IF Space Trucker can give the weight on soft ground in this evening's Nash's Mineral Waters Handicap Hurdle at Tralee, Jessica Harrington will have a winter as well as a summer horse.
However, while the Galway Hurdle runner-up has been placed a few times on such terrain as well as landing odds in a modest maiden hurdle at Downpatrick, he has always shown his best form on good, fast ground.
That said, the Galway Hurdle form has worked out well with the winner, Mystical City running away with a handicap hurdle at Tramore and the third, Just Little, winning a similar race with great ease at Roscommon.
Black Queen goes on the soft and John Kiely's charge who has had a recent outing on the flat at Tramore could be a danger at the weights. Nevertheless, Space Trucker looks a cut above this opposition.
Swift Cert, successful in a 13-furlong handicap on Sunday, carries a mandatory 5lb penalty in the two-furlong shorter Tankard Bar Handicap. Choosey's Treasure, who finished third, appeared not to stay the last few furlongs, having led into the straight. Now 5lb better off for a three and a half length beating, she might well turn the tables.
Coast Is Clear, who finished Just over half a length ahead of Swift Cert in a mite and a half handicap at Galway, is now 3lb better off. She ran well when second behind Back To Black on soft ground at Leopardstown in March and looks to be on a handy mark here.
Rossmore Girl and Afarka, separated by three lengths in a nine furlong maiden at Gowran in July, renew rivalry in the Carrolls Rose Of Tralee Ladies Race and John Oxx's Afarka can gain revenge on 5lb better terms.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)