THE RICH streak of form being enjoyed by Edward O’Grady has been a feature of the last few weeks, and Cockleshell Road can continue that run in the opener at Punchestown today.
O’Grady is the most successful current Irish trainer at Cheltenham with 18 winners, and he looks to be timing things perfectly once again ahead of the festival.
Cockleshell Road put in a nice effort here in December, and followed that up with a good victory at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day, only to disappoint slightly at Clonmel.
He was behind the dead-heaters Caim Hill and On The Way Out that day, but he drops back to two-and-a-half miles and could be worth another shout.
It’s a hot enough contest though, with Pomme Tiepy again attempting to make a mark over the smaller obstacles, Deal Done also a threat, and the former Grade One bumper horse Mick The Man sure to travel well through the race.
The other hot trainer in Ireland right now is Willie Mullins, and the champion can strike again today with Sports Line hard to ignore in the maiden hurdle, while Rinceoir Rua will be the focus of attention in the last.
Mullins has won this bumper for the last three years, and the last two were the subsequent Cheltenham winners, Cousin Vinny and Fiveforthree.
Two horses reverting to hurdles from fences can make an impact this afternoon, with the Paddy Power Chase runner-up Vic Venturi contesting the two-and-a-half-miles conditions hurdle.
His chase rating makes him an interesting contender, and the same goes for Jim Dreaper’s Retrievethelegend in the two-and-three-quarter-mile handicap hurdle. He has won over fences from a mark over a stone higher today and has his first start over hurdles since October 2007. He looks the pick.
