DOWNFORCE ON THE RISE
Classy gelding can soar to great heights by landing Concorde Stakes
THE soft-ground loving Downforce could be the answer to the Group 3 Coolmore Stud Home Of Champions Concorde Stakes at Tipperary.
The highlight of a quality mixed card is a very competitive edition of the Concorde, where a number of the runners will be well suited by the testing going.
One of these is the former Group 3 scorer Onenightidreamed, but he has been off the track since April and that could count against him.
Sruthan, Gordon Lord Byron and Flight Risk are others to note, but Downforce makes most appeal.
This gelding relishes testing going and he comes here off a respectable effort behind Quiet Reflection at Naas last weekend.
The ground may not have been soft enough for him on that occasion and the step up to this longer trip should work in his favour. It is worth nothing that Downforce was successful in a handicap over this course and distance at this fixture last year.
The highlight of the jumping action is the Grade 3 Istabraq Hurdle, which has attracted a number of high-class types.
These include the former Champion Hurdle hero Jezki, but he didn’t look to be at his best towards the end of last season.
The unbeaten Coquin Mans is taking a sharp rise in class, but he is an unknown quantity who may be more than good enough to hold his own here.
Jer’s Girl is also respected, but preference is for last season’s high-class juvenile hurdler Ex Patriot.
He should be all the better for a recent comeback in the Lartigue Hurdle at Listowel where he finished a fine third under a big weight. The benefit of that recent comeback outing could just see him come out on top.
The Grade 3 novice hurdle is quite a classy affair, with Morgan and Houses of parliament renewing their rivalry from the Galway Festival.
However, both horses may have to give best to the promising Willie Mullins inmate Sayar.
He looked a very nice recruit to jumping when bolting up on his debut at Kilbeggan several weeks ago.
In the novice chase, Potters Point bids to follow up his recent Kerry National success.
He is coming back in trip, though, and had a hard enough race at Listowel so the vote goes to his old rival Rathvinden.
When the pair clashed at Galway during the summer, Rathvinden was too strong for Potters Point and that could again be the case.
Elsewhere a solid debut run at Gowran would suggest that Lucius Tiberius could find the opening twoyear-old maiden within his grasp.
The nine-furlong handicap can go to On The Go Again, who is on a roll.