Sunday preview: Wild Passion might have got Christmas off but Noel Meade isn't allowing his star novice rest on any Grade One laurels and the Royal Bond winner is scheduled to reappear at Naas on Sunday.
The Woodlands Park 100 Slaney Novice Hurdle is traditionally a valuable event but, considering the alternatives available over Christmas, this renewal looks especially hot.
Sweet Kiln represents the James Bowe team and is the latest star to come off the Gathabawn conveyer belt. Along with Petertheknot and the Willie Mullins hope, Homer Wells, they represent very decent novice form at two and a half miles.
It's the trip that will be another challenge to Wild Passion but so far this term challenges have been meat and drink to the smart ex-German flat horse.
An autumn run at Roscommon, when narrowly beaten by Royal Paradise, looks some piece of form now and Wild Passion got his own back with a vengeance when winning the Royal Bond from his stable companion Rocket Ship with Royal Paradise back in third.
Rocket Ship was the one chosen to fly the Meade flag in the Future Champions Race last Monday and was a sick horse when fading away but Meade must at least be happy with Wild Passion at this stage.
Certainly a rudely healthy Wild Passion would be the one to light up a post-New Year's Day afternoon.
Jim Dreaper picked up the novice chase 12 months ago and Doodle Addle looks like he is capable of following up in 2005 after a thrilling success at Navan.
The form of his defeat of GVA Ireland and Strong Project has already been boosted and on testing ground he should be able to grind the likes Beechcourt and Old Flame into submission.
The ex-John Oxx-trained Dabiroun found one too good on his jumping debut at Limerick during the week and the same thing could happen in Sunday's opener with Majlis looking a better option on the back of his own second to Sound Blaster at Fairyhouse.
Paul Nolan could have better luck, however, in the second maiden hurdle where he runs Dix Villez. This one's bumper form, including a fifth to Albert Mooney, is decent and there should be improvement from a decent run over hurdles at Navan behind Eurochancer.
