Kadiskar to get off mark

Sligo preview:   A hark back to winter days worrying about morphine comes at Sligo this evening when the JP McManus-owned Kadiskar…

Sligo preview:  A hark back to winter days worrying about morphine comes at Sligo this evening when the JP McManus-owned Kadiskar runs in the maiden hurdle.

Kadiskar broke his maiden in impressive fashion at Fairyhouse last winter but lost it subsequently when he tested positive for morphine in a contaminated feed.

Christy Roche's horse ran once more afterwards when well behind Solerina in the Deloitte & Touche 114 days ago but should finally, and definitively, lose his maiden tag today.

Another horse who has felt the stewards' touch is Caimin's Caper who was well clear of the rest behind Accordion Etoile at Clonmel only for his jockey to fail to weigh in. Jim Dreaper's five year old goes in the first bumper and should be hard to beat.

READ MORE

Doonaree was fancied to score on the flat at Gowran on Sunday but wasn't helped by a slow early pace and finished out of the money.

He has topweight of 12st in a handicap hurdle but is clearly in some kind of form and could be worth another chance tonight, with Keith Hadnett taking 3lbs off his back.

The mares hurdle is a trappy enough contest with Willie Mullins' horse Carolina and Dreaper's Thurles winner Valleya sure to be fancied.

Slight preference, however, is for the Killarney winner, Sally Webster, who was impressive last time out.

Leading Springs was a two and a half lengths runner up to Tunes Of Glory at Down Royal a month ago and might be the one to pick up the other bumper.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column