efforts are promising but not delivering.
