SANTA A GIFT FOR PUNTERS

THE classy Santa Rossa should strike for dual Irish Grand National-winning trainer Dermot Mcloughlin in the listed Easyclean Tourist Attraction Mares Hurdle on the opening day of Killarney’s three-day May meeting tomorrow.

A lightly-raced eightyear-old, whose career has been interrupted by injury, this mare’s form includes a Grade 2 bumper success at Leopardstown and a third to Mcfabulous at a similar level at Aintree in the spring of 2019 before finishing fifth to

Colreevy in a Grade 1 at Punchestown.

Santa Rossa has raced only twice since then, winning her maiden hurdle at Navan in March of last year. Then, after another lengthy absence, she triumphed in Limerick in March. Last time, she was sent off favourite for the Grade 2 Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle at the Fairyhouse Easter meeting.

Santa finished second, six lengths behind Joseph O’brien’s solid yardstick Darasso – probably a career best effort.

Dropping back in trip, a reproduction of that Fairyhouse run should be enough tomorrow, when Keith Donoghue’s mount must cope with John Mcconnell’s Anna Bunina, winner of the Scottish Champion Hurdle before finishing fifth to N’golo in the Swinton at Haydock last week.

The featured Grade B Kelly Farm Modernisation Ltd Handicap Hurdle looks ultra-competitive. But Gordon Elliott’s mare

Glan, successful off 123 in Fairyhouse, before being pulled up after a terrible mistake in the race won by Felix Desjy at Punchestown, should reward each-way support.

Dangers include

Joseph O’brien’s Celestial Horizon, also owned by

J P Mcmanus, and the Gavin Cromwell-trained Bread And butter, third to Camprond at Punchestown.

And the Francis Caseytrained Max Flamingo should take plenty of beating in the Gerard O’sullivan Memorial Novice Chase.