Down Under© Photo Healy Racing
Course specialist Down Under returns to Kilbeggan on Sunday to defend the Streamstown Handicap Chase that he landed last year at 20-1.
Francis Flood 's nine-year-old will not be anywhere near that price this time around as he has been in good form at the County Westmeath track, with a win and a runner-up finish banked in April and May respectively.
This three-mile-one-furlong trip is ideal for him, and jockey Mark Walsh has partnered him to five of his six career victories. Dove Mountain was no match for Wakea at Down Royal but he did come home second of 20 runners and that was his first attempt over obstacles. He ought to go close in the Martinstown Opportunity Maiden Hurdle. Solar Heat was fourth in her last two handicap hurdle appearances and would not need to find much more to be a serious player in the Athlone Handicap Hurdle.
The Bloomfield House Hotel Mares Hurdle features a clash between recent winners Cotton Jenny Lily Yeats Jaime Sommers and Sarah Joyce
The Michael Bowe-trained Jaime Sommers showed a fondness for this venue when shedding her maiden status last month.
Rachael Blackmore, who has been booked for Jaime Sommers, has struck up a winning sequence with Oisin James who goes for a hat-trick in the Kilbeggan Handicap Hurdle. Exxaro won twice in his hurdling career and, on his first start for Mouse Morris, now tackles fences in the Mullingar.ie Beginners Chase.
The Gigginstown pair of All Hell Let Loose and As De Ferbet provide tough opposition. Are You Bidding and Souphanouvan look the two to concentrate on in the bumper.
The former was third in Fairyhouse on heavy ground and may make the breakthrough, on better going, for Willie Mullins.
