Weekend previews: Philip Rothwell will try to put a winning finish to a magnificent week when Arturius lines up on the all-weather track at Lingfield today.
The 27-year-old Tinahely, Co Wicklow-based, trainer became a father for the first time on Sunday last, and then enjoyed a first Cheltenham festival success on Tuesday when Native Jack won the cross country race.
Now he tries for the first Group win of his career with the former Michael Stoute runner Arturius, who will line up for the Group Three Winter Derby on the back of two impressive victories on the sand.
Three Irish-trained horses travel to Uttoxeter, including Marcus Du Berlais and GVA Ireland who will contest the four-mile Midlands Grand National.
There will be no post-Cheltenham festival respite at home this weekend, with Gowran hosting an eight-race card today and Limerick and Downpatrick in action tomorrow.
The two-mile handicap chase looks a decent contest at the Co Kilkenny track, and even though Old Flame should run well around this right-handed course, the concession of 17lb to the decent novice Ivan De Vonnas may be beyond him.
Two mares races are the highlights at Limerick and Adrian Maguire should supply the opening winner with Celestial Wave. She drops back half a mile in trip, but her class and the heavy ground should negate that.
Sunami Storm could be one to oppose in the big novice chase and the one to do it with looks to be American Jennie, who had the speed to win at Cork in November and who has a clear chance on the ratings.
Up north, Oliver Brady's Dancing Water has topweight in a handicap hurdle but only has to concede 10lb to the bottomweight. This horse won on the flat at Leopardstown in October and not many of this opposition would be capable of that.
Johnny Murtagh made a triumphant return to Flat racing after just being touched off over hurdles at Cheltenham by winning the Listed Jebel Ali Sprint on Raging Creek.
He got Dhruba Selvaratnam's charge home first in the five-furlong dash, which could secure a berth in the sprint on World Cup night at Nad Al Sheba.
