Arctic Fire© Photo Healy Racing
The 2015 Champion Hurdle runner-up Arctic Fire makes his first start for Denis Cullen in the Little Hours Play After Racing Hurdle at Cork on Friday.
The nine-year-old was retired from racing in January having been off the track since finishing third in the 2017 Punchestown Champion Hurdle for Willie Mullins.
However, he has since returned to training and has suffered no recurrence of the injury that forced him on to the sidelines.
Still only nine, he won a Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse and a County Hurdle at Cheltenham at his peak and is still rated 160, some 22lb higher than his nearest rival in Friday's conditions event.
That rival is the Mullins-trained Good Thyne Tara who ran out an easy winner at Ballinrobe on her latest appearance. Woodland Opera returns to hurdles for Jessica Harrington, although the trainer could be forgiven for not being present given Alpha Centauri runs in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket a few hours earlier.
The Gordon Elliott-trained pair of Flaxen Flare and Lieutenant Colonel have both shown classy form in the past but may be on the downgrade these days.
In the opening Doneraile GAA Goes Racing Maiden Hurdle Noel Meade’s Jerandme aims to remain unbeaten.
The Azamour gelding has won bumpers at Down Royal and Roscommon and appears to have been well placed by his trainer to make a winning start over timber.
Thomas O’Malley, the mount of championship leader Rachael Blackmore, might be the biggest danger.
Blackmore also looks to have a solid chance in the following Whitechurch GAA Goes Racing Maiden Hurdle on Turbo
Elliott’s Caliption has been running well at his own level and looks to hold solid claims in the mallowprint.com Maiden Hurdle. Trans Wood a winner last time out at Listowel can go well in the Battle Of The GAA Clubs Mares Handicap Hurdle under 5lb conditional Ricky Doyle.
