After a plethora of eightrace cards, Downpatrick gives us a featherweight six contest this afternoon where Paul Carberry's trip north can pay off on the double. Carberry rides Kilcar for his father Tommy in the Beginners Chase and if this one improves only slightly from his third to Boss Doyle at Listowel last month, he will be very hard to beat. Noel Meade's Mick Man could be the danger.
Carberry will earlier have teamed up with his old mentor Meade in the McCormick Handicap Hurdle and it should be a successful partnership as Sigma Comms looks likely to improve on his last two runner up spots.
At Listowel last month, Sigma Comms only went down by three-parts of a length to Nascimento in an opportunity race, a commendable effort considering he made a mistake at the last. Carberry will be alive to such errors today.
Punters may not have long to wait for the best bet of the day though as Andrea Cova can maintain his winning association with the track in the opening maiden hurdle.
Victor Bowens' five-year-old won two bumpers at Downpatrick earlier in the year and should improve for his fifth to Head Chaplain at Down Royal two weeks ago which was his first race since April. Sure to strip fitter for that, Andrea Cova can reverse form with Who Is Ed.
Iada is marginally preferred to Lady Of Grange in the Moses Hunter Handicap Hurdle and Paul Moloney's ride, Cute Mover, is selected to beat Leaping Lord in the bumper.
Tony McCoy moved on to 82 winners for the term at Taunton yesterday and is well on course to smash his own record for the fastest 100 winners in a season.
