The Irish-born trainer Richard Fahey has sent Anna Pavlova from his Yorkshire stables to Navan for tomorrow's €75,000 feature where she will find her ideal conditions waiting.
Paul Hanagan's mount needs soft ground to be at her best and crucially, she will also be going the correct way in tomorrow's Ennistown Stud Salsabil Stakes as in the past, Anna Pavlova has showed a distinct habit of drifting to her left.
That was never more obvious than when scoring in another Listed race at Ascot in October when she ended up under the stands rails and still won with one of this weekend's opponents, Tartouche, behind her. That ex-Lady Herries-trained horse is now with Jessica Harrington, who also has the ex-Geoff Wragg-trained Bon Nuit under her care with an official rating of 100.
Anna Pavlova, however, has won off 106 and with conditions to suit, Co Louth native Fahey is expecting nothing else but a seventh career win for his filly. "I would have liked another two weeks with her but it looks ideal. The conditions make it the most suitable race for her throughout the whole year. She is not going to be 100 per cent but with a bit of luck she should be good enough anyway. She has to have soft ground and the race fits her perfectly," he said yesterday.
Glitter Baby, with Mick Kinane back from Dubai, is another British-based filly in pursuit of valuable listed glory while the sole three-year-old will be Jim Bolger's Luminous One. But it's a big ask for a three-year-old to beat the seniors at this time of year and Anna Pavlova does look to set the benchmark here.
Earlier in the week, Aidan O'Brien described the Galileo colt, Acapulco, as a horse that could be anything this year. His first career test comes in the mile and a quarter conditions race but with Acapulco sure to improve for the race, Copper Bell, runner-up to Macarthur here last October, could be the one to pick up any pieces. Another O'Brien newcomer, the Danehill filly Peeping Fawn, will be one to check out in the fillies maiden, while Haajes should have come on for his Curragh start last weekend and go close in the sprint maiden.
The feature on Limerick's all-jumps card is the Grade Three Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase where some smart but closely rated horses take each other on.
The exception is the mare Laetitia who made her expected winning debut over fences here earlier in the month. She is the dark horse but significantly, Ruby Walsh is on board Ponmeoath who ran a blinder to be fourth in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham and usually jumps very well.
Judge Roy Bean can successfully concede weight in the bumper and the 2005 Grand National winner Hedgehunter can book his place in the Aintree line-up with a good run in the conditions hurdle. Maralan looks the most likely winner, though.
