Kaiser Black winning the McHale Mayo National Handicap Chase at Ballinrobe a fortnight ago© Photo Healy Racing
Kaiser Black heads the weights for thetote.com Connacht National at Roscommon this evening.
Pat Doyle ’s charge was a runaway winner of the Mayo National at Ballinrobe on his latest appearance and although a 15lb hike will make life significantly tougher, he cannot be dismissed, with champion jockey Davy Russell taking the ride.
Kaiser Black is reopposed by several horses who finished behind him a fortnight ago including the third home, Jessica Harrington’s A Sizing Network and the fifth, Supreme Vinnie from Denise O’Shea’s yard.
Other contenders for the 30,000 euro feature include John Kiely’s recent Wexford winner Master Appeal and the JP McManus-owned quintet of Shanpallas (Charles Byrnes), Tesseract (Joseph O’Brien), Riviera Sun (Henry de Bromhead), The Gatechecker (Michael Hourigan) and Oathkeeper (Joseph O’Brien).
McManus and O’Brien have the likely favourite for the opening www.roscommonracecourse.ie Maiden Hurdle in Gold Seal
The son of Galileo has been placed on three of his four starts to date and while he is clearly no star, he might be up to winning a minor event such as this.
Six of the eight runners in the 20,000 euro Dermot Hughes Car Sales Rated Novice Hurdle were successful on their most recent outings.
Harrington’s Jetez Dermot McLoughlin’s Canardier the Willie Mullins-trained Causey Arch De Bromhead’s pair of Eamon High and Schmidt and Sally Park from Paul Flynn’s yard all struck gold last time out and line up in what is a fiercely competitive contest.
Even the other two runners Scheu Time and Uisce Beatha should not be left out of calculations.
Hourigan’s About You bids to follow up his Kilbeggan triumph of a week ago in the OCR Waste Management Handicap Hurdle.
James Motherway’s Tipperary victor Goodnightngodbless, John Ryan’s Cluan Dara the Gordon Elliott-trained Goodthynemilan also feature in a maximum field of 18 runners plus three reserves. Jerandme a winner on debut at Down Royal, bids to make it two from two in the concluding bumper.
