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Preview down royal 26th Aug

Irish racing's attention turns northwards on Friday, with a seven-race jumps card at Down Royal starting at 4.35 with the Molson Coors 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle.

Joseph O'Brien is double-handed with Birthplace and Zig Zag, while Jessie Harrington also runs two in East Coker and Bobabout.

Gordon Elliott has three runners in the race though, with Trespassed, who has already placed twice over timber, his likeliest candidate ahead of Scealtana and Mischief Maisy.

Elliott runs Sligo bumper winner Pat's Oscar and experienced hurdler Lucy Mc in the Allied Bakeries Mares Maiden Hurdle, but they may find Bobarlee too hot to handle.

Willie Mullins' mare won her Sligo bumper by 15 lengths last month and though turned over at odds-on on her hurdling debut at Ballinrobe earlier this month, she certainly wasn't beaten far into third and represents the sole runner from Mullins' yard on the card.

The Kerry Foods Rated Hurdle looks set to be a tightly-contested affair, with Elliott's Everyday Everyhour and Edward O'Grady's Prickly heading the weights.

Joseph O'Brien may hold the key to this, though, as Mai Fitzs Jack won easily over this trip at Listowel before running a solid race over further in handicap company at Bellewstown.

Elliott will have high hopes for An Caisteal Nuadh on his hurdling bow in the Tayto Group Maiden Hurdle, as he was impressive when scoring on his bumper debut at Limerick.

Dangers abound in this contest though, as Redrobin was in fine form when last seen and Benny In Milan was a good winner of a Wexford bumper and has tasted hurdles action when down the field at Galway last time.

Jack Kennedy appears to prefer Black Waterfall over Bellas Rock of Elliott's duo in the SHS Group Handicap Hurdle, where Kilcaragh Boy bids to follow up a Roscommon success, while Elliott's Vote Of Confidence may have it all to do against Buachaill Maith and Tb Broke Her in the Coca Cola Handicap Hurdle.