WEEKEND PREVIEW:JOHNNY MURTAGH travels to Galway tomorrow in his ongoing efforts to win a fourth Irish jockeys' championship but in terms of Ballybrit headline acts this Bank Holiday weekend he may have to give way to the bumper champion horse, Dunguib.
The much-anticipated jumping debut by the brilliant Cheltenham bumper winner is due to take place in the two-mile maiden hurdle where Dunguib is down to run against 19 opponents.
Given a competent round of jumping, it should prove to be little more than a stroll for Dunguib on his form from last season when he looked just about the best bumper horse to come out of Ireland in years.
Philip Fenton’s stable star routed his opposition at Cheltenham, beating Some Present by 10 lengths, and was just as impressive at Punchestown subsequently, only to lose the race on a positive dope-test three months later.
That proved to be an expensive administrative error in the Fenton yard but the Co Tipperary trainer reports that Dunguib has schooled satisfactorily since then and with Brian O’Connell again in the saddle it will be a major surprise if Dunguib cannot maintain his current position at the head of the Supreme Hurdle betting for Cheltenham 2010.
Murtagh rides in two races tomorrow and both look to have good chances, beginning with Reggae Rock in the opening two-year-old race. Ger Lyons’ horse was 10th behind his stable companion Beat Surrender in last weekend’s Birdcatcher but was quietly fancied on the day and he has form on very soft going.
Mosstown was a course and distance winner here at last summer’s festival and goes again under a 7lb higher mark in tomorrow’s mile and a half handicap.
Since his last flat start, Murtagh’s mount has impressed on his hurdling debut at Listowel and he looks to be on the upgrade.
The most valuable event on the Galway card is the €30,000 Grade Three novice chase and with Adrian Maguire’s team in such good form at present there will be some confidence in Let Yourself Go’s chances while My St Clair can score under Willie Supple in the seven furlong handicap.
Wexford’s Sunday card sees the return to action of the highly-rated Aranleigh in the Beginners Chase while Darling Harbour looks an interesting runner in the handicap chase off a decent weight.
Barry Geraghty looks like he could be the man to follow in the first two races with St Devote and Little Barney respectively.
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