Mark Walsh© Photo Healy Racing
Mark Walsh will be hoping to strike up a winning partnership with Neddyvaughan as the pair tackle the Horse & Jockey Handicap Hurdle at Thurles on Thursday.
Walsh has ridden plenty of winners for Neddyvaughan's trainer, Christy Roche, and he actually partnered a half-brother to his mount here, Coolaghknock Glebe, to land a gamble for the stable at Clonmel in February 2015.
That was a season that Walsh could well have been champion jockey. A broken arm sustained in a fall later that month put him on the sidelines for a significant period of time and he eventually finished second to Ruby Walsh, just four winners behind.
There is no doubting the Kildare man's talents, and his presence on Neddyvaughan could prove crucial as the son of St Jovite bids for a maiden win on attempt number 15.
The chestnut was simply too keen for his own good when fifth recently at Fairyhouse. That effort came over two and a half miles, and it could be that the extended 16 furlongs of this assignment will prove more to his liking.
Gordon Elliott has top-weight, Broughtons Star in contention for this maximum field heat, but the Cullentra House handler probably has better chances elsewhere.
A point-to-point winner, and third on his first try over racecourse fences at Naas recently, the Elliott-trained and Gigginstown House Stud-owned General Principle could take a bit of beating under Bryan Cooper in the Jim Murphy Contract Fence Builder Beginners Chase. Bellow Mome starts off over the larger obstacles, and he's a very interesting rival for General Principle. The French-import, a dual hurdles winner for Willie Mullins, has been the subject of good reports recently, and he has the assistance of for what is an important day in his career.
A course and distance winner from three weeks back, Dounikos could be another for Gigginstown, Elliott and Cooper in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners European Breeders Fund Rated Novice Hurdle.
