Jezki heads a small five-runner field for this afternoon’s €45,000 Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park.
Winner of the 2014 Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, Jessica Harrington’s charge returned from an absence of over 20 months to win at Navan in January and will be odds-on here to gain his 15th success.
He beat My Tent Or Yours when scoring at Cheltenham and victory this after will enable connections to determine which target he’ll be aimed at next month – another bid for the Champion Hurdle or the extra distance of the Stayers' Hurdle.
Harrington won this race with Macs Joy in the past and 167-rated Jezki faces an easy task in this Grade Three event, with no penalties to shoulder.
Gordon Elliott’s Tombstone is rated 20lb inferior and Rashaan, successful over Apple’s Jade and Petite Mouchoir at Down Royal earlier this month, has to concede 8lb but his current mark over hurdles is just 139. Tombstone should finish second.
Earlier, the similarly well-endowed Red Mills Chase has only drawn four runners. For a Grade Two contest, this is a bit of a joke.
Locally-trained Ballycasey was well beaten in this race a year ago when third of the four runners behind the odds-on Smashing.
Arguably in better form currently with a success here in January when beating Road to Riches and Devils Bride, he subsequently disappointed at Navan when odds-on and only third behind Arctic Skipper.
Hard to see him coming undone here against Clarcam, another moody customer who was successful last time in a modest Clonmel heat earlier this month. He only gets 2lb from Ballycasey and Ruby Walsh should land this on the grey veteran.
The opening beginners' chase is an interesting event. High-class novice hurdler Bachasson fell on his chasing debut at Thurles before finding Edwulf too strong at Punchestown, but will likely be popular to make it third-time lucky.
He will not have it all his own way, however, with Cheltenham Festival hurdling winner Mall Dini and Jezki's half-brother Jett also featuring in a strong field.
Jett deserves to start favourite after his Leopardstown length-and-a-half second to Yorkhill last month.
The Gatechecker went up 8 lb for his Naas win but is still of interest against Punchestown hurdles winner Definite Ruby and Garrai Phaidin in the Careys Cottage Handicap Chase.
The McManus colours will be hard to beat later on too when Concordin attempts a follow-up to his Leopardstown Christmas win, off a 6lb higher mark in the two-mile-four-furlong handicap hurdle. The pair to beat are at the top of the weights in Notwhatiam and Mine Now.
Biggest field of the afternoon is the maximum 20 that line up for the maiden hurdle. Willie Mullins introduces a French recruit from the Flat and Dandy Mag might be good enough to take it.
Gordon Elliott’s Leomar was a short price at Naas in January when third behind I See You Well. he had seven of these behind him that day and Theydon Park, two-and-a-half lengths back in fourth and one of Joseph O’Brien’s three runners in this race, might show improvement now.
Selections: Neville Ring
1.20 Jett
1.55 Ballycasey
2.30 The Gatechecker
3.05 Jezki (Dbl)
3.40 Dandy Mag
4.15 Concordin (Nap)
4.50 Blixt
Selections: Next Best
1.20 Bachasson
1.55 Clarcam
2.30 Garrai Phaidin
3.05 Tombstone
3.40 Theydon Park
4.15 Notwhatiam
4.50 Mistheatre
