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Mallowney bidding for Punchestown follow-up

Sat 17th May 2014, 09:46

Mallowney pictured on his way to victory at Naas earlier this yearMallowney pictured on his way to victory at Naas earlier this year
© Photo Healy Racing

Mallowney returns to Punchestown after winning at the Festival meeting at the start of the month.

Tim Doyle 's eight-year-old contests the feature Brady Family Ham Supporting Kildare GAA Handicap Chase over two miles, where he again faces Art Of Logistics whom he beat over course and distance by two and a half lengths.

His rival has a 3lb pull in the weights, but Doyle expects his charge to go well.

He said: "He has come out of the race well and seems in good form. Good to yielding ground should be ideal. We've kept the hood on as it seemed to relax him the last day and he probably jumped better because he was more relaxed.

"I'd like to think he's a serious two-mile chaser. He jumps and travels, which is what you want. It's the end of a long year, but if we run our race we'd have a serious chance."

Champion Flat trainer Aidan O'Brien has two runners on this jumps card, both owned by JP McManus. Draco aims to get off the mark on his seventh appearance in a bumper, and with four placed efforts to his name he would not be winning out of turn. Marchese Marconi goes in the two-mile maiden hurdle. The five-year-old son of Galileo reached a mark of 91 on the level and will be among the favourites on this his first assignment over jumps.

Jessica Harrington has won this race in four of the last seven years, and course and distance bumper winner High Stratos and the reserve Walk To Freedom are her representatives this time.

Harrington's high-class hurdler Steps To Freedom will be a warm order to score in the beginners chase, where the Alan and Ann Potts-owned pair Sizing Granite and Sizing India will look to give him most to do.

Bless N'Ject is the sole Willie Mullins runner in the three-mile maiden hurdle. Paul Townend takes the ride on this gelding, who is stepping up in trip.