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Game bidding for Grade 3 honours at Killarney
The Game Changer
© Photo Healy Racing
After chasing home Douvan on his last three starts, The Game Changer will bid to get a deserved win to his name in the Grade Three Laurels Pub & Restaurant An Riocht Chase at Killarney on Monday.
The Gordon Elliott trained seven-year-old is stepped up to two-mile-four here but has won over this distance before, while he also has a win around Killarney to his name.
Elliott also saddles Clarcam who has run well on his last two starts at Aintree and Punchestown respectively.
Impressive Aintree winner Maggio is another leading contender as he drops back in trip, while course and distance winner Viconte Du Noyer also has solid claims.
Gigginstown House Stud own The Game Changer and Clarcam, and they have the Mouse Morris duo of First Lieutenant and Horendus Hulabaloo in the McSweeney Arms Hotel Killarney National Handicap Chase.
The former will carry top weight as he takes a significant drop in class, while the latter will need to recapture his best form if he is to feature. Federici won the Ulster National on his penultimate start, before following up at Fairyhouse, and he is sure to have plenty of supporters.
His trainer Enda Bolger also saddles an interesting contender in Cantlow while other leading hopes are Irish National third Ballyadam Approach 2014 winner Your Busy and the Colm Murphy trained The Westener Boy
The Kelly Brothers Sliabh Luachra Hurdle is another quality contest, with Hidden Cyclone and Bright New Dawn the stand-out names.
The former has been given a break since his last run at Leopardstown in December, and he reverts to the smaller obstacles now with Rachael Blackmore taking off a valuable 7lb.
Bright New Dawn also returns to hurdling, having won a Grade B chase on his last start at the Punchestown Festival.
Val De Ferbet has been second on his last three runs, and he cannot be dismissed, while Casual Approach in another with claims. Consharon Boy and Pakman look the two to focus on in the opening La Na gClub Maiden Hurdle, while Pace And Passion Monasteradenpauric Stolberg and Boris De Blae are a few for the shortlist in the Robin Parke Memorial Handicap Hurdle.
Boris De Blae represents Alan Fleming and Barry Connell, and they appear to have strong claims with Cape City Boy in the M.D. O'Shea Maiden Hurdle, and Hedgeinator in the Dan Linehan's Bar And B&B Hunters Chase.
They also have a strong contender in Product Of Love in the concluding Killarney Racegoers Club (Ladies Pro/Am) Flat Race, while other likely fancied runners in this two-mile-one contest are Naturally Blonde, Slippery Serpent and Everyday Everyhour