TimeformBlog

Willie Mullins' excellent record of improving horses from other yards is well documented nowadays, but that hasn't stopped the layers from pricing up [b]Rockyaboya[/b] (17.10) around the 9.0 mark. Formerly with Caroline Hutchinson, Rockyaboya ran a career-est when not beaten far into second by Career Move at Cork and, having not been with his yard long, is open to further improvement. Rainforest Magic is sure to be a warm order as the Dermot Weld juggernaut hurtles along, but he does nothing quickly and looks vulnerable at this trip around here. [b]Serve Time[/b] (18.15) represents a yard that do well at this track and this one-time useful hurdler showed he's no back number when winning a novice chase at Limerick easily on his first start for Paul Gilligan. Still unexposed over fences...

[b]Rock Critic[/b] might be favourite for the handicap over an extended mile at 15:00, but he really does stand out in a race where progressive types are thin on the ground. He's won on his reappearance in his last two campaigns and looked all set to develop into a listed-class performer last summer, winning a handicap at this festival by a wide margin before following up under a 5 lb penalty at Naas with any amount in hand. His last run was a little disappointing given what had gone before (seventh at Leopardstown), but he again travelled strongly and his subsequent absence suggests there was more behind that defeat than just his revised mark. Ted Dolly, Solent Ridge and Casela Park all have solid place claims but none have the potential of Rock Critic and he should be supported to add...

[b]Askthemaster[/b] (15:35) was better than ever over fences last season, second to Oiseau de Nuit in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham, and looks to have every chance of making a winning return to hurdling from what is an attractive mark. Robert Tyner's runner has only had the three runs over hurdles, winning a maiden at Cork on his debut, and he shaped well when sixth in a big-field handicap at Leopardstown last season. He's rated fully 20 lb lower over timber than fences, and looks worth taking a risk with at 17.0. [b]Gala Dancer[/b] (16:10) progressed well last autumn, landing a maiden at Fairyhouse in October, and was possibly unlucky not to get back to winning ways at Roscommon earlier this month, just beginning to hit full stride when badly hampered at the last in a race won by Regal...

Dorset Square did well to win at Killarney last time and is now only 6 lb higher in the weights, so deserves plenty of respect, but the one who really catches the eye in the staying handicap at 18.10 is Dermot Weld's [b]Rainforest Magic[/b]. He was all the rage to win off this mark at this festival last year, and though he only managed third he didn't really get the run of things that day. He wasn't seen to best effect on his final start of the campaign at Leopardstown, either, when a steady gallop resulted in a blanket finish which was totally against this staying type, who was niggled along as soon as the tempo increased but still finished around several future winners. All in all, there was a distinct air of unfinished business about Rainforest Magic after his three-year-old campaign,...

Sulwaan looked a useful prospect when accounting for Tavern Times and Princeton Plains in a four-runner race at Sligo on his first start over hurdles so it is no surprise to see him heading the market in the opening novice hurdle. However, he was getting plenty of weight that day and he will need to improve to beat the progressive [b]Devils Bi[/b]t. John O'Shea's colt has won his last two completed starts over jumps and would have been placed but for getting brought down two out in a Grade 3 at Fairyhouse in between. This stiff track will suit Devils Bit (stays 1¾m on the Flat) and he looks the value bet at 4.5. The feature race on the card, the carlton.ie/galwaycity handicap, looks a devilishly difficult puzzle to solve with twelve horses separated by just five pounds on Timeform ratings....