WINGS OF SATURNAS
Mullins’ flyer ready to make mark over bigger obstacles
RUNNER-UP on his chasing bow at Punchestown, Saturnas should capture the Irish Stallion Farms Beginners Chase in Fairyhouse.
The Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old triumphed at Grade 1 level last season, when winning the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.
And, on the evidence of his seasonal and chasing debut last month, he looks set to make his mark over the bigger obstacles.
Winner of his maiden hurdle in Naas, Saturnas chased home Airlie Beach in the Royal Bond before making his Grade 1 breakthrough at Leopardstown, beating Brelade and Sunny May.
But he flopped, when favourite, in the Deloitte at Leopardstown in February and wasn’t seen again last season.
Saturnas did little wrong, apart from a slight mistake at the second last, when runner-up to the smart Avenir D’une Vie at Punchestown, finishing clear of the remainder and shaping as if he’d appreciate today’s slight step-up in trip.
With that run under his belt, Saturnas should prove too strong for De Plotting Shed today.
With no Espoir D’allen to cope with today, Gordon Elliott’s Mitchouka should register his third success over obstacles in the Promote Your Business At Fairyhouse 4-Y-0 Hurdle.
An easy winner at Fairyhouse and Punchestown, he was no match for Gavin Cromwell’s charge at tomorrow’s venue and Leopardstown, in graded company.
But he produced rock-solid efforts on both occasions and, dropping in class, should triumph for Davy Russell.
Although unplaced in the Paddy Power (three miles) at Leopardstown over Christmas, the Willie Mullinstrained Polidam appeals in the €100,000 Bar One Racing Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase.
This fellow has run only three times since arriving in Closutton from France and proved a convincing winner of the valuable Foxrock Cup at Navan, beating odds-on stable-companion Acapella Bourgeois by nine lengths.
A 9lb turn-around in the weights should bring the pair close together today, when those that supported Acapella at Navan will hope he’s allowed to race prominently, his natural style.
But Polidam should prove more effective than his rival over this two miles and a furlong and gets the vote.
Jessica Harrington’s Don’t Touch It, off the track since August, might prove best of the Mcmanus runners.
An early casualty in the maiden won by Paloma Blue, the Tom Mullins-trained Tara Dylan has solid claims in the opening mares maiden hurdle on the evidence of her second to Glens Harmony on her hurdling debut in Thurles back in October.
And Tony Mullins might be on the mark with Shannak in the three-mile Fairyhouse Members 2018 Handicap Hurdle.