Ming Dynasty winning at Kilbeggan© Photo Healy Racing
The Killarney July Festival continues this afternoon with a seven-race National Hunt programme.
After the excitement of Frankie Dettori’s flying visit to the track on Wednesday, the Dawn Milk Run Handicap Hurdle is the feature event and in a small field, Gavin Cromwell’s Ming Dynasty bids for a hat-trick after victories at Kilbeggan and Bellewstown.
He has risen sharply in the ratings, though, and may not be able to concede over 2st to Austin Leahy’s Wait Here ,the mount of promising claimer Darragh O’Keeffe. The Presenting six-year-old, carrying the colours of JP McManus, has two easy ground wins to his name and will appreciate the forecast rain.
Racing opens with a conditions hurdle for mares, and as is so often the case in these events, Willie Mullins has a strong hand. Neither Pravalaguna nor Shanning have run since the Punchestown Festival, and both may be using this race to tune-up for Galway at the end of the month. Preference at these weights is for Shanning, in receipt of 12lb from her stable companion.
Gavin Cromwell saddles two wide-margin last time out winners against each other in the Dawn Hi & Lo Milk Handicap Hurdle, with the Sligo winner Lucky Road getting a narrow vote ahead of Peaches And Cream
Gordon Elliott might get on the scoresheet with Sassy Yet Classy in the Opportunity Handicap Hurdle, and looks to have an even better chance with the Bellewstown third Wings Of Destiny in the concluding Ladies Pro/Am bumper. Whenurgoodurgood bids to confirm Bellewstown form with Baboin in the two-and-a-half mile maiden hurdle, while the first of two bumpers is for four-year-olds only and with little form to rely on, a tentative selection is the debutant Free Nelson the mount of Derek O’Connor for trainer Peter Fahey.
