Strong Irish Raid at Cheltenham on Saturday Following a fruitless first day at Cheltenham’s Open meeting, the Irish send eleven runners into action at Prestbury Park tomorrow.The best the raiders managed today was a second placing for Tony Martin’s Royal County Buck. Paul Carberry’s mount was beaten two and a half lengths into second after going off 13/8 favourite for the four mile Paddy Power Handicap Chase.Trainers, Paul Gilligan, David Kiely, Eric McNamara, Christy Roche, Pat Hughes, Michael Hourigan and Eoin Doyle are all represented on Saturday’s programme.Timmy Murphy teams up with the Roche-trained, Risk Accessor in the featured Paddy Power Gold Cup Chase for which the eight-year-old is an 8/1 shot with the sponsors.A runner from this country who will escape the attention of many tomorrow evening is Ras Tailteann. David Wachman has booked Steve Drowne to partner the three-year-old who makes his first start in handicap company in the final race on the all-weather card at Wolverhampton, the 9.30.
