Charlie Swan can warm up for tomorrow's big date on Istabraq with another confidence inspiring treble at Thurles today. The eight times champion jockey booted home three winners at Down Royal on Wednesday and on the book there appears every reason he can do something similar again.

Cliffs Of Dooneen in particular looks to have every chance in the Cashel Novices Hurdle. The Noel Meade trained five-year-old missed out on that controversial race at Navan where Northern Galaxy beat Unarmed but beforehand looked to have had a good chance of winning it.

That was mainly on the strength of his previous effort at Naas where under a vintage Richard Dunwoody drive, Cliffs Of Dooneen just short headed Scarvagh. That horse was subsequently beaten out of sight by Sarsfield The Man at Fairyhouse last Sunday but Sarsfield The Man looks like he could be anything and there was no disgrace for Scarvagh in that.

A feature of Cliffs Of Dooneen's Naas win was his quick jumping on the soft ground and that will be a big factor again today. Coillte An Ceoil and Lafontd'or feature in the race too but Cliffs Of Dooneen should go in.

Racing opens with the Templemore Handicap Chase where Pancho's Tango, who gave Swan his first success of 1998 at Naas, has to shoulder 12st 2lb. That's a colossal burden on heavy ground but Pancho's Tango's jumping is so good that he can give the weight away.

Also at Naas last Saturday, Viking Buoy was well fancied to win but quickly scuppered his supporters hopes by crashing at the first fence in the contest won by Pinkpinkfizz. David Kiely's charge gets another chance in the Vale Handicap Chase and the extra distance today should even be in his favour. Viking Buoy to beat Macaunta is the forecast.

The nap, however, goes to Puget Blue in the Cahir Maiden Hurdle. Richard Hughes's mount cost us at that same Naas meeting when falling early on in the maiden won by Dromhale Lady.

Puget Blue drifted in the market but that had more to do with support for Folliday than a lack of confidence in Puget Blue. Nevertheless he fell but this is a pretty talented animal who is improving and with a clear round is expected to beat By Charlie Allen and Southern Man.

Fergie Sutherland's Tempo should come on from his second at Limerick and land the Beginners Chase while Bahao could be a value bet to make the most of the substantial weight concession from Finnegans Hollow in the handicap hurdle.

In-form Conor O'Dwyer made only his second visit to Kelso pay dividends yesterday when landing the feature Ashleybank Scottish Borders National on Slideofhill. The Irish jockey, who has ridden the winners of the Ladbroke Hurdle at Leopardstown and Ascot's Victor Chandler Chase in recent weeks, had to work hard on Jonjo O'Neill's chestnut to hold D'Arblay Street by six lengths in a four mile slog.

"He enjoyed the trip," said O'Dwyer. "He's just an out and out stayer. I've had 45 winners in Ireland and three out of eight in Britain so far this season and things are really flying."