Racing - Thurles preview: The Noel Meade-Paul Carberry team might have longer to travel to Thurles but the first two races of today's re-directed Fairyhouse card look to be good opportunities for them.
Afistfullofdollars got some Cheltenham quotes for the Letheby and Christopher Supreme Novices Hurdle after he won his maiden at Navan earlier this month and now appears in the conditions hurdle against some well reputed names.
Both Barrow Drive and Davids Lad are better known for their exploits over fences but others like the 116 rated Heezapistol will have a considerable edge on experience over the Meade runner.
However, Afistfullofdollars has always been a highly rated horse from his bumper days and considering it was 11 months since his previous start there should be considerable improvement in him for the Navan effort.
Meade and Carberry have Tous Les Tables in the opener and this one can get the better of the Fairyhouse winner Sound Blaster. Tous Les Tables won his maiden in good style at Clonmel and considering the fallow period Meade endured just after Christmas his subsequent effort behind Sky's The Limit might be best ignored.
Another Co Meath trainer travelling south will be Tony Martin and he will taking the very interesting Dun Doire with him for the first division of the novice handicap hurdle. Dun Doire landed quite a gamble on his last start when winning very cleverly at Navan by half a length from Georges Boy. The six-year-old is 10lb higher in the ratings for that but that may not stop the follow up this afternoon.
Hasty Second is on a hat-trick in the 20,000 handicap hurdle but Tom Hogan's horse is now 15lb higher after a win at Punchestown that followed up a course success here. A better option looks to be Slyguff Rory who won at Gowran last time.
Patsy Hall found the company a little hot in his last start when running 36 lengths behind Travino. He has a clear edge on Zaffaran Star on previous form but it could be costly to ignore the latter's chance of reversing the form in the bumper.
