With such an uneven divide in the totals of runners, the Cork executive, who host this two-day fixture, must be regretting that they did not switch today's 28-runner Denis Linehan Maiden Hurdle with tomorrow's nine-runner Bank of Ireland Handicap Hurdle.
However both cards do figure steeplechases, always a crowd puller in the south of Ireland. Today's Stone and Gravel Products Beginners Chase has a strong Tony Mullins runner in the shape of Jolly Side. Since winning his bumper at Gowran Park on Thyestes day 1998, he rather lost his way over hurdles and is still a maiden with a rating of 80.
Despite this modest tag, Tony has always expected better things from him when he went chasing and in his first two outings he has taken on very superior novices in Moscow Express and Padre Mio, both rated 128.
Jolly Side did not get in a blow against Moscow Express at Tipperary but on his return visit there ran a cracker to be second to Padre Mio.
Arthur Moore takes him on with on with one of his French imports, Forli Des Ormeaux, who is much superior as a hurdler but an unproven quality over Irish fences.
Frances Crowley had a long lean spell this winter, but her horses are starting to spark again and Colm's Rock who had a winter lay-off is an appealing prospect in Sunday's W J Linehan Handicap Chase.
This is a versatile type whose 1998 card included back-to-back successes in a two-mile flat handicap at Cork and a beginners' chase at Clonmel. At his last attempt, he went to Tramore in August for a two-mile handicap chase but found the concession of 31lb to Barnamore Boy just too much for him.
Kevin Prendergast has made a strong start to his flat campaign and for the Saturday nap, I take Moonis in the Mallow Maiden. Owned by Kevin's long-time Arab patron, Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, he has been twice placed in three starts.
The Sunday nap is likewise a speed horse, with The Bomber Liston coming back to what is his best distance - six furlongs - in the Bank Of Ireland Mutual Fund Handicap.
Niall Quinn bought him as a yearling for 7,000 guineas and on a weekend when he was surely dreaming of scoring goals for Ireland against Yugoslavia at Lansdowne Road, he will have to be content with The Bomber Liston doing the scoring for him.
The Sunday sport is shared by Sligo and here doubles may be the order of the day. Charlie Swan can win races both as a rider - Irregular Planning - and as a trainer - Mandalink - while Francis Flood can pick off two of the handicaps with Knockdoo and Kildare Chiller.
