Saturday's previews Listowel and Fairyhouse: The sixth leg of the Listowel festival kicks off a bumper racing weekend in Ireland and Colca Canyon will be many people's idea of a bet in this afternoon's Carlsberg Novice Chase.
The Jessica Harrington-trained horse won at Listowel on Monday when upsetting the fancied Glenhaven Nugget over a slightly longer trip than today's two miles.
There was plenty to like about the performance, including the way Colca Canyon fiddled his way over the last but, crucially, the ground is likely to be a lot different this time around.
Give in the going brings Emperors Guest into the calculations in a big way as he is a winner on the heavy and ran a fine race to stretch out Banasan at Galway earlier in the month.
Barry Geraghty rode Emperors Guest on that occasion but he has remained loyal to Colca Canyon. Robbie Power, claiming the 3lbs, can make that decision cost.
The day's big pot is the €35,000 handicap hurdle where testing conditions would also be ideal for Jaguar Claw. Successful over three miles at Galway, Jaguar Claw is now 11lbs higher in the ratings but Sam Curling takes off a valuable claim.
The amateur handicap is an intriguing little contest with the progressive King Carew topping the weights and Blue Away and Crimson Flower lying in wait.
Joe Crowley's Hanorla was only just touched off in the big handicap hurdle earlier in the week and while he would prefer quicker going, Hanorla has form on softer conditions and looks worth another shout.
The man to follow at Fairyhouse could be John Murtagh who is on the 57-winner mark for the season but may hit 60 by the end of the afternoon.
John Oxx runs three in the fillies maiden and Murtagh has plumped for the Ashkalani runner, Zafaraya.
And the Limerick winner Bayasiya may be leniently enough rated at 77 in the seven-furlong handicap.
Murtagh also looks a significant booking for the topweight Flying Boat in the six-furlong handicap.
Runner-up to Irish Verse at Listowel over seven, Flying Boat is perfectly drawn this time in stall 18 and can beat off the Ballinrobe winner Peru Genie.
Paul Carberry is scheduled to return after a break through injury and could hit the ground running with Young Vintage in the three-year-old hurdle.
John Magnier's son, MV, won on his first racecourse start on Sahara Desert at Listowel and Kilcash Castle looks up to supplying win number two in the charity race.
