O'Dwyer ban cut

Conor O'Dwyer described himself as "happy enough" with yesterday's Turf Club decision to reduce his Gowran Park suspension from eight to five days.

O'Dwyer, 11 winners behind Barry Geraghty in the jockeys' championship, appealed the severity of the suspension which he received for "failing to obtain the best possible placing" on Hots Shots on March 18th.

The rider still misses out on the Aintree Grand National day, but had no intended mount for the race anyway. O'Dwyer's best National result will thus remain, for another year at least, a third on Laura's Beau to Party Politics in 1992.

"On the day at Gowran, three or four days would have been fair enough, so looking at it that way, the five isn't too bad. Eight was very hard though," said O'Dwyer yesterday.

"It still won't help my cause in the championship. The only consolation is that there are a few mixed meetings coming up, so it could be worse," he added. O'Dwyer will now miss out on today, the upcoming weekend, Grand National day and April 13th.

Another consolation for O'Dwyer today is the lack of an Arthur Moore-trained horse at the marathon, eight-race fixture at Thurles, which with the best will in the world can only be described as ordinary.

The maiden hurdle and the handicap hurdle have been divided, but the most valuable contest on the card is the Beginners Chase, which looks a good opportunity for Like A Lion.

A decent staying handicap hurdler, Like A Lion only just failed to Beepers Gale over three miles at Leopardstown recently, and while the trip is now shorter, the officially forecast "good" ground should not be an inconvenience. Like A Lion is taken to give trainer Charlie Swan his 15th domestic winner of the jumps term.

On the flat, Dermot Weld's Darialann reverts from hurdles for the Urlingford Handicap, but with 10st on his back, The Bongo Man may be a value alternative.

The ground could swing the Borrisoleigh Handicap in Star Club's direction.

The opening maiden hurdles can fall to Ask The Umpire and Boulevard, whose third to Topacio at Punchestown may be flattering but is more him than his last run behind Whispering Wind might suggest.