HORSE RACING: Should tomorrow's Punchestown card get the go-ahead it will pay to get there early as the first couple of races look the most attractive.
Birmayne heads a reasonable field for the three-mile novice hurdle and comes here on the back of an eight-length defeat of Elliptic at Fairyhouse last time.
Norman Williamson travels over from Britain for the ride and the Edward O'Grady runner should be up to beating Billy The Snake and Eskimo Jack.
The following handicap chase should feature the Cheltenham hopeful, Strong Run, who is on the back of a two and a half length defeat of Penny Native.
Significantly the Leopardstown winner Falcon Du Coteau races from 6lb out of the handicap and that can swing things Strong Run's way.
Paul Carberry will also be on the likely favourite in the maiden hurdle, where he has a second ride on the smart flat horse, Scottish Memories.
The stakes winner was second to Ballyhampshire Boy on his first hurdles outing and even though well beaten, Scottish Memories is sure to play a major part tomorrow.
A value alternative on this ground, however, could be the Navan winner Canon Barney, who has been mixing chases with bumper starts recently.
Last weekend at Leopardstown he looked likely to be tailed off in the bumper won by Final Act, being under pressure a full six furlongs out, but rallied to some effect in the straight and ended up fourth. In these testing conditions, such resilience could be a trump card.
Norman Williamson may also be the jockey to follow in the beginners' chase. His mount, Masseuse, hasn't run for over two years but the likely favourite, No Discount, has been frustrating to follow and Williamson's horse has shown ability in the past.
Cashel Bay is only a four year old but has shown enough in his hurdles starts to indicate his chance in the handicap hurdle against the unlucky Born Flyer.
The possibility of heavy rain last night prompted Wetherby to hold an inspection this morning and officials at Sandown and Uttoxeter are also keeping an eye on the weather.
"The forecast was for rain to spread and it is just getting to us later than was originally expected. If we did get significant rain tonight we would on be serious trouble, so we thought we had better organise a precautionary inspection tomorrow," said Wetherby racecourse manager James Sanderson.
"We've had a dry day after two millimetres of rain last night. It's quite breezy with no change in the ground," said Sandown's spokesman.
"If anything things have dried up a little today but there is rain forecast."
The bad weather forced the abandonment of Hereford and Kelso yesterday.
