LANDOFHOPEANDGLORY

Entered: 4.05 Monday - Irish Stallion Farms EBF Premier Nursery Handicap 1m

Aidan O’Brien has dominated Monday’s nursery in recent years and has entered nine horses in his bid to win the race for the fifth time in the last six years. A number of the Ballydoyle trainer’s entries are promising and unexposed and foremost among these is Landofhopeandglory who made a winning debut in a mile maiden at Galway last month.

The High Chaparral colt did well to make a perfect start to his career at a track that favours those with previous experience. The form of that race doesn’t make for especially impressive reading as all six of his rivals have run since and been beaten. However the lingering impression left by Landofhopeandglory was that he was a colt of major promise who could prove to be vastly better than the form of his debut win might suggest. Expect him to mount a strong challenge if he lines out on Monday afternoon.

GOLAN LODGE

Entered: 5.35 Monday - Follow Listowel Races On Twitter Maiden Hurdle 2m

A third in a decent Naas maiden hurdle last November and a rating of 126 means that Uncle Danny sets a fair standard in the maiden hurdle that concludes Monday’s card but in Golan Lodge he could face a formidable opponent. The latter lacks previous hurdling experience but his sole racecourse outing indicated that he could develop into a jumper of some substance.

Now with Paul Nolan, Golan Lodge was trained by Liz Doyle when he made a winning start in a reasonable looking Fairyhouse bumper last February. He defeated the subsequent winner An Dearg Mor and this pair finished some 12 lengths clear of the remainder which is always encouraging to see. The overall form of the Fairyhouse race looks very solid and this gelding appeals as one that should enjoy quite an industrious time over hurdles this season.

CHAMPAGNE OR WATER

Entered: 4.05 Tuesday - Irish Stallion Farm EBF Fillies Handicap (3yo+) 1m

Any prospect of a significant softening in the ground over the coming days shouldn’t hold any fears for this filly who has shown in the past that she is quite at home on an easy surface. Furthermore her efforts this season would suggest that she is a better filly than she was 12 months ago.

She won quite a reasonable Curragh handicap two months ago before then running with considerable credit to reach the frame in a Galway handicap won by Princess Aloof. Even better was to come back at the Curragh late last month when she finished a fine fourth to Hint Of A Tint in the Irish Cambridgeshire. Admittedly she has crept up 10lbs in the weights lately but that last effort would suggest that she is more than good enough to deal with her rise up the ratings.

TIGRIS RIVER

Entered: 5.05 Tuesday - Listowel Races Supporters Club Lartigue Hurdle (Handicap) (4yo) 2m

Unfortunately this year’s Lartigue Hurdle has attracted a surprisingly small initial entry of just 10 and this valuable handicap looks to provide Tigris River with a good chance of making it three wins in succession over hurdles.

This 87-rated flat runner progressed from a placed jumping debut at Roscommon to trounce Zafayan by just under nine lengths at Galway. Tigris River faced just three rivals on his next outing at Cork and was returned a red hot favourite but he still looked to face a reasonable test against a couple of capable rivals in Moonmeister and Lean And Keen. He duly dealt with those rivals to win with something to spare and his level of progress over hurdles so far is such that he looks good enough to defy a mark of 130 in this four-year-old only contest.

RULE THE WORLD

Entered: 4.20 Wednesday - Guinness Kerry National Handicap Chase (Grade A) (4yo+) 3m

He has yet to win a race over fences but Rule The World is undoubtedly one of the strongest contenders for this year’s Guinness Kerry National and he is taken to record a very well deserved victory in the Festival highlight. Over the course of last season the Mouse Morris inmate posted a succession of solid efforts in decent novice chases.

Furthermore he has also gone close to landing two of the biggest handicap chases in the calendar. He finished a superb second to Thunder And Roses in the Irish National last April and he would surely given Shanahan’s Turn plenty to do had he not come down between the last two fences in the Galway Plate last time. If this former Cheltenham Festival second turns up in that sort of form next week he will surely mount a strong challenge for victory.