John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Sunday.
Karbau out to maintain Mullins’ record in Limestone Lad
The Naas card faces an inspection but if it goes ahead the Limestone Lad Hurdle (13:25) will be one of the highlights. The Bowe family’s prolific winner Limestone Lad won the race three years running, hence having the race named after him, but more recently it is Willie Mullins and Paul Townend who have dominated what is now a Grade 3 contest.
Mullins has won the Limestone Lad eight times in all since 2012 and in six of the last eight seasons in partnership with Townend, most recently with Anzadam twelve months ago. Mullins is doubly represented this year by Karbau and Kel Histoire, with the former having the stronger claims heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and is Townend’s mount, earning him the 'Jockey Uplift' flag.
Karbau hasn’t run since last spring when putting up good performances as a novice in Grade 1 events at Aintree and Punchestown after finishing tailed off in the Supreme Novices’ at Cheltenham. He stuck to his task when third behind stablemate Salvator Mundi and Romeo Coolio in the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree and filled the same position when the outsider of his stable’s four runners in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown behind Irancy and Salvator Mundi. Those efforts make Karbau the one to beat, while the fact his win at Punchestown last season came in heavy ground is significant as conditions are set to be very testing here too.
Rosie Baloo can open hurdles account
Sedgefield’s mares’ novices’ hurdle (14:10) sees a rematch between a couple of rivals who met at Wetherby on Boxing Day when both gave the impression they’d improve on those efforts. Rosie Baloo finished in front of Laffer Curve then and can do so again to get off the mark over hurdles.
From a family that Tim Easterby has had plenty of success with, Rosie Baloo made a winning debut in a bumper at Southwell last summer and has since been placed in all three of her starts over hurdles at Hexham, Southwell and Wetherby. She ran her best race last time, leading on the final circuit and headed after the last before finishing just over four lengths second to Scavengers Reign, earning the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag.
Rosie Baloo jumped notably well at Wetherby and looks set to improve further, so should again finish in front of Laffer Curve who was patiently ridden on her hurdling debut and not knocked about in fourth.
Triumph Hurdle entry Indian River one to note on handicap debut
Adrian Keatley’s four-year-old Indian River tackles handicap company for the first time at Sedgefield (15:10) but a BHA mark of 117 looks on the lenient side as it makes him 3 lb clear in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings with the prospect of improvement to come, this being just his third start over hurdles.
Indian River was also lightly raced on the Flat, showing ability in two runs for John Murphy in Ireland and shaping encouragingly. He was supported for his debut over hurdles in a juvenile at Catterick in November and showed a good attitude to prevail after some late errors, edging ahead near the finish for a head win over Turenne as the pair pulled a long way clear of the rest.
Indian River followed up under a penalty in a similar event at Wetherby last time where he looked the sort to go on improving. Jumping well bar a mistake at the last, Indian River edged ahead after two out and was always holding on to beat Lights Go Down by half a length. A Triumph Hurdle entry suggests connections think quite highly of Indian River and he can make it three out of three over hurdles under Brian Hughes.
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