Meade’s charge jumps out

UNBEATEN four-yearold Red Jack should make a successful start to his hurdling career in the Irish Stallion Owners Maiden Hurdle as Naas starts its National Hunt season this afternoon.

Trained by Noel Meade, this Mahler gelding looked a very exciting prospect in his two bumper victories, at today’s venue and in Fairyhouse.

And, sure to know his job at this new discipline, it’ll be disappointing if he fails to deliver.

Last January in Naas, he made a winning debut when proving too strong for Debuchet and Le Richebourg.

That form has been well-franked by the runner-up, which went on to finish second to the ill-fated Fayonagh, in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, and to score in Limerick while the third, Le Richebourg, is a three-time winner over hurdles and on track to contest the Grade 1 Royal Bond at Fairyhouse.

Red Jack was owned by Noel Meade’s wife Derville when scoring on his debut but was purchased by J P Mcmanus before winning the valuable Tattersalls Ireland Sales Bumper at Fairyhouse in April, proving too strong for Dinons.

Undoubtedly an hugely promising four-year-old, Red Jack must be expected to confirm the promise of his bumper performances by embarking successfully on his hurdling career.

While today’s card features two Grade 3 events, the novice action is even more fascinating, notably the Paddy Power Phone Betting Beginners Chase, in which classy hurdlers and

make their respective chasing debuts, against

Bacardys was successful twice at Grade 1 level as a novice hurdler last season, landing the Deloitte at Leopardstown and the Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown, in which he beat two of the most promising novice chasers seen so far this season, Finians Oscar and Death Duty.

The Noel Meade-trained Snow Falcon is a dual Grade 2 winner over hurdles and a more battle-hardened campaigner, coming into today’s race on the back of a summer flat campaign.

But I’ll oppose both fencing debutants, with the Gordon Elliott, inset, trained De Plotting Shed, an accomplished hurdler which made a solid start over fences when runner-up to the impressive Presenting Percy in a hot beginners event in Galway.