IT’S BOB SLAY TIME
Olinger to kill off rivals’ hopes
BOB Olinger l ooks the horse to beat in today’s rescheduled, Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle.
Henry de Bromhead’s charge has been beaten only once in four starts, winning his point- to- point at Kiltulla, a Gowran Park bumper last January and his maiden hurdle at Navan last month, when making all to justify 1/ 8 favouritism and score by 14 lengths from Dunboyne.
But the selections’ sole defeat, at Gowran Park in November, was arguably his best performance, going down by a length to Ch el ten ham Bumper victor Ferny Hollow in a two- mile maiden hurdle, when the leading duo stretched 45 lengths clear of the remainder.
Bob Olinger looks a real galloper – he stayed on dourly to score in Navan – and now has the chance to prove himself a Grade 1 performer over two and a half miles.
In terms o f dangers, Ashdale Bob, winner of a Grade 2 novice at Na van last month and one of two runners representing Jessica Harrington ( inset), boasts the best form.
But the Willie Mullinstrained Blue Lord, successful at Punchestown on his Irish debut, has plenty of potential for improvement over this longer trip.
The step- up in distance should also suit the second Harrington runner Crosshill, while Flanking Maneuver ( Noel Meade) and Wide Receiver (Gordon Elliott) are last-time-out maiden winners capable of stepping forward.
The Mullins-trained Energumene, so impressive when making his chasing debut in Gowran Park, drops back to two miles in the Irish Stallion Farms Novice Chase but is margin ally preferred to Henry de Bromhead’ s Captain Guinness, Grade 2 placed as a novice hurdler but a flop, due to a heart issue on his fencing bow at Tipperary, but back to his best when making hi s breakthrough over fences at Punchestown last time.
And Joseph O’brien and JJS levin, who doubled-up with Duc D’allier and Fun Light in Fairy house yesterday, might strike again with Miss Pernickety, fourth to stablecompanion Scarlet And Dove on her chasing debut in Limerick, in the opener.