EDWARD O'GRADY was unfortunate to lose Ventana Canyon who was put down after breaking a leg in a gallop on Thursday. The impressive winner of the Arkle Chase at Cheltenham last March, Ventana Canyon is just another casualty, in a list of good jumpers to have succumbed to injury or have broken down. This comes only days after the promising young chaser Dance Beat shattered a leg at Punchestown. It always seems to happen to the best.
O'Grady runs the stable's star Sound Man in tomorrow's Grade Three Tipperary Raced course Chase at Clonmel. Although winning by 20 lengths on his reappearance at Tipperary last month he was beaten the same distance by Anabatic in an extended two mile chase at Navan next time out. However, he was eased after being headed before the last fence and the winner who subsequently ran well in the valuable Murphy's Chase at Cheltenham, was in receipt of two stone. Sound Man, who campaigned successfully in England last season, would be set to give a lot of weight to these rivals in a handicap.
Tony Mullins is taken to win the Bank Of Ireland Beginners Chase with Kharasar, who made little impression after turning for home on his reappearance at Thurles where he was favourite. He will be the better for the outing.
Paddy Mullins will be fancied to win the Bank Of Ireland Flat Race with Boro Bow, disqualified after finishing first in a bumper at Naas. Sarah's Guest short headed by Broken Rites at Punchestown, where the favourite Choosey's Treasure finished lame, can land the Juvenile Maiden Hurdle and Aidan O'Brien may saddle a brace of winners in Bitter Harvest and Brook Hill Lady.