THERE’S RAIN IN FORECAST
Echoes has the talent to outclass Bob
ECHOES In Rain might upstage Bob Olinger and last year’s winner and top-weight Darasso in the Grade 3 Naas Business Club Limestone Lad Hurdle in Naas tomorrow.
The Willie Mullins-trained mare, a Grade 1-winning novice, performed creditably against Honeysuckle last season and, although she fell last time in the Hatton’s Grace, the seven-year-old might prove the answer in a tricky renewal of a race run over just short of two miles.
Of course, at his best, Bob Olinger, who is trying to get his career back on track, would be a strong fancy tomorrow.
And his second to Home By The Lee in the Lismullen on his seasonal debut looks strong form.
But he was well-beaten behind that rival in the Grade 1 three-miler at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting, beaten almost 19 lengths in fifth spot.
Whether he was caught out by the trip remains to be seen. But, despite his undoubted class, it’s hard to be confident about his prospects here.
I prefer to side with Echoes In Rain, in receipt of the mare’s 7lb. allowance from Bob Olinger and a whopping 16lb. from top-weight Darasso.
Prior to her exit, at the second last, in the Hatton’s Grace, Echoes In Rain had won the big amateur handicap, on the flat, in Galway before denied narrowly by Waterville in the Irish Cesarewitch, off a mark of 97.
Last season, this mare finished seven lengths third to Honeysuckle in the Irish Champion Hurdle and then got within three lengths of that rival when runner-up in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle.
A reproduction of that sort of form would make Echoes In Rain tough to beat here against Bob Olinger and the tough and versatile Darasso, winner of this prize last year and last seen when beating Escaria Ten, over fences, at Thurles last month.
Willie Mullins will saddle Ramillies, conqueror of stable-companion Tenzing on his fencing debut, at Thurles, in the other Grade 3 event on the card, the three-mile Finlay Ford At Naas Novice Chase, with obvious claims.
But I’ll side with the Gordon Elliott runner, top-weight Chemical Energy, off the track since October and set to concede 3lb. to each of his four rivals.
This gelding contested the Martin Pipe off a mark of 137 last March and was probably on a par with Ramillies over flights.
Successful over fences, at the second attempt, at Listowel back in September, he went on to triumph at Cheltenham, in a race which fell apart, slamming recent winner Mahler Mission by 61 lengths.
Davy Russell’s mount is open to further improvement and gets the nod.