Vinnie & Morning set for Punchestown clash Smart novice hurdlers Our Vinnie and Morning Assembly lock horns as they make their respective debuts over fences at Punchestown on Wednesday. The Charles Byrnes-trained Our Vinnie won twice at Graded level over timber last season and was brought down on his final start of the campaign in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Pat Fahy's Morning Assembly ploughed through the mud to run out a surprise winner of a Grade One novice hurdle at the Punchestown Festival and the pair both return to action over two and a half miles in the Ballymore Christmas Fair & Family Fun November Festival Beginners Chase. Byrnes said: "It looks a hot race but we have to start somewhere and the horse is in good form. We're looking forward to getting started with him as his schooling has been very good at home. "He's pretty straight, but at the same time I would imagine he'll come on for the run." Fahy said of Morning Assembly: "We're looking forward to it. He went to Tipperary and schooled under Davy Condon and that went well. "He's always been a big chaser, so it will be good to get him started and we'll see how he goes. "It looks a good race, but we're in no hurry. As long as everyone comes back safe and sound we'll be happy." Adding further depth to the contest are Dessie Hughes' Si C'Etait Vrai and Henry De Bromhead's Clonbanan Lad. Elsewhere on the card, Willie Mullins takes the wraps off interesting French recruit Lucky Bridle, who carries the colours of leading owner Graham Wylie in the opening Follow Us On Facebook & Twitter Maiden Hurdle. Just five mares have been declared for the concluding bumper, with Mullins' course and distance winner Shesafoxylady tackled by John Kiely's Listowel scorer Toe The Line.
