Antonin to upstage rusty Merry Gale

MERRY GALE, absent with a respiratory problem since being pulled up in the rescheduled King George VI Chase at Sandown in January, makes his reappearance in today's Morris Oil Chase at Clonmel.

This £20,000 two and a half mile Grade Two event was ear marked for the seasonal debut of Gold Cup hero Imperial Call but he suffered an over reach a few weeks ago and will not be seen until the end of the month.

It will be interesting to see how Merry Gale fares. Jim Dreaper's charge, ridden for the first time by Mark Dwyer, is currently rated 11lb behind Imperial Call and 23lb above today's main rival, Antonin, who was raised 11lb following his recent victory at Wexford where he made virtually all the running to beat Belvederian by a distance.

Meeting Antonin at levels, Merry Gale would normally be expected to win but Herbert Stanley's star, who started second favourite behind One Man in the King George VI Chase, will surely be in need of this race.

Antonin will again be ridden by Ken Whelan who makes his debut as a professional. Whelan rides as first jockey for Sue Bramall who moved from Yorkshire to near Gorey, Co Wexford where he has more than 30 horses in training.

The 25 year old Lismore, Co Waterford born jockey, who rode nine winners for Mrs Bramall last year, was aboard the Ferdie Murphy trained Stop The Waller when recording his biggest success to date in the Kim Muir Chase at Cheltenham in March. He has also accepted a second retainer from Murphy and will ride for him when he has runners at two meetings on the same day and when freed by Sue Bramall.

Belvederian renews Wexford rivalry with Antonin but Aid an O'Brien's recent winner Royal Mountbrowne is taken as the danger to Antonin.

The Latvian Lark reappeared after a six month absence to win a conditions hurdle at Punchestown under Mark Dwyer. Noel Meade's charge is likely to start favourite to land the Beginners Chase in which he will again be ridden by Dwyer and is taken to beat West Brogue.

Aidan O'Brien and Charlie Swan can land a double with Dashing Dollar in the Cashel Maiden Hurdle and Frances Street in the Irish National Hunt Novice Hurdle. Swan also has, prospects on the Andrew McNamara trained Call Me Henry in the handicap chase, while Casey Jane is taken to beat Native Gale in the Morris Oil Handicap Hurdle.

. Leopardstown yesterday unveiled its proposed £4 million development plan under the Irish Horseracing Authority (IHA) capital development fund for race courses, which will be implemented over the next two years.

The plan, which has been approved in principle by the IHA, will include a major revamp of the entrance, general enclosures and facilities at the racetrack.

It will also a piazza style square including a new Tote building, new seating, electronic board prices and extensive planting and landscaping. Refurbishment will be carried out in many of the bars and restaurants as well as the jockeys changing room and members' bar.

It is the managements intention to increase attendances from 160,000 to 200,000 over the next three to five years.