Noel star can win the Battle

BATTLE Of Midway, from the in-form yard of Noel Meade, should be tough to beat in the three-mile INH Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle in Cork tomorrow.

This five-year-old should relish the step-up in trip, having displayed plenty of stamina when brushing aside the challenge of Thatsy in what looked a competitive maiden hurdle, over two miles and three, in Galway less than two weeks ago.

Winner of a Navan bumper, Meade’s charge looked a decent prospect when powering up the Ballybrit hill to open his hurdling account and, with Michael Stenson’s 7lb. claim counteracting the selection’s penalty, he’s expected to prove too strong for the Willie Mullins runner Zola, winner of a Sligo bumper before scoring on her hurdling debut at Listowel, in an apparently weak three-mile maiden.

The featured coopsuperstrores.ie Handicap Chase might go to locally-trained Articulum, a second season novice with scope for plenty of improvement.

Successful in one of his four chase starts, in Naas, he went on to finish almost 17 lengths third behind compatriot Duc Des Genievres in the Arkle at Cheltenham before being pulled up in the three-mile Grade 1, won by Delta Work, at the Punchestown festival.

In his first handicap chase, Articulum should have rock-solid claims, with bottom-weight Ballyegan Hero, a likely threat.

Runner-up in maiden hurdles at Listowel and Tipperary since landing a Tramore bumper, Shark Hanlon’s Dime A Dozen and Rachael Blackmore might land the opening Red Millssponsored maiden hurdle.

And Joseph O’brien’s Linger, sixth in the Irish Cesarewitch last Sunday, has solid claims in the Matchbook Betting Exchange Handicap Hurdle, under 7lb. claimer Oakley Brown, seeking his first racecourse success.

HOPEFUL Noel Meade trains Battle Of Midway