Graded N.H. races in Ireland

There is N.H. racing today at two tracks in the U.K. and two in Ireland, with by far the better racing in the latter ountry. Navan has 3 graded events on the Card and, although the fields are very small in all of them, they should be very jnformative. The Fortria Chase over 2 miles at 15.50 CET is the main feature and sees the return to action of Flemenstar (Tony Martin/ Andrew Lynch), one of the heroes of last season when he won 7 successive races (including this one) and followed up with 3 decent efforts in Grade One company. He has moved from colourful trainer Peter Casey to Tony Martin, who is a little non-committal about his chances today, but if he isd anywhere his form of a year ago, he should win this easily enough. Tony McCoy is in Ireland to ride for his boss JP McManus and has a good chance on both the unbeaten Minella Foru (Eddie Harty) in the Grade Three novice hurdle at 14.30 and Captain Cee Bee for the sametrainer in the Grade Two hurdle over 2 1/2 miles half an hour later. At the weights Mala Beach (Gordon Elliott/ Robbie Colgan) is the danger in the latter event, while Very Wood (Noel Meade/ Davy Russell) looks a good prospect and poses a big threat in the earlier race. Marlbrook (Colm Murphy/ McCoy) is another unbeaten runner for the owner in the beginners chase at 16.25, but here we are very interested in Minsk (Dessie Hughes/ Danny Mullins) making his chasing debut after showing smart form on the flat and over sticks.

Champion trainer Wille Mullins won 4 races at Naas yesterday and he will be at Limerick today with his stable jockey Ruby Walsh. They can take the hurdle race at 14.05 with Un Beau Roman - even though in theory he should not defeat Luska Lad at level weights- and the beginners chase at 16.15 with The Paparrazzi Kid, a smart handicap hurdler maing his debut over fences. The one he has to beat is Kandinski (Robert Tyner/ PT Enright), who is still a maiden but has been runner-up 7 times in 9 starts, sometimes in smart company.

The going will be very testing at Ffos Las today and our advice is to keep stakes to a minimum here. Pension Plan (Peter Bowen/ Tom O´Brien) is a course specialist and acts on the ground and he can take the handicap hurdle at 15.30, while Whisky and Red (Coloin Bowe/ Jason Maguire) is an interesting irish raider in the handicap chase at 16.35. Maguire has won on his last 6 rides and this is his only mount today.

It has also been raining at Market Rasen - though not quite as much. Gullinbursti (Emma Lavelle/ Aidan Coleman) is a horse we like and although he he has not won for almost 2 years, he seems well handicapped in the 2 3/4 mile chase at 15.45. We shall also risk a small each-way bet on German-bred Favorite Girl (Mike Appleby/ Jack Sherwood) in the conditional jockeys handicap hurdle at 16.50. The Shirocco mare has only modest ability, but this is a very weak race.