Evander hoping to break a Kid’s Heart in Sunday's novices chase
In the kingmakerracedays.co.uk Celebrates Mary Harle's 101st Birthday Novices' Limited Handicap Chase at Catterick, Heartbreak Kid is the one receiving weight from likely favourite Evander.
The latter ran well to be runner-up in better company at Wincanton last time, and is sure to be a popular choice to gain compensation.
But he will need to be 6lb better than Heartbreak Kid, and he may well not be.
Heartbreak Kid has much less experience over fences, but plenty of promise and potential for improvement after his solitary attempt to date.
A wide-margin winner of his only Irish point-to-point in 2019, he finished alone when he broke his duck over hurdles at the third attempt for Donald McCain at Sedgefield last February, and then returned over the same course and distance for a 12-length success to open his new campaign in November.
McCain immediately switched him to fences over the minimum trip at Carlisle, only to run into the very useful Cheddleton.
A near 10-length defeat at his hands was no disgrace at all, and Heartbreak Kid ran as if the extra three furlongs here are bound to help.
He arrives here after a twomonth break, and has a career record so far which suggests that too points to a big run.
The opening Try Racing TV For Free Now Conditional Jockeys' Veterans' Handicap Chase may go to Manwell.
The 11-year-old struck for the first time in his last nine attempts, and also his first after wind surgery, over four furlongs shorter than this at Sedgefield last month.
He has been largely campaigned at much shorter trips over the years but, in his winless sequence last winter, his best effort came over a marathon distance here in the North Yorkshire Grand National.
His canny trainer can be trusted to pick out the right race, and a 6lb rise back up to a rating of 120 does not appear insurmountable by any means - with 7lb claimer Tom Midgley taking over in search of his third career success.
Bachasson can take the Grade Three honours in the Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas.
Willie Mullins' 10-yearold made a successful return from chasing to hurdling when comfortably scoring at Punchestown on New Year's Eve after being sent off the long odds-on favourite.