The sun is shining and summer surely can't be far away as the first of many double meeting Friday's this year gets underway with racing at Wexford and Dundalk this evening.
The south-eastern venue hosts a seven race all National Hunt card beginning at 4.35pm, and remedial work on the surface over the winter has obviously paid dividends as there are full fields in every event.
Davy Russell continues his quest for a first jump jockey's championship, with the Youghal native currently nine behind (76-67) the sidelined leader Paul Townend, who hopes to be back in action later this month.
Niall "Slippers" Madden makes a welcome return to action at Wexford having suffered head injuries in a fall at Naas on March 6.
The veteran A New Story winner of the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase last year and a gallant third to Sizing Australia when bidding for a repeat in that unique event last month, tops the weights in the three mile handicap hurdle.
Chasing returns to Wexford for the first time since their problems with false ground last autumn, with a 2m3f beginners chase and a 3m1f handicap chase.
Meanwhile Dundalk hosts its fourth Friday evening fixture of 2011, with Pat Smullen, Johnny Murtagh and Fran Berry all in action on a seven race card that gets underway at the usual time of 6.30pm.
Mark Johnston plundered a number of prizes on the polytrack last year, and the Middleham trainer is represented in the featured 1m4f handicap by Emerging Artist
The five-year-old gelding scored twice last year including a handicap at Newbury, and will not lack for fitness from these quarters having already had a run on the all-weather at Lingfield this year.
Alan Magee
