Mr Smith© Photo Healy Racing
Mr Smith was a 10-length winner on the final day of the Galway Festival and Charles Byrnes’ gelding will be a warm order to defy a penalty in the Class Grass Handicap Hurdle at Roscommon this evening.
He actually won on this card three years ago, and preceded his recent win by scoring on the Flat at Carlisle after an injury-enforced absence of over two years.
The first juvenile hurdle of the Irish N.H. season has long been a feature of this meeting, and Noel Meade’s filly Harvest Bow has the look of one who might take to jumping.
A nursery winner on testing ground, she was last seen when third on the Flat at Leopardstown, and her stamina can be an asset if she is capable over the obstacles in the opening Railway Bar 3-y-o Maiden Hurdle.
Gigginstown House Stud have a very strong hand in the Paul Byron Shoes Maiden Hurdle and, after placed efforts in his first two starts over timber at Wexford and Downpatrick, Guttural might be the best of their three runners and can collect for Joseph O’Brien and J.J. Slevin.
O’Brien’s well-related newcomer Feux De Bois can make a winning debut in the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands 4-y-o INH Flat Race, but his Grey Waters may have to give best to Gordon Elliott’s Darling Miss in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Beginners’ Chase.
The remarkable veteran See Double You will have plenty of supporters in the Michael Holland Tyres Handicap Chase, but Allied Victory can deny him a ninth career success, while Charles O’Brien’s Mastermind can land the J.F. Hanley Beginners’ Chase having shown promise on his chasing bow at Leopardstown in the spring.