Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SHE’S ZOFF
Blackmore can get best out of Hogan’s charge
THE Denis Hogantrained Zoffanien should prove tough to beat in the featured Mcgrath Limestone Works Handicap Hurdle in Ballinrobe. The fouryear-old has won once and been placed five times since embarking on his hurdling career, his win coming off 119, when scampering clear to slam Rock Chica by nine lengths at Naas in late February. On the strength of that victory, he was pitched into the Boodles at Cheltenham and acquitted himself well enough finishing more than eight lengths eighth behind compatriot Jeff Kidder – which went on to land a Grade 2 juvenile event at Fairyhouse over Easter.
Zoffanien displayed no ill effects of his trip to Prestbury when going close in a handicap hurdle at Cork last time, going down by just a short-head to Botani following a costly mistake at the final flight.
Admittedly, the selection went up 4lb for that effort. But there could be more improvement to come from him. And, with Rachael Blackmore on board, he should go close.
David O’brien’s Minx Tiara, back over hurdles, might make a bold bid to defy top-weight in the ultra-competitive Boylesports Mares Handicap Hurdle.
Twice a winner over hurdles, this Doyen mare made a successful chasing debut at Thurles in February before producing a career best when chasing home Scarlet And Dove in a Grade 2 mares’ event in Limerick.
Rated 119 over hurdles, Minx Tiara has been found a good opportunity here and gets the vote over Enda Bolger’s Norwigi, easy winner of a weak maiden at Fairyhouse and the Henry de Bromhead-trained Tune The Chello, course and distance winner in September (Pertemps Final winner Mrs Milner was third) but off the course since being pulled up at Killarney in October.
Top Bandit, runner-up in each of his three starts, is a hopeful nap choice in the finale, despite the claims of Gavin Cromwell’s Fameaftertheglory, runner-up to the useful Grad Jury in a point-topoint bumper at Punchestown.
Second on debut at Sligo in October and behind the solid Harry Alonzo at Leopardstown over Christmas, Top Bandit failed narrowly to Meet And Great at Leopardstown last month.
Trained by Denise Foster, Top Bandit will have Jamie Codd in the plate again and might have the edge over Fameaftertheglory and the Willie Mullins runner Glengouly, winner of a ‘point’ for Pat Doyle in Loughrea but very disappointing, when favourite, on his racecourse debut at Fairyhouse in late February.