SIX OF THE BEST High-class hurdler ready to shoot for glory

THE classy hurdler Sixshooter can make a winning start over fences in the Betvictor Proud To Support Irish Racing EBF Beginners Chase at Galway this afternoon.

Noel Meade’s charge has a decent strike rate having won four of his 11 career starts and he is a quality sort at his best.

Sixshooter has yet to win at graded level but he did run a succession of fine races at Grade 2 level last season.

He should make a decent chaser over the coming months and most important of all is that he has a strong first time out record.

For the last three seasons Sixshooter has won first time out and he looks to every chance of maintaining that sequence today.

The opening mares maiden hurdle has attracted a fascinating sort in Jumping Jet who will be making her debut for Gordon Elliott.

This mare looked potentially top class when winning a Gowran bumper by just under 30 lengths on her debut last March.

She now makes her first start for Elliott and should take beating if running to anything like the level she showed last spring.

Elliott might also land the last of the day’s maiden hurdles with Favori de Champdou – although it is a concern that he has a 626-day absence to overcome.

The six-year-old did look smart when he was last in action in bumpers and can win if retaining that level of ability.

In the first of the day’s handicaps The Dabbler looks to have strong prospects of making it three victories in succession.

He comes here off narrow wins at Ballinrobe and Gowran but might just progress further off a light weight. Ballywilliam Boy was a little disappointing at Limerick a couple of weeks ago but he is given a chance to bounce back in the novice hurdle.

He is a pretty useful and the form of his second to Impervious at Listowel last month looks quite decent.

The penultimate race on the card could see Big King regain the winning thread as he makes his first start of the season.

He won a Navan handicap hurdle last winter and ran several other decent races in defeat after that triumph.

There is probably another race or two to be won with him over hurdles and this looks a nice opportunity to add to his tally.

Elsewhere Pairc Na Ngael is a hopeful choice to land the second of the day’s handicap chases.

He isn’t the easiest to predict but there should be more to come from him over fences and a race like this is within his reach.