Charlie Swan might be one of the best known names in the National Hunt game but he will be trying to break something of an Irish hoodoo in the first big Flat handicap of the British turf season at Newcastle today.
The Co Tipperary trainer runs Crooked Throw in the £100,000 William Hill Lincoln which has been moved to Newcastle from its traditional home at Doncaster due to renovation work at the Yorkshire track.
Only the Dermot Weld-trained Saving Mercy in 1984 has won the straight mile feature for Ireland and a number two draw in the 20- strong field means that Crooked Throw could have a major task in trying to emulate that horse.
"It's not ideal because a lot of the front runners are drawn on the other side so we might not have a lot of pace to help us along. But he is in good order and we will take our chance," Swan said yesterday. "He clipped heels at the Curragh last Sunday and almost came down so he ran a blinder to finish where he did."
Billy Lee teams up with Crooked Throw who was an eight-length runner-up to Deauville Vision in last Sunday's Irish Lincolnshire at the Curragh.
Other Irish interest in Britain today will centre at Ascot where Jessica Harrington runs Vaqueras in the opening juvenile handicap hurdle (2.30) and Dessie Hughes runs both Dublin Hunter (4.50) and First Row (5.25.).
Today's home action is at Limerick with an all-Flat card that can kick off successfully for punters with Kilcusnin Queen in the opening six-furlong handicap. Séamus Heffernan's mount has to concede weight all round but doesn't look badly treated on a mark of 70 on the back of a good fifth to Once Upon A Grace in a Curragh maiden last weekend. Lady Teabing, with Shane Gorey claiming 5lb, looks a danger.
Heffernan has a number of mounts for Aidan O'Brien who has a large squad of three-year-old maidens ready to get going. Honoured Guest, however, goes in the six-furlong conditions race where Crazy Volume may be a better option. The latter's trainer Dermot Weld can also score with Princely Hero in the seven-furlong maiden.
