WHEN Dorans Pride ended up on the floor at the second last fence in the two miles and four furlongs Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles, the way was cleared for a pretty tussle between Royal Mountbrowne and Merry Gale, who had been closing on the leader going to that fence.
Royal Mountbrowne came out of the fence in front but meeting Merry Gale on 13lb worse than handicap terms, it was always on the cards that he would be beaten for speed, and so it transpired with Merry Gale, in the hands of Conor O'Dwyer, doing enough to win by three quarters of a length.
The handicapper's reaction was interesting, in that he left the loser on his original mark of 146 but dropped Merry Gale 3lb to 156.
The pair meet again at the same terms in the Q.K. Cold Stores Newlands Chase over two miles at Naas this afternoon, when the opposition includes the course specialist, Opera Hat, and a back to form pair of handicappers, The Crazy Bishop and Time For A Run.
Merry Gale can notch his third victory of the season even if, as the handicapper has noted, he is a declining force, at the top level anyway.
Conor O'Dwyer should start the day with a winner as Pegus Junior has the necessary experience and form to win. He was caught only in the final 100 yards by Welcome Home, then ridden by O'Dwyer, over this course and distance 10 days ago.
There were 21 runners that day but the punters were only interested in one of them, Corn Abbey who finished up favourite at 11 to 8. He finished third, and it was significant that he could not get by Pegus Junior before both were swallowed up by the winner.
The most appropriate penitential season of Lent tip of the weekend runs in this Saggart Maiden Hurdle - the name, Giveupthefags. I fancy, though, that if the trainer in question Tony Mullins is to have a winner today, a more probable stable scorer is Lady Daisy.
She was flying high when third to Theatreworld and Guest Performance at Gowran Park, but, even in defeat, she gave confirmation that her previous two wins in handicap hurdles had marked her out as a much improved hurdling mare. She can defy top weight in the Naas Supporters Handicap Hurdle.
Corket has proved a find among the staying novice chaser and his jumping has been good enough to make the case for a 1997 hat trick in the Grade Three Nas Na Riogh Novice Chase.
If you could believe the rating returned by Le Ginno when second to Nuaffe at Gowran Park in the race in which Harcon fell, he would be a serious threat, but nothing in Nuaffe's previous runs this term would suggest that he is anything like the horse he once was.
Liam Browne has had few bumpers runners this winter, but his Sarsfield The Man landed a first time gamble those in at early morning prices got 6 to 1 about the eventual 7 to 4 favourite - and I fancy his chances of a repeat course and distance win in the Rathcoole Flat Race.
Cloone Bridge had Graphic Equaliser for runner up when scoring at Gowran Park in October and due tribute has been paid to the winner by the loser in the intervening months. This is the danger to Sarsfield The Man.
