Jason Titley and Paul Carberry are hard on the trail of the leader Barry Geraghty in the jockeys' championship table and can do their respective causes a world of good with a double each at Thurles today.
Both appear to have rides that could figure in the "good thing" category if any category has ever existed in racing. Nevertheless, Carberry's mount in the Heineken Chase, Native Estates, ran a blinding third to Inis Cara in the Paddy Power and will be very hard to beat while Titley's Leopardstown scorer John Magical looks to have a pretty straightforward task in the novice hurdle.
Outside of those two things look much more tricky. Titley takes the mount on Aonfocaleile in the two and a half mile maiden hurdle and this staying type should have derived enough benefit from a recent run at Leopardstown to beat the course runner up Hillcrest Manor and Native Sound who ran second to Hat Or Halo in a Leopardstown bumper.
Aonfocaleile's own bumper placing at Leopardstown was behind the runaway One Fine Day but considering it was a first effort since running second to Biliverdin in February he can be forgiven despite having started favourite. A Fairyhouse success before that testified to considerable talent and Aonfocaleile deserves selection.
A significant day for the O'Grady family can continue with the ex-Trevor Horgan trained Endless Magic in the bumper. Fourth to Hurry Bob in a Punchestown festival event, Endless Magic looks a tough nut to crack here with Philip Fenton on board.
The O'Grady connection continues in the four-year-old hurdle run in memory of Willie O'Grady but maybe the Carberry ridden Sandholes could be the one to bring the win pot to trainer Eddie Lynam.
