Draycott Place, left© Photo Healy Racing
Trainer John Ryan believes Draycott Place is coming back to his best form ahead of the O'Brien's Wines Novice Hurdle at Limerick.
The five-year-old was set some stiff tasks over timber earlier in the year, competing against leading novices Vautour, Valseur Lido and Beat That without being able to make an impression.
Triumphs at Downpatrick and Limerick early in the new season suggested the five-year-old could be in for a profitable summer, but he lost his way prior to a pleasing run when second on his chasing debut back at Downpatrick last month.
Draycott Place is back over the smaller obstacles for this weekend's Grade Three assignment and his trainer is confident of a bold show.
Ryan said: "He was a bit out of form during the summer as he didn't handle Galway and he didn't handle Kilbeggan, and I was chasing him a bit as he'd been on antibiotics and I couldn't get him right.
"I think we've got him right now. He seems in good form and he won in Limerick earlier in the year, beating horses like The Plan Man and Shield. It's a tight little race, but I think he'll run very well."
The highest-rated horse in the five-strong field is Michael Hourigan's Hash Brown The five-year-old has won at Ballinrobe and Listowel this summer and will carry the colours of leading owner JP McManus for the first time.
Hourigan said: "I was over there (at Limerick) on Friday morning and it should be nice ground, so we'll see what happens. He's a nice horse and we're hoping he'll run a big race." Sang Tiger has won twice from four starts over hurdles, most recently striking gold at Navan a fortnight ago. He has 10lb to find with Hash Brown on official ratings, but trainer James Lambe believes the form book tells a different story.
Lambe said: "You have to respect Hash Brown on ratings, but if you go through the form, Hash Brown beat a mare called Well Tuned by a length and three-quarters last time, giving her a stone.
"Well Tuned then ran against our horse at Navan and we beat her three and a quarter lengths, also giving her a stone. On that form you'd have to be hopeful our horse will run a good race.
"He's a three-time winner in France and he's still very unexposed over hurdles having only run the four times. He's won his maiden hurdle at two miles and it was two and three-quarter miles in Navan, so he's a tough horse.
"I'm looking forward to running him and finding out if he can make another step up."
The field is completed by Pat Flynn's Gusty Rocky and Discover Wexford from Willie Codd's stable.
