Bowe charge to improve

Permit holder James Bowe already has the Stayers' Hurdle favourite in his Kilkenny yard, but Florida Coast can prove at Naas …

Permit holder James Bowe already has the Stayers' Hurdle favourite in his Kilkenny yard, but Florida Coast can prove at Naas today that Limestone Lad may not be the full extent of Bowe's Cheltenham ambitions.

Florida Coast earned a 25 to 1 quote for the Festival Bumper when finishing a 15-length second to Like-A-Butterfly on his debut at Leopardstown. Certainly there appeared to be a lot of room for improvement in the six-year-old and the benefits of that initial outing can begin to show in the last this afternoon. The track winner, Native Sessions and the Fairyhouse scorer, Backdoor Champion, are others to consider in a decent field but Florida Coast can start to hog his own limelight now.

Circus Maximus will attract his share of support in the opening maiden hurdle, but slight preference is for Snob Wells.

The son of Sadler's Wells ran fourth to Rostropovich over the course and distance last month when the Noel Meade string appeared to be labouring. Now that they seem to have turned the corner there should be some more to come from Snob Wells.

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The classy Minella Hotel represents John Nallen in the BBA Beginners Chase and should go close.

Pat Fahy enjoyed a wonderful Thyestes day at Gowran last weekend, but the one blot was possibly the total eclipse of Fonthill in a handicap chase behind Grange Leader. Fonthill, who beat Macs Gildoran in a Thurles bumper, didn't show a fraction of that speed last week and was eventually pulled up. But off 9-13 looks worth another chance in the novice handicap.

Spirit Leader can score for Jessica Harrington in the second maiden hurdle.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column