Sport

Fox is ready to rock for Ted Walsh at Gowran

Foxrock is the best horse on show at Gowran Park today and should make his class count by winning the Tetratema Cup Hunters Chase for Ted Walsh
Foxrock is the best horse on show at Gowran Park today and should make his class count by winning the Tetratema Cup Hunters Chase for Ted Walsh Foxrock is the best horse on show at Gowran Park today and should make his class count by winning the Tetratema Cup Hunters Chase for Ted Walsh

Foxrock attempts to continue his dominance of the domestic hunter chase scene when he goes to post for the Tetratema Cup Hunters Chase at Gowran Park this afternoon.

Ted Walsh's class act has had his enthusiasm rekindled this term, winning at Down Royal over Christmas before beating On His Own at Thurles and then claiming the scalp of On The Fringe at Leopardstown.

He isn't eligible for the Cheltenham Foxhunters but is entered in the both the Aintree and Fairyhouse Grand Nationals, and another bold display could tee him up for a tilt at one of those huge prizes.

His current rating of 150 leaves him in a different category to this afternoon’s opposition and he is the highest-rated performer in action over the weekend.

There is €50,00 on offer in the Holden Plant Rentals Shamrock Handicap Chase and Willie Mullins will be hoping that New Kid In Town can put in a clear round after falling in two competitive events at Leopardstown.

He wasn’t out of contention when coming down at the second last in the race won by A Toi Phil at the Dublin track in January and should cope with the likes of Samanntom, Fine Theatre and Winter Magic.

There have been signs that Dicosimo is returning to his best and he has an opportunity now in the beginners' chase where Double Scores (declared in error) is a non-runner.

Runner-up on his last couple of appearances, Mullins' six-year-old has plenty to fear from the Gordon Elliott-trained 140-rated General Principle.

Elliott will be eager to get the meeting off to a flyer when Chirico Vallis strives to make amends for a costly Fairyhouse defeat in the opening Thomastown Maiden Hurdle. He looks an odds-on chance against Lachares and Mickey Flanagan.

Stablemate Broken Soul is another on a retrieval mission, although last weekend's Leopardstown mishap, when brought down at the fourth-last flight in the race won by Wishmoor was hardly his fault and he makes a swift reappearance in the lesser class six-year-old and upwards maiden hurdle.

The handicap hurdle looks competitive enough with Dylrow and Mill Quest prime contenders but I’d rather be with Jessica Harrington’s There You Go, raised 6lb after his Down Royal second to Camlann yet still looking attractive off 104.

Castlebrook scored well in his only point-to-point, at Tallow last month, and the four-year-old makes his racecourse debut wearing the Potts colours for the first time in the concluding bumper.

The more experienced pair Ministerforsport and Change Your Story will make it interesting.

Neville Ring

1.55 Chirico Vallis

2.30 Broken Soul

3.05 There You Go (Nap)

3.40 New Kid In Town (Dbl)

4.15 General Principle

4.50 Foxrock

5.25 Castlebrook

Next Best

1.55 Lachares

2.30 Castlegrace Paddy

3.05 Dylrow

3.40 Samanntom

4.15 Dicosimo

4.50 Enniskillen

5.25 Ministerforsport