The lack of opportunities at this time of the year is emphasised at Tramore today where there are reserves for each of the seven races and a total of 41 horses were ballotted out.
The fortunate ones left in will find the conditions difficult with heavy ground sure to play a part on the gruelling final pull up the hill. With stamina at a premium, the nap goes to the Andrew McNamara-trained Kanturk Girl in the long distance handicap hurdle. Stamina will not be a problem for this mare who won on her first start for McNamara over a quarter mile further at Thurles last week.
Under an opportunistic ride from Mick Murphy, Kanturk Girl won an admittedly poor race from Manndaliy by three lengths but she should be up to coping with this field too.
For one thing Kanturk Girl travelled exceptionally well through the Thurles race and when she hit the front she ran around noticeably on the run to the last flight.
That looked to be inexperience more than anything and there seems to be more in the tank to come from this six-year-old.
Arthur Moore and Conor O'Dwyer were out of luck in Saturday's Ladbroke Hurdle but they can bounce back with a double through Society Brief and Lord Dal.
The latter is a two and a half mile hurdles winner this term and was expected to make a winning chasing debut at Clonmel. Lord Dal was running on well over the two mile trip but couldn't quite get up and he should be more effective over this distance.
Society Brief reverts the other way, from fences to hurdles, in the Shurnagower Hurdle but this Wexford winner has the overall form to cope with the likes of Hasty Native and Cnocan Glas.
Willie Mullins's Catarata was a winner for John Oxx on the flat and did not run at all badly at Thurles last week behind the hot favourite Fadoudal Du Cochet. The grey goes in the opener here and looks one to keep an eye on. Father French ran well on his debut at Naas and should have come on enough from that to win the bumper under Philip Fenton while Runabout's come from behind tactics could pay off in the handicap chase.
