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Killarney preview

Sat 23rd Aug 2014, 09:49

Aranhill Chief, leftAranhill Chief, left
© Photo Healy Racing

Trainer Stephen Mahon is keeping his fingers crossed stable star Aranhill Chief can continue his superb summer campaign in the At The Races Handicap Chase at Killarney.

With a total prize fund of 31,500 euro, the two-and-a-half-mile contest is the most valuable event of the afternoon on the fourth and final day of the County Kerry track's August Festival.

After opening his account for the year over hurdles at Bellewstown in early July, Aranhill Chief struck twice in the space of a little over 24 hours at the Galway Festival to leave his locally based trainer and owner in dreamland.

He creeps into this weekend's contest with less than 10 stone on his back in the hands of Davy Condon and Mahon is expecting another bold show.

He said: "He seems in good form. He hasn't done a lot since Galway having run twice in two days. We haven't been overly hard on him and he's just been ticking over, but he's put on weight, which is a good sign.

"After he won the first race in Galway his owner said he didn't care if he never won another race again as it had made his life, but then he went and won the following day, which was unbelievable really.

"We always thought he would be a better chaser than a hurdler and he is still rated lower over fences than over hurdles, so hopefully he's well handicapped.

"He's coming back from two miles and six to two and a half miles, but he won over two and a half in Bellewstown over hurdles and he isn't short of pace.

"You don't know what the weather will be like next week, so we thought we'd get him out out while the ground is right. Hopefully he goes there with a big chance."

The Dessie Hughes-trained Art Of Logistics heads the weights, with Jessica Harrington's talented mare Cailin Annamh and Willie Mullins' Galway Plate third Balnaslow also featuring.

The main event over the smaller obstacles is the McSweeney Arms Hotel Handicap Hurdle, with the Philip Fenton-trained Desertmore Stream heading the weights as he goes in search of a hat-trick.

Aidan O'Brien 's Shield also goes for his third successive victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Hurdle.

Impressive Killarney bumper winner Solatentif returns to the track for his jumping bow and is sure to be popular for Henry de Bromhead in the Kelly Foley & Co. In Association With Lloyd Fitzpatrick Accountants Maiden Hurdle