The Brindley name has been associated with Irish racing for well over 100 years and Basil made certain that he would write his chapter in the story when he bred and raced Northern Sunset.

A winner of four races on the flat and over hurdles, he sold her at the Newmarket December Sales to Virginia Kraft Payson for whom she bred the Budweiser Irish Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner St Jovite.

While he may never own another mare of that calibre, his Andrea Cova is napped to win the INH Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle at Downpatrick this afternoon.

She won two bumpers at Downpatrick last year and has been placed over hurdles four times in 1998. At Clonmel last week she was third in the market and third in the race when placed behind Richard Dunwoody's mount Sandy's Native.

This could be one of the liveliest betting races on the programme with Gortroe Guy, Stormy Ahead and Dinghy all vying for favouritism with Andrea Cova who has the edge for a proven liking for this up and down circuit.

Conor O'Dwyer had a fine treble at Naas on Saturday but with only two rides will have a quiter afternoon here. The pair, however, include All For Max who promises to be one of the hot pots on the programme after an excellent run in a Punchestown handicap chase this month.

The most impressive of the O'Dwyer Naas winners was Joe Mac and while he positively cantered home the runner up Load And Lock meets much more low key competition.

Sponsor "Colin McBratney Racehorse Trainer" is without a runner in his own handicap chase where Ruby Walsh's mount Bracing Breeze may just fail to the old man of the party Windover.

Lured by an automatic 4lb penalty last Thursday's Clonmel winner Blackburn makes what should be a remunerative long journey form Graiguenamanagh to Downpatrick.