Three tips for Saturday's card at Gowran Park

Gowran Park is the main meeting in Ireland on Saturday with a seven-race card that features the Grade 3 Red Mills Trial Hurdle and the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase.

The action kicks off at 13:20 and runs through to the finale at 16:50 and we have provided selections and analysis for three of the races on Saturday's card.

Selections

2.30 Gowran Park - Killaney King

The betting action kicks off with a 2m4f handicap hurdle and Killaney King rates as a bet for trainer Henry de Bromhead with Rachael Blackmore back in the saddle.

De Bromhead went through a quiet spell as a virus swept through his yard, but the stable is starting to come out the other side of that now, proven by Special Cadeau's shock 66/1 victory at Thurles last week, while Tareze also took Listed honours at Navan.

Killaney King ran well at Limerick over the Christmas period but jumping errors cost him dearly in the closing stages when runner-up to Ad Caelum in the 2m3f novice hurdle.

The form of that race also looks suspect, but the pair pulled well clear and the first-time hood should help him to settle. He's 1lb higher than when midfield at Cork on handicap debut and a big run is expected.

3.05 Gowran Park - Saint Sam

A disappointing turnout for the Red Mills Chase but the three-runner affair is very competitive nonetheless. Willie Mullins has two here but it's Saint Sam who should take all the beating under Paul Townend.

An easy winner of this contest last year when seeing off Riviere D'Etel, the eight-year-old won the Clonmel Oil Chase in November and the form has been franked massively by Solness (third), who has won a pair of Grade 1s subsequently.

Saint Sam was just run out of things in the closing stages by Ballyadam back over hurdles at Punchestown last time, but he's a much better chaser and he could dominate this from the front.

He's a big and bold jumper of a fence and will likely try to build up a healthy early advantage. He might not be for catching.

3.42 Gowran Park - Lisnagar Fortune

Townend has opted to ride Blizzard Of Oz in the following 2m4f beginners' chase and that should mean Lisnagar Fortune is too big a price to ignore in the hands of the very capable Danny Mullins.

Granted, he needs to leave his chase debut at Fairyhouse well behind as he was tailed off on the day, but a couple of early mistakes took all the confidence out of him and he couldn't recover from it.

It's still far too early to give up on him, though. The bumper and hurdles winner should appreciate the step up in trip here which in turn should give him a bit more time over his fences and we can see him surprising a few here.

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