Flaviana bids for follow up win© Photo Healy Racing
The fences are wheeled in for Sligo’s annual chases-only fixture on Thursday when an interesting seven-race card features the 18,000 euro Frank O’Beirne Handicap Chase.
Nine runners will line up for the two-mile-one-furlong event — with durable multiple-winning stablemates Draycott Place and Kylecrue taking on Denis Hogan’s useful Eiri Na Casca while Flaviana bids to follow up a recent chase win for Jessica Harrington.
Templemore trainer John Ryan’s Draycott Place and Kylecrue have won 21 races between them, along with a point-to-point each, and both are previous course winners.
Draycott Place, two years the younger of the pair at nine, won over this distance in 2016. Eiri Na Casca is chasing his eighth career success, but the trio may find giving weight to Flaviana too much of a task.
Flaviana was thoroughly frustrating before a recent Kilbeggan chase success, but she should be able to compete from her 115 rating — with trip and good ground in her favour.
The Leo McMorrow Memorial Novice Handicap Chase, 35 minutes earlier, may see the Robbie McNamara-trained Matin D’anjou defy top weight.
The six-year-old gelding won nicely at Wexford, despite a slipped saddle, and at Tramore in August.
He may ideally prefer slightly longer than this trip of two miles and a furlong, but does go well on a sound surface and has the assistance of Bryan Cooper in the saddle.
Racing begins with the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Mares) Beginners Chase.
Dot Love ’s useful novice hurdler Dawn Shadow may get the better of Willie Mullins’ Bargy Lady on their respective chase debuts.
