Fairyhouse Preview: When your luck turns, it often turns with a vengeance and after Point Barrow's spectacular Grand National success, Helensbugh can confirm the return to form of the Pat Hughes stable in today's big race.
The 2005-06 season had largely been one to forget for Hughes whose tally of just four winners prior to yesterday is well below what he would normally expect. However, there were encouraging signs of a return to form before yesterday and Helensburgh can prove the point with a valuable win in the €130,000 Menolly Homes Handicap Hurdle.
The ex-Mark Johnston-trained five-year-old contributed to that resurgence with a good second on the flat to Tipper Road at the Curragh and a couple of wins on the level last year indicate he should appreciate the ground drying out even further.
An impressive hurdle win at Punchestown 18 months ago looked a kick-off point for a profitable career over jumps and that can still prove the case with a low weight and a decent price on his side today. Philip Carberry proved last year when Bon Temps Rouler won at 20 to 1 that such a combination is one to follow.
As one would expect for such a lucrative pot, dangers abound and they should include City Of Sails and Khetaam whose return from a two-and-a-half-year absence has already yielded two wins and a County Hurdle fifth from just three starts.
The topweight Studmaster would possibly prefer more give in the ground but the County third Adamant Approach should make his presence felt along with the cross-channel raider Ursis.
In contrast only five line up for the Grade Two Dunboyne Castle Novice Hurdle and Noel Meade pitches in both Ballyagran and Jazz Messenger against the highly touted Edward O'Grady-trained hope, O'Muircheartaigh.
Preference is for Jazz Messenger, a winner on good ground on the Flat, who overcame a couple of mistakes, and being hampered, to run seventh in the Supreme Novices' at Cheltenham.
A bumper 27-strong field are scheduled for the three-mile handicap chase and Meade could be the man to follow here too with Carndale. The consistent performer has ground to make up on Rare Ouzel on course and distance form here in January but the better ground conditions should be in Carndale's favour.
Jirlan is one of the three course and distance winners lining up in the two-mile handicap chase and Arthur Moore's horse looks one to examine closely. A run over hurdles last time can be ignored but a 7lb hike in the weights for winning here in February doesn't look enough to put a stop to his gallop over fences.
Artist's Muse ran a fine race in the Fred Winter Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, failing only to overhaul the winner Shamayoun. Back to a course and distance over which she is already a winner, the Ted Walsh-trained mare should be hard to beat in the opener, especially as her versatility with ground is proven.
Noel Meade could have a very good afternoon if Always, who Barry Geraghty has ridden to victory before, can take advantage of conditions in the Dan Moore Chase. He is just preferred to the novice Mansony whose Aintree chance was ruined last week when left at the start. First Down Jets landed the Joseph O'Reilly Hunter Chase last year and tries for a repeat on the back of a fine run behind Whyso Mayo at the Cheltenham Festival.
