With the abandonment of Listowel, Leopardstown has the weekend to itself tomorrow, and although we are on the eve of Cheltenham, there could be some festival clues.
Firstly, though, there will be much interest in the state of the Leopardstown ground, which because of all the recent rain is officially forecast to be soft. However, with a relatively dry forecast for the weekend, the going could turn quite tacky and testing, and with that in mind, River Rock is selected to beat the likely hotpot Musical Mayhem in the opening Lansdowne Maiden Hurdle.
Dermot Weld is set to run both Archive Footage and Iron County Xmas at Cheltenham but there must have been hopes earlier in the season that Musical Mayhem would have made it, too. A multiple winner on the level, he made his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse in late January when made a warm favourite to win. However, a combination of soft ground and the smart Taoibhin meant he finished only runner-up.
Richard Dunwoody again takes the mount tomorrow, but Musical Mayhem was readily beaten by Taoibhin and on similar going again is worth opposing at a likely short price.
There are no ground worries for River Rock, who will have the assistance of Norman Williamson. The Victor Bowens-trained horse finished best of all behind Total Success in that Naas race last weekend which saw Total Success dominate without too much threat from behind. River Rock looks the logical one against a favourite that could be bad value.
Nomadic is a possible Triumph Hurdle candidate and goes in the following Ballsbridge Hurdle, but even with an impressive Gowran win under his belt, he too could be vulnerable on tacky ground. Sawa- Id has to concede 8lb to the Noel Meade horse but is a winner on a heavy surface when easily beating Taoibhin in the first race of the year at Fairyhouse and is just preferred to Nomadic and Vivo.
The aforementioned Total Success bids to follow up in the Brannockstown Handicap Hurdle but is unlikely to get quite as isolated from the fancied runners again, and Amberleigh House, fourth behind Total Success, is suggested as likely to reverse the form. Michael Hourigan's charge won over the course and distance on Hennessy day here, where Total Success was fifth, and there is clearly not as much between the pair as the bare Naas form might suggest.
The Hourigan team can leave for the trip back to Co Limerick with a double under their belts. They run two in the bumper, but much the best of them is likely to be the racecourse newcomer, Father Andy, who turned an Askeaton point-to-point into a rout last month and impressed many knowledgeable pointing observers.
Clearly a young horse of some talent, Father Andy will have most to fear from Buckside, runner-up to Shean Town here last month, and another newcomer, Borzov, who comes from the powerful Willie Mullins bumper team. The most valuable race tomorrow is the £10,000 Kilternan Handicap Chase, where Anabatic, third to Dorans Pride in the Hennessy, has to lump the topweight of 12st. On soft ground, that will be quite a task and Veredarius, a winner here at Christmas, is preferred.
Sporadic Missile, impressive at Thurles, looks the one in the Firmount Flat Race, and Official Portrait is a tentative selection in the Stepaside Novice Chase.
