It was Tramore last week, and this week the festival circuit rolls onto Tralee. Unfortunately, the Tralee track will close after this week’s meeting concludes on Saturday and it’s to be hoped that there will be some competitive fare at the third stage of the Ballybeggan Park venue’s festival fixture on Thursday afternoon (2.20pm start). The featured event is the Denny Gold Medal Handicap Chase and it could pay to row in behind Green Mile. The Tony Martin-trained Green Mile, a son of top flat stallion Montjeu, was well fancied for his most recent start in the Galway Plate at last month’s Ballybrit festival. Unfortunately, Green Mile capsized at the sixth fence, but it’s worth recalling that he had previously sluiced home in a two mile six furlong handicap hurdle at Killarney in mid July.
A multi-talented dual-purpose performer, Green Mile appears quite well treated here on 10-10 and he’s likely to return to the winning groove at the expense of previous Tralee winner Wishwillow Lord. The Denny Havasnack (QR) Race traditionally develops into a most competitive race and it could pay to row in behind P’tit Fute in this year’s renewal of the ultra-prestigious two mile one furlong event.
P’tit Fute showed a return to his very best form by gamely landing an extended two mile five furlong handicap hurdle on the penultimate day of last month’s Galway festival for the Francis Flood stable. It’s also worth recalling that the French-bred quite simply destroyed the opposition in the coveted GPT Amateur Handicap on the opening day of the Galway festival two years ago. P’tit Fute has the ideal blend of speed and stamina for this particular race and he’s taken to show a clean pair of heels to Total Excitement.
Prince Roco looks the part in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Novice Hurdle. The Colm Murphy-trained Prince Roco atoned for a second-placed effort at this same venue in May by gamely disposing of Archie Boy in a two mile three furlong conditions hurdle at Naas in late July. Admittedly, this event will reflect a quite significant increase in class, but Prince Roco is progressing and he should have most to fear from the mare Susie Van Hall.
Pat Martin’s recent Dundalk all-weather winner Kaitlins Joy looks set to play a major role in the DNG WH Giles Auctioneers Handicap, an event that’s also likely to concern Rock And Roll Kid whilst Designated Decoy can avenge two recent second placed efforts for handler Dermot Weld by dispensing with Soul Murmur in the White Sands Catering Maiden.
Willie Mullins’ Truxton King, placed on two out of his three most recent starts, appears quite well-treated on 9-8 in the ERA Walsh & O’Sullivan Handicap and Jim Bolger’s filly Veidhleadoir should supplement last month’s facile success at Tipperary by excelling from Irish Heartbeat in the Bernard Dillon Memorial Handicap.
Kalderon is a naturally classy horse that’s equally adept on the flat and over hurdles and it wouldn’t be illogical to expect that Tom Hogan’s charge, a confirmed soft-ground performer, could make a triumphant start to his steeplechase career by beating Adajal in the closing Meadowlands Hotel Beginners Chase.