PATRIOT CAN BE KING OF THE MARATHON

KNOWN this year as the Best Car Parks Marathon, the 1,025-yard competition is the longest event run in Ireland and is popular with punters.

This year’s event commences at Shelbourne this evening with three heats and four qualifying from each for the semi-finals next week.

The absence of the nowretired Roxholme Magic was a disappointment but there still is a high-class entry led by Jaytee Patriot and Droopys Smasher, and UK challenger Incredible Flyer.

Jaytee Patriot was favourite for last year’s final but was run out of it on the run-in by Roxholme Magic. He looks set to score in the first heat where Lisacaha Brett may be his closest rival.

Pat Buckley’s Droopys Smasher is another which looks tailor-made for this distance and she is nominated to win the third heat from Trying Times.

The Peter Harnden-trained Incredible Flyer is the only British challenger and she can have a good battle with Jerry Griffin’s Sporting Victor in the opening heat.

The semi-finals of the Gold Collar will also be run and they can provide Mooncoin-based trainer Peter Cronin with a double. His Whoops Jack looks banker material in the first heat while Swithins Brae is capable of leading them home in the second heat.

The second round of the Kingdom Derby tops the card at Tralee and it could be a big session for Owen McKenna as he has leading prospects in the early-paced Holycross Lad and Dumas while the other heat can go to Lassa Excitement.