HIGH City Roller can go one better back at Wexford this evening. The Arcadio gelding went down by a neck on his first outing for Liz Doyle at the venue in late May and takes a step up in trip now.
He stayed on well to the line then when held by Hartur D’arc and it’s no surprise to see him going another half-a-mile now.
The six-year-old was also narrowly denied, by a short head, on a previous visit to this track and can make it third time lucky at the south-east venue.
It looks a competitive enough contest in the three-miler and hurdling debutant Kinbara could be a danger.
The John McConnell-trained gelding was a point-to-point winner before landing a Killarney bumper on his ‘track’ debut last July.
He was a touch outclassed on his return in a Grade Two bumper at Aintree this spring but ran well when chasing home a smart looking horse in High Class Hero at Listowel last month.
Jumping was always going to be his long-term job and this is a nice starting point.
Misty’s Gift is another with solid placed form in the field and has to be given consideration, but High City Roller wouldn’t be winning out of turn and this three miles on good ground could just bring out the best in him.
In the following beginners’ chase, former Grade One-winning hurdler Ballyadam can get off the mark over fences.
The Fame And Glory gelding may not have lived up to his early promise but did have some very good runs in handicaps last season, including finishing a close-up fifth in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
He bumped into an impressive winner, in the Willie Mullins-trained Hercule Du Seuil, on his return to chasing at Ballinrobe in late May but this looks like a winnable opportunity now.
Another horse that can gain a deserved success is Suttons Hill in the opening two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle.
The Arcadio gelding has been runner-up on his last couple of outings over timber and didn’t do a lot wrong when losing out by a neck to Mister Wilson at Listowel last month.
He has an official rating of 110 and that looks good enough to land a competitive but average looking contest.
Littlefoot, another who has been hitting the crossbar, could prove the danger.
GARY CARSON'S WEXFORD SELECTIONS FOR FRIDAY
5.05 Suttons Hill (Littlefoot)
5.40 Atlantic Wonder (Hard Target)
6.13 High City Roller (Kinbara)
6.48 Ballyadam (Hubrisko)
7.23 Birchdale (Snugsborough Hall)
7.58 Berliet Express (Clairmc)
8.28 Friends (Ma Bess)
