OSCAR’S CASE GATHERS POWER

FINIAN’S OSCAR must be strongly fancied to extend his unbeaten record and provide Robbie Power, inset, with another Grade 1 success in today’s Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle. Trained by Colin Tizzard for the Potts, the six-year-old won his only point-to-point, in Portrush, and has done nothing wrong in four outings over hurdles, at Hereford, Sandown, Exeter and Aintree. Included in his hurdling haul are Grade 1 victories in Sandown’s Tolworth Hurdle (in soft ground) and the Betway Mersey Novices Hurdle in Aintree last time. Apparently niggled along by Robbie Power (riding him for the first time) turning for home in Aintree, he stayed on dourly to beat Captain Forez readily. And there’s every reason to believe more improvement is likely from the towering son of Oscar. So he gets the vote over Gordon Elliott’s Death Duty, a Grade 1 winner at Naas in January, but disappointing in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham, when he was beaten a long way from home before eventually blundering and unseating Bryan Cooper at the last. Willie Mullins runs four, with Ruby Walsh opting to ride Cheltenham winner Let’s Dance, turned over by stable-companion Augusta Kate in a Grade 1 at Fairyhouse. Fourth to Pacha Du Polder at Cheltenham and pulled up, after a horrible mistake at the Chair in Aintree, On The Fringe would be a hugely popular winner of the Champion Hunters Chase. Enda Bolger’s veteran is bidding for a remarkable fifth win in this race, having landed the prize in 2012, 2014, 2015 and last year. And, on his preferred good ground, he appeals more than Aintree Foxhunters runner-up Balnaslow. Jessica Harrington and Robbie Power provide today’s nap Woodland Opera, which got off the mark over fences in Fairyhouse last time. Always a highly-rated performer in the Harrington yard, he has been helped by a wind operation and gets the nod over Diamond King, unlucky when pulled up behind Road To Respect at Cheltenham, Arbre De Vie and Three Wise Men.