TOMORROW'S Aer Rianta Shannon Handicap Chase at Tipperary has proved a sound Galway Plate trial since its inception in 1994 when Feathered Gale made all the running and next time out won the Plate, while Life Of A Lord presaged his great Galway victory with another pillar to post success in the Tipperary feature.
The going is considered to firm for Life Of A Lord who also missed Killarney for the same reason and now goes straight to Galway.
Perhaps history will be repeated tomorrow with another front runner - the Paddy Mullins trained Boro Vacation who made all to beat the long absent Minister For Fun in a handicap chase at Wexford last time out. Runner up in the Plate two years ago, the latter will be expected to reverse Wexford placings.
An improving chaser, Boro Vacation was unchallenged when winning at Roscommon in May. He appears to like fast ground, is suited to two and a half miles and jumps like a buck. Indeed, it would not surprise me to see him emulating Feathered Gale and Life Of A Lord by winning here and at Galway where 10 years ago his dam Boro Quarter won the Plate.
Anabatic was unlucky at Killarney and Kelly's Pearl, runner up in last year's Plate, returned to her best when winning at Killarney. It is a long time since Open Market ran over fences, but he won over the Plate distance at Punchestown last October. High Spec may need this race.
The lightly raced Crossfarnogue, who has 9st 13lb in the Galway Hurdle, has his preliminary in the Aer Rianta Shannon Catering Handicap Hurdle. He has not run since winning a handicap hurdle by eight lengths at Tralee last September.
Fontaine Lodge, who won her maiden hurdle here by six lengths, may not beat Aidan O'Brien's dual bumpers winner Erramore in the Fuels Novices Hurdle and Stansway is taken to land the Shannon Airport Flat Race.
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