One of those increasingly rare visitors, a six-race card, touches down at Tipperary this evening, and Multeen Jet looks the horse to get the punters in a good mood for the trip home.
Multeen Jet reverts to two miles for the Junction Handicap Hurdle and that could be the most vital ingredient in his defeating 19 opponents.
The five-year-old ran over half a mile further at Clonmel last week when third to Final Project and Oranboy. That was no bad performance, but Multeen Jet was ridden patiently that day and could never get closer than his finishing position from two out.
One can't say that Multeen Jet didn't stay, but compare that to his previous race over tonight's course and distance when he beat Clemente by seven lengths in a better class handicap than this.
Multeen Jet led decisively before the straight and couldn't be caught. His run before that when second to Owen Bart at Listowel was another good effort and, ridden with similar confidence this evening, Multeen Jet should go close. Half an hour before Multeen Jet's run at Clonmel, Samapour looked an unlucky loser of a maiden hurdle, eventually won by Purchasing Power. Tom Foley's charge had led before the second last and looked to have the race won when he slipped on landing over the last and unseated Shay Barry. He looks the part in the maiden hurdle.
The Danzig colt, Bugatti Reef, was a disappointing sixth to Mitchigan on his debut at the Curragh on 1,000 Guineas day, but O'Brien's juveniles have tended to progress rapidly from their first run and Bugatti Reef is quite highly regarded at Ballydoyle. Christy Roche rides him in preference to Blue Lotus, and Bugatti Reef is preferred to Slander in the opener.
Laytown's beach races will celebrate their 130th anniversary next Tuesday when a six-race card starts at 5.30. Special trains have been organised for the races from Pearse Street station in Dublin and Drogheda station.
