Federici back at Downpatrick for McCain The Toals Bookmakers Ulster National takes centre stage at Downpatrick on Sunday with last year's winner Federici now bidding to win the race for Britain and his new trainer Donald McCain. The race has featured some useful winners in its past, including subsequent Aintree Grand National hero Pineau De Re in 2013, and this weekend's renewal features a healthy 12-runner field. Federici won 12 months ago for trainer Enda Bolger but has since moved to McCain's Cheshire base. The gelding opposes another Bolger runner, Love Rory, who was last seen over the banks at Punchestown. Trainers' championship-chasing Gordon Elliott sends out two runners for the 25,000 euros event with Definite Ruby bidding to follow up her January reappearance hurdle win at Punchestown and Captain Von Trappe hoping for a return to form in the three-and-a-half-mile contest. Captain Von Trappe's owner Michael O'Leary is also represented by top weight Folsom Blue. The Mouse Morris-trained gelding has already had a busy and profitable March, winning at Navan earlier this month before taking second place in the recent Leinster National at Naas. Elsewhere on the card, Elliott sends three runners to contest the Guinness Rated Hurdle and appears to have a reasonably strong hand with his trio. Sanibel Island was a winner for the trainer at Navan recently, while Shadow Catcher reverts to hurdling, having raced from higher chase ratings in recent times, and Ballela Boy was a winner at this venue in October. However, each may find the Eddie Harty-trained, JP McManus-owned Kilfenora too hot to handle. The gelding was a shock 50-1 winner of a Punchestown maiden hurdle last month and is open to a vast amount of improvement. Recent Dundalk winner Toccata Blue is an interesting hurdles recruit in the opening WKD Maiden Hurdle, where he faces stiff opposition from Elliott's Icario, a faller last time out in the Fred Winter Hurdle at Cheltenham. The latter's stablemate Coeur De Beauchene might cap another memorable day for Elliott in the concluding St Patricks Country Bumper.
