Solwhit to lay Cheltenham marker
SOLWHIT looks poised to compensate Charles Byrnes and Davy Russell for yesterday's agonising defeat of Weapon's Amnesty by Pandorama in the Golf Centre Hurdle this afternoon at Leopardstown.
The star performer in the Byrnes yard at Ballingarry, Co Limerick, is out to reverse Newcastle form with last year's winner, Sublimity, in a classy renewal of the final-day feature of the December Festival.
Unsuited to a false pace for the first mile and on ground quicker than he relishes, Russell's mount could not match either Go Native or Sublimity for a finishing kick in the closing stages of the Fighting Fifth Hurdle.
The worth of that form was advertised when Go Native followed up at Kempton last Saturday for Noel Meade and Davy Condon, who rely this time on Muirhead, which was second to Solwhit previously at Punchestown.
Sabrina Harty's Won In The Dark, fourth in that Newcastle contest, and Edward O'Grady's ultra-consistent Jumbo Rio add spice to a contest that should generate plenty of activity in the betting ring.
Solwhit has been all the rage in the ante-post market and that trend is likely to be reinforced today following the enforced defection of Hurricane Fly and Colm Murphy's decision to run Voler La Vedette in the following mares hurdle.
The forecast for rain overnight that might turn the ground against Sublimity and Won In The Dark could have a bearing on the outcome with Solwhit, Muirhead and Jumbo Rio taken to dominate the finish.
The ratings suggest this trio should indeed finish in that order and, although there have been some surprise results already in graded races here, the most likely outcome is for Solwhit to enhance his Champion Hurdle prospects.
The ITBA Fillies Scheme Hurdle has another ready-made favourite in Voler La Vedette, which gave Go Native a sound beating in testing conditions at Down Royal before that runner-up prospered on a better surface in England.
In fact, this King's Theatre mare stands head and shoulders above the rest of the home brigade and the main threat is expected to materialise from lone English raider Silk Affair, from Mick Quinlan's yard.
Fresh from his Welsh National triumph yesterday at Chepstow, Wexford native Tom O'Brien links up once more with this talented four-year-old, which landed the Fred Winter Hurdle at Cheltenham last March.
Content to keep his mare to her own sex for the moment, Colm Murphy has the David Nicholson Hurdle at Cheltenham in this category as a priority and this looks an ideal opportunity for her to extend her winning sequence.
The Murphy stable also have a prime fancy for the Ryans Event Cleaners Maiden Hurdle in Zaarito, which upped his game considerably at Naas last time out when pushing Captain Cee Bee all the way to the line.
However, fellow Wexford hopeful Sam Adams, which couldn't get to Limerick yesterday because Paul Nolan's yard was frosted-in, and triple scorer Jessies Dream, making his debut for Gordon Elliott, won't be easily denied.
Meanwhile, at Limerick, where the chase track was frozen yesterday and will be inspected again this morning (8.0), the Nolan team could have a particularly rewarding afternoon as Revelling, Ach Eye Surely and Golden Sunbird appear to have definite claims in the opening three hurdles events.
- Damien McElroy
Irish Independent
