Jungle Cove© Photo Healy Racing
The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Nasrullah Handicap is a typically competitive renewal at Leopardstown this evening and Jungle Cove faces 16 rivals as he bids to land the €100,000 1m1f event for a second successive year.
The Jessica Harrington-trained gelding provided 16-year-old Dylan Kidd with a dream start to his riding career when successful here 12 months ago but the son of Mastercraftsman will have a much more experienced rider aboard this time.
“Shane (Foley) said he wanted to have a go on him for a big pot but he’s a horse that loves to think he’s in charge so we’ll see how it works out,” said Harrington’s daughter and assistant trainer Kate.
“It would be some achievement to win a Premier Handicap back-to-back. He ran a solid race in the Ladies Derby and he loves Leopardstown.”
The Moone trainer also saddles Lan Cinnte who is right down at the foot of the handicap with Jamie Powell claiming 5lb.
“Lan Cinnte ran an absolute cracker in the fillies handicap at the Curragh the last day and we’d hope that she will run a big race stepping up in trip.”
The Tom Gibney-trained Alanya an impressive winner of the Ladies Derby at the Curragh on her Irish debut, heads the market along with Dermot Weld's Coeur D’or, a course and distance winner last month, and Zabeir for Donal Kinsella.
The Harrington yard is also doubly represented in the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Stanerra Stakes with Scarlett O’Hara and Irish Lullaby
“I think Scarlett O’Hara will really appreciate the step up to a mile and six. She did things very well the last day,” said Kate Harrington.
“On ratings she has a little bit to find with a few of the others, but I hope she’ll run a big race.
“Irish Lullaby was running a massive race at Royal Ascot, travelling the whole way into the straight but just didn’t quite see out the two and a half miles.
“Back to a mile and six here we have her good and fresh, and if she could reproduce her run at the start of the season in Cork then she should run well.”
Roger Varian supplies the favourite in the shape of Divine Jewel while Ralph Beckett also sends over Understated
The seven-race card gets underway at 5.15 and the going is currently described as good, good to yielding in places. There is the possibility of showers this evening with temperatures around 19C.
