LIMERICK AND DOWN ROYAL PREVIEWS: THE MOST valuable race over Limerick's four-day Christmas period is Friday's Guinness Greenmount Park Novice Chase which can provide Sher Why Not with the most valuable victory of his career.
The 10-year-old has been a tricky horse to train over the years but Colm Murphy's patience can pay off with a Grade Two success.
Often this race is bagged by a horse capable of taking in Leopardstown's Grade One option but this doesn't look to be one of those years and so a more competitive heat is likely.
Sher Why Not has a 127-rating on the back of his last start at Thurles when he beat Boulavoge by five lengths in a handicap. He started 12 to 1 on that occasion and there should be value floating around about him this time too.
Jessica Harrington provides Top Of The Rock in this race and this one's head defeat of Jayo at Navan has been boosted since.
However the unexposed runner could be Nuvelli, a winner at Navan and Fairyhouse, while Financial Reward provides a test of Made In Taipan's form.
Willie Mullins sends Quiscover Fontaine to Limerick for the two-mile conditions hurdle and improvement can be expected from this good bumper horse after winning by half a length at Gowran on his last start.
Local trainer Michael Hourigan's decision to run Guts For Garters in the two-mile five handicap hurdle can pay off. The Michael O'Leary-owned horse won at Gowran before running into the gambled-on winner Lochan Lacha at Navan. Another local runner to check should be the triple-course winner Good Thyne Jack in the Beginners Chase. Eric McNamara's runner has been mixing it with handicappers but this looks a suitable opportunity for him.
Down Royal's star performer is last year's top Irish hunter Agus A Vic who has to concede weight all round in the hunters' chase.
Colonel Arthur ran just five days ago at Navan when proving best of the rest behind the odds-on Golden Silver. There is nothing of his calibre in the opening Beginners Chase although Jet Propelled could prove a danger.
Luke McNiff is a claimer making a name for himself and he can add to his reputation with Cottage Oak (who contested last week's Cheltenham bumper) in the two-mile maiden hurdle.
Topweight Arondo's 6lb penalty for winning at Downpatrick last Friday doesn't look like stopping Andrew Thornton's mount in the Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.
