Blair bids to bounce back at Gowran Ruby Walsh heads to Gowran Park on a relatively quiet weekend and looks to have a couple of solid chances at the Kilkenny venue. The Henry Shefflin & Aidan O'Brien Rated Novice Hurdle has attracted some decent sorts and Walsh teams up with old ally Tony Martin on Blair Perrone. The Rudimentary gelding looked a nice sort when beating Silver Concorde in a maiden at Leopardstown over Christmas but has struggled in a couple of hot heats since. He should appreciate the drop in grade and fits nicely into this race, having the highest permitted official rating of 130. He finished just ahead of Domesday Book when the pair failed to make any impression behind Douvan at Punchestown in January. Henry de Bromhead's charge was making only his fourth start then, having won at Navan previously, and with the handicapper rating him at 128 he is entitled to be a big player. The Willie Mullins-trained Killer Crow holds that same mark and, like the other pair, he has struggled a bit since winning his maiden. He made little impression behind experienced rivals at Clonmel last time and may get closer back in novice company. The unexposed horse in the race is the juvenile Scooping, who beat a decent field when winning on her sole hurdles outing at Down Royal last November. Walsh looks an eyecatching booking for Oliver McKiernan's Golden Boot in the Cillian Buckley & Kilkenny City And County Vintners Maiden Hurdle. The Westerner gelding was sent off a short price to score at Naas earlier in the month but had to settle for second. A mistake two out put him under pressure but he still looked to have every chance on the run-in, when carrying his head a touch high. The champion may be able to conjure a winning turn. He looks to have the beating of Star Counsel and Voisey's Bay, who were in behind then, and the main threat may come from Undressed. Michael Hourigan's charge pushed a decent looking sort in Oscar Knight at Punchestown last time and is open to more improvement.
