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Rachael Blackmore has four rides on Friday at Leopardstown
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Birdie Or Bust has experience to go well
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Captain Guinness can bounce back to form
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Life In The Park tackles Paddy Power Chase
Leopardstown Friday
12:35 Leopardstown - Birdie Or Bust
I ride Birdie Or Bust in the beginners' chase at Leopardstown on Friday, and she goes there with a real chance.
She was a progressive novice hurdler last season, she rounded off her season by finishing third in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. She ran well on her chasing debut at Navan last month, that was her first run of the season so hopefully we can see her improve from that.
This is a good beginners' chase, but she has the experience and she should like it around Leopardstown. We hope that she can go well.
13:10 Leopardstown - Captain Guinness
Captain Guinness has to put his disappointing run in the Fortria Chase last time behind him, but he seems to be in good form again now, everything seems right with him.
He is nine now rising 10, but his last two runs last season were up there with the best runs of his life, when he won the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham and when he was just caught by Banbridge in the Champion Chase at Punchestown. We hope that he can put up another good performance here.
14:20 Leopardstown - Lieber Nicc
Lieber Nicc got off the mark over hurdles at Wexford during the summer when he kept on well to beat Sunchart, a listed race winner on the flat who won his maiden hurdle next time back over the same course and distance.
He found one too good at Killarney next time, and he could only finish fifth in a competitive handicap hurdle at Down Royal's big meeting in early November, but he is in good form at home and we hope that he can take a step forward from that now. He is only five, so we hope that he can continue to progress.
15:00 Leopardstown - Life In The Park
The Paddy Power Chase is obviously hugely competitive but, if Life In The Park is on a going day, and if things fall his way, he will go there with his chance. You need things to go your way in a race like this.
He was well beaten in the Troytown Chase at Navan last time, but he ran a big race in the Galway Plate on his previous run, when he stayed on well to finish a close-up fourth behind Pinkerton.
He is only 3lb higher now than he was then and, if he can step forward from that, over a slightly longer trip, then that would obviously bring him into it.