Fields of Athenry may have X factor as terrestrial TV coverage returns to Down

The return of terrestrial TV coverage is a boost to today’s Magners Ulster Derby card at Down Royal, where the top-weight Fields Of Athenry could make it expensive for the bookmakers.

Racing at both Down Royal and Downpatrick is currently facing serious funding problems rooted in bookmaker licensing fees which the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland is reviewing.

Horse Racing Ireland has already helped maintain prizemoney at the two tracks, but uncertainty remains over the long-term viability of the two racetracks if agreement can’t be reached between bookmakers and authorities in the North.

Caught on the hop

In comparison, sorting out the €100,000 feature, one of three live races shown by BBC Northern Ireland, could be straightforward since Fields Of Athenry looked to catch most people on the hop with an impressive win at Dundalk last month.

A handicap mark of 99 hasn’t dissuaded Aidan O’Brien from running the Galileo colt in a race he won in 2009 with Changingoftheguard, a horse who ran off 95 and wound up running in the St Leger that year.

Back On Top was a disappointment on her last start at the Curragh, but it’s hard to ignore the form of her Limerick maiden win and she can take the Ulster Oaks while Selskar Abbey will be fancied to quickly follow up his win at Leopardstown on Thursday night.

Today’s jumping action is at Gowran Park, and Henry De Bromhead’s Solatentif brings a previous run over flights, plus some high-class bumper form, to an otherwise ordinary-looking maiden hurdle.