PIGEON House won a nice race over hurdles at Punchestown last week and looks capable of making use of a lowly mark on the Flat at Gowran Park this afternoon.
The Saxon Warrior gelding had been placed on five occasions over hurdles before gaining an overdue success at the festival meeting in a competitive handicap contest.
He was game in the finish, even after his jockey lost his whip, to repel the challenge of Killeemore Lad by half a length.
The four-year-old is now on a mark of 126 over timber so in comparison his Flat rating of 67 looks very attractive.
The step up to this trip of a mile-and-six today is a bit of an unknown but it looks worth taking a chance on his stamina as he is reportedly a stronger horse now and therefore could be thrown in on old form on the level.
This is a competitive event for the grade to be fair and another horse coming back to the level from jumping, Barrier, could be the danger.
He opened his account in good style over timber at Tramore 18 days ago and had run a decent race on the Flat at the Curragh previously over an inadequate looking mile when sixth to Global Energy.
Keithen Kennedy takes a valuable 7lb off his back now to ease the burden of top weight.
The best quality horses on show are in the opening seven-furlong conditions race and I Am Superman looks the one to beat.
Michael O’Callaghan’s charge was a really good horse for connections in Australia a few years back and showed he still retains plenty of ability when scoring at Dundalk back in December.
He may prefer better going than this but was narrowly denied in a Group One contest Down Under on heavy ground so looks fairly versatile.
In the median auction maiden on the card, Miss Tapley bids to atone for her short-priced defeat at the track 16 days ago.
The Joseph O’Brien-trained filly was turned over at 8/15 when only third to Buttermere Ridge but may have benefitted from that initial outing this term.
She ran a nice race when second to Tannola at Galway on her sole start last season and looks capable of winning a maiden of this standard.
Stepping up to a mile now may help the daughter of Phoenix Of Spain.
