McNamara looks to Acapulco

NAVAN PREVIEW:JOCKEY ANDREW McNamara returns from eight days on the injury sidelines at Navan this afternoon and he can immediately see the sunny side of things if Acapulco can finally break his duck over jumps.

The ex-Aidan O’Brien-trained horse has finished runner-up in all three starts over hurdles to date, the last two being short head defeats, but tries almost three miles today in the maiden hurdle.

The son of Galileo was closing on Western Leader going to the line at Leopardstown over Christmas and he can score for McNamara who has three rides on his first day back since taking a nasty fall from Luska Lad at Naas last week.

Just five line up for the two-mile conditions hurdle but they contain the in-form Prince Of Fire whose Christmas success at Leopardstown earned him towering praise from Charlie Swan who described him as by far the best he has trained.

Prince Of Fire raced for the Hyde family on that occasion but since his last start he has been bought by JP McManus and this can be a successful first start for the new owner.

Mr Cracker has an entry in Sunday’s Grade Two Moscow Flyer Hurdle at Punchestown but Michael Hourigan has declared him for today’s opener, the two-and-a-half mile maiden hurdle, and he should figure prominently on the strength of his run behind Ballyholland last week.

Ruby Walsh teams up with Palace Merano in the Beginners Chase where the Willie Mullins- trained runner has over 30 lengths to make up on Grab A Grand and Imaalhall on course form here on New Year’ Eve.

Palace Merano started favourite that day and should manage closer now, although it is debatable if he will be close enough to beat Grab A Grand.