Limerick Preview:Aran Concerto might not be running over this holiday period, but fans of Noel Meade's exciting novice will be carefully monitoring this afternoon's Limerick feature for encouragement.
Kazal was only 15 lengths off the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle favourite when fourth in the Barry and Sandra Kelly Memorial a couple of weeks ago, and will try for some Grade Three black type of his own in the Ladbrokes Dorans Pride Hurdle.
Ranged against him are seven opponents who have all won and come here with some encouraging claims of their own.
Go West is a course winner, while The Halfway Bar represents the shrewd Cork trainer Robert Tyner, whose Footy Facts chased home Aran Concerto at Navan.
But the biggest threat to them all may well come from Orge d'Ete, who sets an official 121 standard and who comes here on the back of a defeat of Casey Jones on heavy ground at Gowran.
Going conditions won't get any more testing at Limerick than they do at Gowran, and Willie Mullins seems to think a bit of the four-year-old.
Mullins could also be the man to follow in the opening three-year-old hurdle where Jayo has his first start over jumps.
Named after the star Dublin footballer, Jason Sherlock, Jayo won a maiden on the flat at Thurles and subsequently ran off a mark of 87 on the last day of the flat behind Jazz Messenger. Dermot Weld's newcomer Lisselan Eagle could be the danger.
A mares Beginners Chase might not be the most obvious place to look for a decent betting proposition, but Be My Leader should be hard to beat today.
Francis Flood's horse was 12 lengths off Snowy Morning at Navan on her last start, but the winner could be a very decent novice in the coming months.
Herculies showed his liking for very testing ground when spread-eagling an admittedly less than brilliant field at Downpatrick earlier this month.
The Harrington runner is 8lb higher in the ratings for the handicap hurdle today and will be a hard nut to crack.
Local trainer Eric McNamara brings Fast Fred to the bumper, having run the four-year-old over hurdles at Gowran earlier in the month. That produced an encouraging fifth to the high-class Perce Rock, and a switch to the level should not be a problem.
"My three runners today all go at Limerick, and I give Countrycousin (1.10) a pretty good chance. This is a maiden for horses that are almost seven, so I can't see there being a star in there. If my horse jumps well, I can see him going close.
Rory's Sister (2.50) is another with a reasonable chance and is in very good form. My worry is that Be My Leader looks to have a very good chance on her run at Navan earlier this month.
My other hope is Lace Your Boots (3.20), who's very consistent normally. He disappointed the last day but my horses were not right then and I'm hoping he can come back to form."
