The money may be relatively negligible but Ideal Plan can round off a significant week for Dermot Weld by winning today's Castletownroche Handicap Chase at Cork.
The Curragh trainer will handle the career of the world record priced foal which was purchased for 2.5 million Guineas earlier this week and he also secured the proven talents of Dance Design for another season. In that context, Ideal Plan may be a small fish but there was no doubting the regard Weld holds this novice in after he won at Listowel last September.
On that occasion, he jumped clean and well to beat Sea Fisher by 51/2 lengths and, although Sea Fisher is 8lb better off for that today, it's hard to see him reversing the form. Indeed, the topweight Buckminster could emerge as a bigger threat but Ideal Plan should be up to making it two from two over fences in this handicap company.
Weld is also likely to fancy his chances in the Buttevant Chase where Ideal Plan figured among the entries. Instead Weld relies on Skipo, a novice winner in the North and also quite a talented hurdler and flat performer on his day.
This is a trappy little contest, however, which could turn into a front-running duel between Penndara and Mulkev Prince. The latter made all to win at Thurles last month, beating Saradante and Sea Fisher, and over this flat track should make a bold effort to do the same again. It should be a successful effort too as Penndara has been slightly disappointing so far this season.
Charlie Swan teams up again with Colm's Rock in the Doneraile Beginners Chase but so far this high class hurdler hasn't had the happiest of times over the bigger obstacles so it could pay to oppose him with Eton Gale, narrowly beaten by Rathgibbon at Naas.
