Trainer Tom Foley© Photo Healy Racing
It is 20 years since Danoli famously won the SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and just eight days short of that anniversary his owner Dan O'Neill sends out Golanbrook in the feature Aidan Fogarty & Ashgrove Stables Handicap Chase at Gowran.
Golanbrook is the first horse to have won for O'Neill since the heady days of Danoli and while nowhere near as good, Tom Foley has mustered five wins from him. The County Carlow-based trainer now sends him in search of a career highlight.
Foley is also represented by latecomer to fencing Followmeuptocarlow who makes his handicap chase debut, but both horses face stiff opposition from the Arthur Moore-trained Treat Yourself as he bids to follow up a recent Leopardstown win.
The Derek Lyng & Sports Injury Surgery Tetratema Cup Hunters Chase does not carry much of a prize fund, but is nonetheless a prestigious and historic event and was won by Grand National hopeful Mossey Joe last year.
Mossey Joe misses this year's renewal, but the race does feature former Hennessy Gold Cup winner Quel Esprit
The Willie Mullins-trained grey has stepped back into the hunter chase ranks in recent times and while successful in a point-to-point at Ballinaboola, he was well beaten on his return to the racecourse in a hunters chase at Leopardstown last month. Burren River provides stiff opposition, and while he took a fall at Fairyhouse recently (at the final fence), he has solid overall form. Davy From Milan tried his luck over hurdles without success but seems to have found his niche in this sphere, and comes here on the back of a hat-trick of point-to-point wins.
