Our resident pundit is going for a third winning NAP is as many days.
4.05 Carlisle
CALIVIGNY (best price 9-2) has been a little hit and miss so far over fences, but his best two performances have come at today’s track, so he’s worth another go to see whether he can finally break his duck over the larger obstacles. A two-time winner over hurdles, Nick Alexander’s inmate started his chase career off well when a creditable fifth over today’s C&D back in October and with the form of that race boosted by the subsequent exploits of Ash Park, Hainan, Knockgraffon, Pistol Park and Forest Des Aigles it doesn’t take a genius to work out if he can run to the same level off a 6lb lower mark, he should be going very close to winning this much weaker-looking event. Another sound effort at the Cumbrian venue behind Kap Jazz on his latest outing supplemented his fine record here, and having run on soft ground through most of his life, underfoot conditions should be ideal for the son of Gold Well.
4.30 Leopardstown
ELM GROVE(NAP) (best price 9-2) did remarkably well to win on her seasonal reappearance at Cork on Sunday and she’s fancied to take a quick return to the action in his stride. Better known for her exploits over further and off a career-high mark, Willie McCreery’s came from miles off what turned out to be a very strong pace at the Mallow venue three days ago and with his closing sectional times much better than the other mile handicap won by the 82-rated Hansian Prince, there may be some mileage left in this improving five-year-old on the evidence of those findings.
5.00 Leopardstown
John Oxx had a pretty retched time of things by his standards last season, but with his last Dundalk runner winning and, FLYING FAIRIES (best price 4-1) making a bright start to her campaign, signs are the Currabeg handler might be heading back in the right direction. Formerly with Joseph Murphy, the daughter never ran a bad race for previous connections and based on her opening salvo from her Co Kildare base, that level of consistency looks likely to stay intact. A comfortable winner of the Trigo Stakes on her final start last season over today’s course, the four-year-old filly coped well with a drop back in trip and heavy ground on her first start for 154-days at Naas and given that she shaped like she would be all the better for that initial outing, confidence is high she can put her valuable race-fitness to good use.
