Cully charge looks best

Limerick Preview: Conditions will have a testing National Hunt feel at Limerick's all-Flat fixture this evening and in the circumstances the best bet could be to side with the course hurdle winner Middlemarch in the 11-furlong handicap.

Cork trainer Gerry Cully has enlisted Tadhg O'Shea for the ride on the ex-German runner who easily scored in a maiden hurdle here last February.

Middlemarch has no easy task against the Curragh winner Tipper Road and Dermot Weld's Proper Article who ran well in the Fred Winter Hurdle at Cheltenham. But the Cully horse does look to have improvement in him.

Weld and champion jockey Pat Smullen are heavily represented throughout the day but their best chance could come in the opening maiden with Baynes Cross.

This one tried to make all at Thurles but ran into a decent horse in Disclosure. The furlong less in distance should not be a problem now and Weld should know where he stands with the likely danger Misskinta.

Langkawi Bay was thrown out of first in a race here 18 months ago and races off a mark half a stone lower today in the second division of the apprentice handicap. Compensation might just be waiting for the veteran.

Accordion Etoile will undergo intensive schooling to try and improve his jumping ahead of the Punchestown Festival. Trainer Paul Nolan acknowledges his 2005 Champion Hurdle fourth will have to brush up on his jumping to be competitive at the top level. He said: "He is not jumping well at pace and as soon as the race switches on he seems to make a hash of it. We are going to give him loads of loose schooling and hopefully we can get him jumping better".