Preview down royal 4th Nov

Down Royal's flagship meeting begins with an excellent card on Friday and is the setting for the return of Oscars Well.

Jessie Harrington has Champion Hurdle aspirations for her classy six-year-old and it isn't hard to see why because he plundered a couple of Grade 1 prizes last season and may have won at Cheltenham but for sprawling on landing over the last.

He will need to be pretty near to his peak for the WKD Hurdle, though, because The Real Article has had a high-profile summer and absolutely trounced a good yardstick in Luska Lad at Tipperary.

Kalann also has a fitness edge and was a class apart over at Cheltenham last month, whereas Macville hasn't been seen since Leopardstown's Christmas fixture but won the EBF Lough Construction Mares Novice Hurdle here 12 months ago.

This year's renewal of that Grade 3 hasn't attracted such a strong line-up, but Dazzling Susie was fourth in the Punchestown Grade 1 bumper and made a successful start to her jumping career back at that venue in May.

Paul Nolan tried Carloswayback highly as a novice hurdler but this brother to Roberto Goldback is bred to excel over the bigger obstacles and he starts off in the Porter & Co. Beginners Chase.

Yes Tom and Eight Is My Number have just as much potential, while Four Commanders has experience on his side following an encouraging second at Limerick.

The Eventsec 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle gets the action under way at 1.05 and Hollymount King had Chart Master, His Excellency and Blue Cannon behind when second on his timber bow, and the latter's stablemate Leroy Parker is Noel Meade's principal challenger.

Meade will also have high hopes for Galway winner Ipsos Du Berlais in the Allianz Maiden Hurdle, while the Archie Watson Memorial INH Flat Race is usually won by a smart prospect and Charles O'Brien's Double Double will be fitter for his Tipperary comeback.