Sunday promises to be a top day of racing action, not least because these five star names are present away from the big races. Find out who these are, alongside Betfair‘s new customer offer of £50 in Free Bets when you bet £10 on racing this weekend.
KILCRUIT (12:10 Cork)
The most talked about novice hurdler for this season, KILCRUIT may well be set to follow in stablemate Appreciate It’s shoes.
Both are owned by Michael Masterson and run in the chequered blue and green diamond silks that were prominent at the major meetings last season. His victory at the Dublin Racing Festival was breathless and despite losing the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham to Sir Gerhard, he made amends at Punchestown.
His ability to see out his races has made everyone wonder whether he could step up in trip, but the same comments were made about Appreciate It, who proved two miles remained ideal to him in the Supreme Novices in March. Wherever he goes, he sets the benchmark for the rest of the novice hurdlers and he hasn’t even jumped a flight in public yet. We look forward to seeing him do just that on Sunday.
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DYSART DYNAMO (12:40 Cork)
DYSART DYNAMO wasn’t seen until after the Cheltenham Festival had concluded, but his two bumper performances in the spring were worthy of significant note.
Two separate races at Clonmel and Punchestown were won very easily, while the second and fourth from the latter race have both already won over hurdles. Much like Kilcruit, he is a novice hurdler to be very excited about for Willie Mullins and is another for whom we might not know which Festival race will be his ultimate target.
For now, he debuts over two miles and though there is a bit of a cloud hanging over Mullins’ runners, that is possibly because many of his big guns have remained under wraps until now. Dysart Dynamo may well prove to be one of them before his sights are set higher.
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CONCERTISTA (1:45 Cork)
CONCERTISTA looked as if she was going to be very difficult to beat in mares’ hurdles last season after winning at Grade 2 and 3 level at the start of last season.
She easily defeated Minella Melody and Black Tears, giving both weight at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting, but things went against her in the spring as she lost her invincible aura at Cheltenham and Punchestown.
As such, Willie Mullins and owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, have changed tack for her and she goes novice chasing this campaign. She dives straight into Grade 2 company against her own sex here. She’s a big, strapping mare though, who should make a very good chaser and she is not the only horse in this field making her reappearance. A repeat of her autumn form would make her a clear favourite here.
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FERNY HOLLOW (2:35 Punchestown)
Away from Cork runs the only horse to have beaten Bob Olinger under rules.
FERNY HOLLOW also beat Appreciate It in the Champion Bumper at the 2020 Festival so his early form could hardly have been franked any better. Unfortunately, that defeat was the only time we saw him last season as an injury ended his campaign.
Far from allowing him a chance in open company over hurdles, plans for Ferny Hollow to go chasing remain and many already have an eye on him for the Arkle in March. Given he still has to prove his wellbeing, fitness and jumping, this talk is probably premature, but he could not have beaten the horses we have without having extraordinary amounts of ability.
As long as he stays injury free this term, he’ll be one for Grade 1 prizes soon enough and could make the novice chase scene very exciting.
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OSCAR ELITE (12:47 Huntingdon)
Back in Britain, OSCAR ELITE is a horse seeking redemption after a late fall at Cheltenham on his chasing debut.
Runner-up in the Albert Bartlett back in March, he was travelling very well in a strong novice chase when putting in an extra stride at the third last down the hill. Brendan Powell had asked for a long jump at speed and the horse took a novicey fall, but he’ll have learned plenty and he was certainly catching the eye at the time.
We will never know if he would have won, but he certainly travelled like a horse with plenty in the tank. He had jumped well otherwise and should be winning over fences sooner rather than later. This field is another competitive one, but the Tizzards look to hold the aces with Oscar Elite.
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