Smart chaser Head Of The Posse switches obstacles for a hot-looking M.D.O'Shea & Sons Hurdle on the second day of the Killarney May Festival meeting.

John Kiely's eight-year-old has been running with credit in top company over fences and finished third behind Quito De La Roque at Punchestown at the beginning of the month.

He faces tough opposition in the two-and-a-half-mile contest, with several contenders also high-flyers in the chasing sphere, and the likes of Catch Me, Psycho and Made In Taipan look sure to be on the premises.

Head Of The Posse is owned by JP McManus, as is Back Me Up, who has had three promising runs over fences on heavy ground at Thurles and turns up with a feather weight in the McSweeney Arms Hotel Handicap Chase.

This is another hot contest, with Bideford Legend, Got Attitude and Warhead among several who will be fancied to make their mark.

Four of the first five events on an eight-race card are maidens and the meeting opens with the first division of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle at 5.20, with Willie Mullins saddling smart bumper performer Ceol Rua.

The second division also features a winning bumper horse in the shape of Jimmy Mangan's Jamie's Darling, who looked as though a step up to this two and a half miles would suit when successful over two miles at Cork last month.

Saved By John hasn't had the best of luck recently, finishing in the frame three times, but gets a chance to step forward from that in the Laurels Bar (C & G) Maiden Hurdle, in which Mullins will be hoping for better from Avoca King.

The champion trainer also has an interesting contender in the Keg Security Tralee Maiden Hurdle in Hammersmith, who looked very promising when winning a Downpatrick bumper on his last racecourse appearance in February 2009 but has clearly had his problems.