Warrior among 14 set for Midlands National Wounded Warrior heads a maximum field of 14 runners for the Midlands National at Kilbeggan on Friday. With a total prize fund of 50,000 euro up for grabs, a strong line-up has assembled for the three-mile-one-furlong feature in Co Westmeath. The Noel Meade-trained Wounded Warrior makes his first appearance since winning a similarly valuable contest at the Punchestown Festival and spearheads a three-strong team for Gigginstown House Stud along with Thunder And Roses and Rogue Angel, who both make their first starts for Gordon Elliott after leaving Mouse Morris. Another leading owner, JP McManus, is represented by the Charles Byrnes-trained Rock On Fruity and Elliott’s Timiyan. Other contenders include course winners Full Cry (Henry de Bromhead), Newsworthy (Dot Love) and Na Trachtalai Abu (James Motherway). Dreamtide makes her debut for Willie Mullins in the Coola Maiden Hurdle. The four-year-old was snapped up for the relatively modest fee of 37,000 guineas having only hinted at promise in three starts on the Flat in Britain for Amanda Perrett. Nevertheless, she is worth a market check on her Irish and jumping bow in what looks a fairly weak race. In the same contest, Henry de Bromhead’s Eastern Harbour is also of interest carrying the Qatar Racing silks. Elsewhere on the card, the De Bromhead-trained Gowran maiden hurdle winner Due Reward bids to follow up in the Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey Handicap Hurdle. His rivals include John Ryan’s stable stalwart Draycott Place, who bids to make the most of a significantly lower mark over the smaller obstacles than he has over fences. Elliott’s high-class mare Barra kicks off her career over fences in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase. After filling the runner-up spot on debut, the Mullins-trained Jolucy will be well fancied to go one better in the concluding bumper.
