Hats off to `Clint'

The origins of Ahinduclint's name may not be immediately obvious but the seven-year-old gelding does look to have an obvious chance in tonight's Guinness Handicap Hurdle at Dundalk.

Formerly trained by Gerry O'Neill but now with Paul Nolan, Ahinduclint apparently was named after a comment in a Limerick cinema when a local worthy tried to warn Clint Eastwood that danger was creeping up behind him.

It's hardly the most auspicious of names but Ahinduclint has a share of talent and ran an encouraging race recently when finishing a nearest at finish fifth to Super Fellow over this evening's trip at Navan.

Ahinduclint was racing from over a stone out of the handicap but few were finishing better and this company looks more suitable. The Sligo runner-up Oriel Dancer and Oranby, third to Native Wit at Tralee, can emerge as the main dangers.

Ballymote is a worthy topweight for the Smirnoff Handicap but the seven furlongs may stretch his stamina. Preference, though, is for Jeremy Harley's Binneas whose only run this term was a decent fourth to Gossie Madera at Leopardstown. He should have improved for that race.

Eloquent Way dead heated for second behind Megabyte here earlier in the season but is weighted to gain revenge in the apprentice handicap while John Oxx's course record means that the newcomer Saxon Prince has to be respected in the nine-furlong maiden. It's a race that won't take a lot of winning.

Akasian was a two-length winner at Wexford last Friday and goes for a follow up in the Bank Of Ireland Handicap here. Aspen Gem was fourth behind him at Wexford but it's the fifth, Star Club, that could be the interesting one. Michael Halford's mare was checked during that race but ran on reasonably well and a clear run will surely see her much closer this time.

French jockey Olivier Peslier will partner Peak Performance in the Austrian Derby in Vienna on Sunday. Peslier, who returned to France yesterday where he landed a double for his boss Andre Fabre, will be back at Royal Ascot today.