Wicklow Brave pictured on his way to victory at Cheltenham © Photo Healy Racing
The best is kept until last at Listowel as the exciting Wicklow Brave lines up in search of a third win in a row as he takes on five rivals in the Bryan MacMahon (QR) Race.
It all came together in brilliant style for the gelding in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, and it continued on an upward trajectory when he was tried for the first time on the Flat at Gowran Park.
It was difficult not to be taken with the way Wicklow Brave picked up a smart mare in Jennies Jewel that day after she'd put it up to her rivals over the two miles.
Some went as far as suggesting Willie Mullins' charge could follow a path laid down by a horse in the same ownership, Simenon, by contesting some of the top staying events on the level.
That may not be too fanciful a notion, and hopefully the Wicklow Bloodstock Ltd-owned dual-purpose horse is now over the problems he had at the start of his races. He has prevailed at this course in the past, too, in a bumper at the festival meeting in 2013.
On the ratings allocated to Cardinal Palace and Davids Park it might not be a cakewalk for Wicklow Brave, but despite dropping in trip it will still be a surprise if the Closutton runner isn't well up to accounting for his rivals. The triple bumper scorer is reunited with Patrick Mullins.
Punters will surely be inclined to row in with Willie Mullins in the Follow Listowel Races On Facebook Handicap half an hour earlier as well, with the penalised Gowran winner Laviniad who will again have Pat Smullen in the plate.
Laviniad was not surprisingly hiked up 11Ib for her win, and with the mandatory 5Ib penalty on her back here her chance is very clear.
