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Shantreusse a big chance to get back on track
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Ladybank weighted to go close
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I ride Pen To Paper in the second race at Naas on Sunday, the maiden hurdle.
He hasn't run yet, but he is a nicely-bred horse, by Blue Bresil out of a mare who won a bumper and who won over hurdles and over fences, and who stayed three miles, from the family of See More Business.
He seems to be in good form at home, and it will be interesting to see how he goes.
Shantreusse ran well for a long way in the Thyestes Chase, but it looked like he maybe didn't fully get home. He is back in trip here to two and a half miles.
He won a Grade 3 race over three miles on heavy ground as a novice hurdler, but he ran well over this trip at Navan on his seasonal debut, so hopefully he can get back on track here.
Champagne Mahler won well at Gowran Park last time, and the race is working out well already, with the runner-up winning last week at Clonmel off a 2lb higher mark. He seemed to love the ground and the trip there, and he is back over the same trip and on similar ground here.
He is 11lb higher in the handicap now than he was then, and he is up in grade, but he is progressive and he goes into the race in good form.
Ladybank is a nice mare. She dead-heated with Princess Zoe in a maiden hurdle over two and a half miles at Punchestown last year, and she took her chance in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
She was well beaten on her debut this season in October over two miles, and she hasn't run since, but we hope that there is a lot more to come from her. She runs in a first-time tongue-tie here, which should help, and the step up in trip should suit. She has a nice light weight and hopefully she can run a good race.