SALDIER OF FORTUNE

Mullins hurdler can make grade after impressive Galway triumph

RYAN MCELLIGOTT

THE Galway Hurdle winner Saldier looks the best option in the Grade 3 Horse & Jockey Hotel Hurdle which heads a fine card at Tipperary today.

A top class hurdler on his day, as he showed when winning twice at Grade 1 level, Saldier came right back to his best at Galway.

Under a big weight he produced a cracking effort to land one of the most competitive handicaps of the season.

That Galway effort suggested he could add to his Grade 1 tally at some stage so this afternoon’s prize looks to be well within his reach.

Jason The Militant looks his biggest threat as he is a very smart hurdler on his day as he showed when winning at Grade 3 level last season.

He is a quality sort but he won’t find this easy under a penalty and he might also need this run.

As well as Saldier champion trainer Willie Mullins should also strike with Fan De Blues in the Grade 3 O’Dwyer Steel Dundrum Novice Chase.

This six-year-old has put together a string of decent efforts on his recent starts and he can make it three wins on the spin here.

Last time out he produced a nice effort to get the better of Gin On Lime at Galway and the slightly longer trip of this race should work in his favour.

Gin On Lime is respected and she is now seven pounds better off with Fan De Blues but over this distance she could be vulnerable

Fancy Foundations is another interesting runner as he bids to make it three wins on the bounce.

However, he will find this a lot tougher than the races at Down Royal and Sligo which he has won on his last two outings.

In the opening Grade 3 Joe Mac Novice Hurdle Annie G looks good enough to make it three wins on the spin. She was an impressive winner at Listowel in June but even better was to come at Galway where she dominated quite a useful novice hurdle.

The return to a left-handed track should suit her well and she can deal with the unexposed and promising Arctic Warrior.

Later in the John Hanlon’s Hallowed Star looks capable of defying top weight in the two mile handicap hurdle.

He followed up a Roscommon maiden hurdle win by landing a competitive handicap at the Galway Festival last time.

He is now eight pounds higher in the weights but that should not be enough to prevent him from following up here.

Elsewhere Raynedanse shaped up nicely on her debut in a Cork bumper back in July and she looks as though she might be good enough to land the finale.