4.53 3m. 10 Declared. Irish Stallion Farms EBF M'dn H'dle of €13,000.00 4-y-o plus
1st - €7,800.00 2nd - €2,600.00 3rd - €1,300.00 4th - €650.00 5th - €390.00 6th - €260.00
FormscanBy Tom Weekes - DESIRE DE JOIE makes his reappearance and might prove good enough. His form can be a little in-and-out and finished last season (before lockdown) with a disappointing run at Navan but had previously shown some good form. A reproduction of his Punchestown run in February (the winner and runner-up are both good types) would see him hard to beat and while he disappointed over a staying trip on his latest run, is much better than that showing. Sean Flanagan is booked to ride Captain Mc over stablemate Face The Odds but there may not be much between the Noel Meade trained pair. Captain Mc is from the family of Shuil Ar Aghaidh and showed some encouragement on his latest run at Downpatrick. Then he was second to a useful horse and while the 11L third placed horse was well beaten from 93 subsequently, Captain Mc has race-fitness on his side today. Face The Odds initially showed good promise in his point-to-points and was sold for GBP165,000 after winning a Dawstown point for Denis Murphy. He was then well held beaten by high class Fury Road last November and while he disappointed at Thurles, returned to form with a useful run when second at Downpatrick recently. He was well held by the winner but 114 rated Stormy Judge was 4L behind him, receiving 7lbs, and he too has race-fitness on his side. One For Joe is rated 108 and is helped by his rider's 7lbs claim but possibly needs to improve to win.
A hurdle for four years old and upwards, maidens at starting that are EBF eligibleWeights - 4-y-o 11st 8lbs 5-y-o and up 12st Mares allowed 7lbs