O'Dwyer hopes Folsom delivers

RACING/LIMERICK PREVIEW: TODAY’S LIMERICK opener is no “blue-riband” but Conor O’Dwyer will be hoping Folsom Blue can carry …

RACING/LIMERICK PREVIEW:TODAY'S LIMERICK opener is no "blue-riband" but Conor O'Dwyer will be hoping Folsom Blue can carry the Gigginstown Stud colours to victory all the same.

O’Dwyer was famously on board Michael O’Leary’s superstar War Of Attrition when landing the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup and has maintained a link-up with the Ryanair boss during his training career.

Folsom Blue certainly won’t be the 25 to 1 he started at in Thurles last month when he belied such odds by finding only Turban too good for him.

That was a promising effort and in the context of today’s maiden hurdle it looks a stand-out.

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This is the time when horses start trying to notch up Christmas festival doubles and Satwa King looks up to scoring again in the 2¼ mile handicap hurdle after sluicing up by a dozen lengths at Limerick on Tuesday.

JP McManus’s Fahamore was successful here on Monday and carries 4lb more in the 2¾-mile handicap hurdle. However, he could be denied by Cloughmile who reverts back to the smaller obstacles after a pair of wins over fences.

Askanna has her first racecourse start over fences in the mares Beginners Chase but this four-time hurdles winner is also a dual point-to-point scorer and Colin Bowe’s runner could out-class her opposition.

Oscars Business is another point-to-point winning mare and she landed a Navan bumper earlier this month in impressive style.

Robert Tyner sends her over flights in the mares maiden hurdle and this could be a decent contest as another bumper winner in Andunowhat also takes part. Jonjo Walsh’s runner has the benefit of a run behind Dedigout at Punchestown under her belt and that experience could swing it her way.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column