The Gordon Elliott-trained The Storyteller looks best in the Kerry Group Chase, feature of tomorrow’s opening stage of the seven-day Listowel Festival meeting.
The marathon kicks off with jumps action, and Elliott looks set for a good day, with The Storyteller, top-weight for Wednesday’s Guinness Kerry National, well-treated at the weights for the Sunday feature.
A four-time winner over fences, the nine-year-old was having his first run since finishing second in the Pertemps at Cheltenham when pulled up early in the Galway Plate.
But he bounced back two days later for a comfortable win in a conditions chase at Ballybrit and, last time, returned to the western venue to triumph over hurdles, giving weight and a good beating to My Sister Sarah.
The Storyteller is rated 1lb superior to 10-time chase winner Peregrine Run (also pulled up in the Plate), but set to receive 6lb from Peter Fahey’s stable star here. And that should swing things in favour of the Jack Kennedy-ridden The Storyteller.
Paloma Blue, held by Peregrine Run on Killarney form, scored last time in Wexford and, with first-time cheekpieces, shouldn’t be underestimated.
Elliott should also be on the mark with hat-trick-seeking Longclaw, successful in Roscommon and Down Royal, in the opening Kerry Group 3-Y-0 Hurdle, despite his 10lb penalty and the concession of 17lb to Scholastic.
And Elliott’s Getabay, third to Dewcup at Punchestown recently, should prove far more effective over the three miles of the Charleville Cheese Maiden Hurdle and gets the vote over Noel Meade’s Thurles bumper winner Rosgalme and the Charles Byrnes-trained One For Joe.
The Listowel circuit suits front-runners. And the Henry de Bromhead, inset, trained Telmesomethinggirl, the mount of Robbie Power, fits the bill in the Irish Stallion Farms Mares Hurdle, although officially rated 6lb inferior to rival Skyace, a dual hurdle-winner, but well-beaten in the handicap won by Tune The Chello in Ballinrobe last time.
The selection has triumphed twice over flights – at Roscommon and Bellewstown – where she made all and coasted home eight lengths clear of Two Shoe Tom.
And, on her previous start, she acquitted herself well in finishing third to the useful The Very Man and subsequent winner Getaway Gorgeous in a novice at Galway.
Tips
1.35 Longclaw
2.10 Telmesomethinggirl (Nap)
2.45 Arthur’s Baby
3.15 Trees Valley
3.45 Getabay
4.15 Anything Will Do
4.50 The Storyteller
5.20 Visionarian
Next Best
1.35 Scholastic
2.10 Skyace
2.45 Moonball
3.15 Yeat’s Encore
3.45 Rosgalme
4.15 Andalusa
4.50 Peregrine Run
5.20 Thealitleozibatler
Double: Longclaw and Getabay.
O’Hehir’s Longshot: Golden Glen (3.15)
