RACING:Fresh from his 25 to 1 victory on Cause Of Causes in the Ladbroke at Ascot on Saturday, Davy Condon can make Christmas hay at Down Royal with a lucrative hat-trick that could include Torn Asunder.
The seven and a half grand first prize for the first of the maiden hurdles won’t put much of a dent in the €125,000 Torn Asunder cost as a three- year-old but can prove a winning first instalment for the Gigginstown runner.
With nearby Downpatrick having been rained off last Thursday, ground conditions will be inevitably testing at the North’s other course but that shouldn’t be an issue for a horse placed on his two starts over flights to date.
Condon is on Johannisberger for Noel Meade in the two-and-a-half-mile Beginners Chase and a repeat of this one’s second to Argocat at Limerick earlier in the season should be good enough.
Meade and Condon also combine for Fickle Fortune in the other maiden hurdle.
The course bumper winner can be a trappy ride with a tendency to run free but anything like her effort when runner-up to Un Atout at Navan will be tough for this opposition to cope with.
Great Oak took advantage of circumstances to score a Grade Three success over fences at Cork and can take advantage of her hurdles racing in the Opportunity race.
The Cheltenham Foxhunters champion Salsify is the big name in the opener but won’t get anything like the ground conditions he relishes after the long journey from Rodger Sweeney’s Co Cork base.
The going looked to scupper his chance at Wexford recently and the horse that beat Salisfy that day, Tammys Hill, can again take advantage.
