Leave bids for breakthrough success Eoin Doyle is hopeful Leavethelighton can gain a deserved first success in the Sean Graham Bookmakers Maiden Hurdle at Down Royal on Wednesday. The Oscar gelding has bumped into a couple of useful performers on his last two outings and sets the standard in the two-and-a-half-mile contest off a decent rating of 122. Leavethelighton chased home Wounded Warrior at Navan last time and the winner has gone on to run with credit in a hot Grade Two contest since. Doyle drops his charge back in trip slightly, but is hopeful his stamina will still come into play on the testing ground around the big track. "His form is good. He has a rating of 122 now without winning a race. If you can't win a maiden off that there is something wrong," said the Mooncoin handler. "He seems in good form and we're hoping he'll run well. If he reproduces his last run, he'll be hard to beat. I suppose Noel Meade's horse is the danger. The drop in trip is a slight concern as he's probably better over further but with it being a big, galloping track and the ground being testing, that should compensate." The Noel Meade horse in question is Couleur France, who has proven a bit expensive to follow having been placed in five of his six starts but ran well when third at Fairyhouse last time and looks a danger on that form. Meade believes he has him in good shape for the race and expects a better showing than he produced at the course on St Stephen's Day. He said: "He's been disappointing but I think he has a right chance. He might well have needed the run the last day as he was a bit held up and hopefully he'll improve from that. "He disappointed up there at Christmas but I think he has a big chance now."
