graded race in Ireland

with Cheltenham just around the corner, we cannot expect any top class jumping today, but there is in fact quite a decent card at Naas, with the Grade Three novice chase at 16.30 CET the main event. As is usually the case in Ireland, there is a small field with only 5 runners, two of them owned by Gigginstown, with their main jockey Bryan Cooper on Mouse Morris´ Rule the World, who is just top-rated and our selection. Noble Emperor (Tony Martin/ Barry Geraghty), runner-up to Cheltenham fancy Very Wood last time, looks his most dangerous opponent, but this trip of 2 1/2 miles looks on the short side. Gigginstown also have 3 runners in the listed novice hurdle at 15.55, with Cooper on Henry de Bromhead´s Identity Thief, but here we prefer Henry Higgins (Charles O´Brien/ Geraghty), who has been running well enough in smart company.

In the U.K. there are two rather humdrum jumps meetings at Market Rasen (with small fields) and Warwick. Our eye has been caught by two ex-German horses, Attimo (Charlie Mann/ Noel Fehily), who runs at 16.40 at Market Rasen, and Stanley (Donald McCain/ Wayne Hutchinson) who runs 10 minutes later at Warwick. They were both bred by Ittlingen and previously trained by Andreas Wöhler and are half-brothers to top flat performers Altano and Scalo respeciively; the other thing they have in common is that they might both win today! Ittlingen also bred the ex-Schiergen Lyssio, a half-brother to Lucky Speed; he has been a constant disappointment over hurdles, but has never met such feeble opposition as he faces at 17.50 at Warwick today so we shall give him another chance, especially as the drying ground should help. Another German-bred running here is Fredo (Ian Williams/ Rob McCarth) in the stayers handicap chase at 17.20; he won only a week ago at Huntingdon, but could go close again, although this is a very open race with several CD specialists in the line-up.
later: Identity Thief non-runner at Naas!

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Tennis Cap - Written Inthestars - Rossvoss
2. Race: Henry Higgins - Phil`s Magic - Prince Of Scars
3. Race: Rule The World - Lots Of Memories - Azorian
4. Race: Peoples Park - Follow The Sign - Horendus Hulabaloo
5. Race: Golden Boot - Flight Plan - Captain Von Trappe
6. Race: Letter Of Credit - Owega Star - Knock Beauty
7. Race: Killahara Castle - Like A Demon - Ballybryan