Mullins banks on Our Ben

Limerick preview: Willie Mullins has a Grade One pot in his sights at Leopardstown but he also looks to have the goods for a…

Limerick preview: Willie Mullins has a Grade One pot in his sights at Leopardstown but he also looks to have the goods for a Grade Three prize down at Limerick just 10 minutes later.

Our Ben is Mullins's Limerick runner, going in the Ladbrokes.com Dorans Pride Novice Hurdle, and the two-and-three-quarter mile trip should be ideal for the five-year-old.

It's a competitive heat with the Gowran Park winner Guantama Bay joined by the Michael Hourigan representative Kerryhead Windfarm and the consistent Haggle Twins.

But Our Ben comes here on the back of a good effort at Navan where he was a running-on third over two and a half miles. The extra distance should suit.

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There is a very interesting newcomer to hurdling in the first race as Paul Nolan gives Dabiroun an outing in the three-year-old maiden hurdle. John Oxx packed three races in a month into Dabiroun last spring and they yielded a wide-margin success at the Curragh followed by Group Three placings in both the Tetrarch Stakes and the Ballysax Stakes.

There is no Yeats to contend with in this field and an adequate round of jumping should make Dabiroun hard to beat.

Nolan can also take the other maiden hurdle with Russian Buck who ran fourth to Oulart at Clonmel earlier in the month.

Tom Taaffe's string are in supreme form at the moment and the holiday bonanza could continue for the Straffan trainer with Kald River in the handicap chase.

This one easily won a novice event at Downpatrick when giving Ransboro an easy 10-length beating and doesn't appear too badly treated at the weights.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column