Limerick PreviewSome decent horses like Our Ben (2004) and Kazal last year have won the Day Three Limerick feature in the past and Liskennett looks the one most likely to join that list this afternoon.
Charlie Byrnes' four-year-old mare gets all the allowances from eight opponents in the Grade Three Ladbrokes Dorans Pride Novice Hurdle and looks to boast the best single piece of form in the race.
That came in another Grade Three, the Monksfield Hurdle at Navan last month, when Liskennett finished less than three lengths behind the high class pair of Rathmore Castle and Gem Daly. Admittedly that came off a relatively slow pace but Liskennett proved her stamina with a win over three miles at Cork before that and today's trip and ground will hold little fear for her.
Scavenger is another with no stamina worries having won over three miles also, but a bigger danger could be Noel Meade's Sigma Digital whose defeat of Tranquil Sea at Fairyhouse was boosted by the runner-up at Leopardstown on Wednesday.
Another local trainer, Eric McNamara, looks to have the answer to the following handicap hurdle with the topweight Bellflower Boy. The four-year-old is 4lb higher in the ratings for beating Kasimali at Thurles last weekend and despite carrying 11st 7lb he looks a type to follow until beaten.
Edward O'Grady has already enjoyed a good Christmas campaign and although Grapevine Sally only made it to the fifth fence on her chasing debut at Fairyhouse, she looks worth another shout in the mares Beginners Chase. At this stage last year, Grapevine Sally looked a very decent operator only for her form to tail off slightly in the spring. At her best a race like this would look a suitable opportunity.
Ilringuback was a good winner at Punchestown last month but disappointed just four days later in an attempt at a quick follow-up at Thurles. Davy Fitzgerald's runner may be better suited to the testing conditions here than the hat-trick seeking Johnee Joblot.
Talktothetail returned to action with a fine effort when runner-up to Scavenger at Gowran and Tim Doyle's runner will be a major player in the second maiden hurdle, while Clareport would be a deserving winner of the first.
Leopardstown Figures
Yesterday's Leopardstown crowd of 16,812 was a slight increase on last year's corresponding figure while Tote turnover of €701,495 was also up by over €17,000.
Bookmaker turnover, however, was down to €2,246,713 from last year's figure of €2,601,212.
Up to 12mms of overnight rain is forecast for the south Dublin track ahead of today's Lexus Chase meeting.
The ground yesterday remained "good to yielding."
