A CAD NOT TO AVOID..

Willie’s star chaser is the favourite to follow

WILLIE Mullins’ Cadmium stands out in Roscommon tonight.

The six-year-old has already scored twice over fences and was particularly impressive when landing a competitive two-mile handicap chase at the Punchestown Festival, forging clear to slam Coeur Joyeux by eight lengths.

That victory added to his beginners success at Fairyhouse while he also finished fourth to Castlegrace Paddy in Thurles.

Now 14lb. higher than when scoring at Punchestown Cadmium has been found a good chance here, against two other previous chase winners, Punchestown scorer Light

That and Killarney winner Le Martalin.

And, in the hope that he handles tonight’s summer ground, Cadmium is expected to score for Danny Mullins

Out of action since winning on Peace News at Down Royal on May 7, champion-jockey Davy Russell (inset) makes a welcome return to action, with obvious prospects on the versatile, Gordon Elliott-trained mare Goodthynemilan in the OCR Waste Management Handicap Hurdle.

And the Cork man will also partner top-weight Kaiser Black, for Pat Doyle, in the the tote.com Connacht National, although Doyle’s charge must cope with a 15lb. hike for his recent win in the Mayo National in Ballinrobe, when he had a number of these rivals behind.

Russell’s mount has definite claims. But I’ll take a chance, each-way, on Riviera Sun, having his first run since October but successful twice last summer and coming from the in-form yard of Henry de Bromhead.

The Dermot Hughes Car Sales Rated Hurdle looks competitive and I’ll side with Dermot Mcloughlin’s highly-rated Canardier, a facile winner at Down Royal last time and open to plenty of improvement over this longer trip.

A BLANKET would have covered the first four home in the Foran Equine Irish EBF 2-Y-0 Auction Maiden which opened last night’s flat card in Roscommon.

Most people present, and, presumably, many watching on ATR, thought Tommy Cooper’s 50/1 debutant Showmethegin (Gary Halpin), challenging down the outside, had landed the spoils.

But the photo-finish showed that it was another newcomer Kestrel Prince, trained by Ger Lyons and ridden by Colin Keane, which had prevailed by a nose, with Alfons Walde and Vhagar just behind.

Lyons stated: “It was as rough a two-year-old race as I’ve seen, but we were out of the trouble, thank God. I thought he was beaten, but it worked out. And there should be plenty of improvement in him.”