TARD TO CALL

But star’s a huge Plus in Fortria

THE Henry de Bromhead-trained A Plus Tard should prove the star attraction on Troytown day in Navan tomorrow.

While the featured €100,000 handicap chase looks a virtually impossible puzzle to solve, the Tote-sponsored Fortria Chase and Lismullen Hurdle, both Grade 2 events, plus the For Auction Novice Hurdle (Grade 3) and a fascinating beginners chase look intriguing events.

And 167-rated A Plus

Tard, both a Grade 1 and Cheltenham Festival winner, representing de Bromhead, Cheveley

Pa rk S tu d a n d R a c h a e l Blackmore, looks a cut above his five rivals in the Fortria.

An impressive winner of the Close Brothers at Cheltenham last year, six-year-old A Plus Tard raced only three times last season and was turned over by Ballyoisin in this race on his seasonal bow.

But h e mad e t h e Gra d e 1 breakthrough when turning over Chacun Pour Soi in the Paddy ’s

Rewards Club at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting.

Last time out, he ran a huge race in the Ryanair at Cheltenham, finishing a close third behind Min and Saint Calvados.

We’ve probably not seen the best of a Plus Tard yet. And he’s expected to land the odds tomorrow before returning to Grade 1 company in the coming weeks, perhaps in the John Durkan.

With wins at Galway and Listowel under his belt, the Willie Mullins, inset, trained N ’golo must concede weight to his seven rivals in the Fo r Au c t i o n No v i c e Hurdle, a race Gordon Elliott has won three times in the last four years.

And, despite the claims of the Mullins runner and Noel Meade’s Jesse Evans, I like the Cullentra representative Eskylane, sixth to Ferny Hollow i n the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and expected to strip a lot fitter than when making a successful hurdling debut at Punchestown last month – when beating Gabynako.

STAR ATTRACTION A Plus Tard