OBEAUX DESERVES ODDS-ON PRICE TAG

DINARIA Des Obeaux is difficult to oppose in the Grade 2 Charleville Cheese Mares Novice Chase, feature of today’s Limerick meeting.

The Gordon Elliotttrained mare has won three of her six starts over fences, at Wexford, Clonmel and Thurles and she has also acquitted herself well in Grade 1 company against the boys.

Her most significant win came in a Grade 2 at Thurles, when she beat Magic Of Light and one of her main rivals today, Youcantcallherthat, a last-time-out winner on the same track.

Dinaria Des Obeaux, the mount of Jack Kennedy (above), ran a cracker last time in the listed Opera Hat Mares Chase in Naas, finishing a close third behind the Mullins-trained pair Benie Des Dieux, which went on to win the Grade 1 OLBG mares Hurdle at Cheltenham, and Asthuria.

She meets nothing of that calibre today and, back over a more suitable trip, two miles and six furlongs, is a confident choice to return to winning form.

Impressive winner of her maiden hurdle on this track at Christmas, triple bumper-winner Crackerdancer gets a tentative vote in the earlier Kerry Group Shannn Spray Mares Novice Hurdle (Grade 3).

Successful at listed level in her bumper days, Ray Hackett’s mare adopted her customary front-running tactics in a Grade 3 at Fairyhouse last time but was beaten and fading, when falling two from home in a race won by subsequent Cheltenham winner Laurina.

And Steve Mahon has found an apparently straight-forward task for 127-rated front-runner Balbir Du Mathan in the Book Online Beginners Chase.