Today's Racing - 8th April 2012

1 pt place Dressedtothenines, 2.25 Fairyhouse (10/11 Paddy Power)

The Grade 2 Mares Novice championship final this year has several possible winners on form but the highest figure so far has been posted by Dressedtothenines and if she can find the form that saw her come second to Neptune runner up Felix Younger at Naas then she’ll have to take the beating here, with better ground shaping as if it would have suited that day, while at her best I think this step up in trip is sure to help matters.

It’s disconcerting to see how badly she ran last time out behind Noras Fancy but she’s got to be better than that here and with Tony McCoy on board today, a big run looks to be well set on the cards. Jessica Harrington’s Burn And Turn deserves some significant respect while no winner would be a real surprise, but Edward O’Grady’s charge can make the first three.

2 pts win, 2 pts place Lyreen Legend, (5/1 Boylesports, evs Ladbrokes) 2.55 Fairyhouse

Lyreen Legend is second favourite behind Jenari today but beat that horse by 4 and a half lengths the last time they met and while he’s now 5lbs worse off, the progression he’s shown since should entitle her to have a big say in the end of proceedings here.

The good third of Jessica Harrington’s charge in a competitive Leopardstown handicap combined with that seems to have him as favourite but I don’t think things are that simple. Lyreen Legend has since won a Grade 2 at Thurles, while being beaten by only Boston Bob and Monksland in the other two. Those defeats may have been easy but they were against two of Ireland’s best novice hurdles and both went onto run respectable races at the Cheltenham Festival, coming second and third respectively in the Albert Bartlett and Neptune

The switch to good ground is the worry here but she’s improved so much over the past few months and his only run on good – unplaced in a bumper at the Punchestown festival – isn’t a realistic guide. Weight carrying is a little bit of a worry for his chances but the form he shown doesn’t entitle him to be such a big price.

Lord Windermere, Texas Jack and Ipsos Du Berlais make this a very strong event, with the first two having held considerable promise before their disappointments in the second half of the season, but the top rates choice gets our vote.