The versatile, Willie Mullins-trained Dads Lad should prove very tough to beat in the €100,000 Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle in Listowel.
Successful twice over hurdles, this gelding had the speed to win a mile-and-a-half maiden at the Galway Festival, beating a number of subsequent winners, and proved his progress when landing a handicap chase at Killarney last time, off a mark of 123.
Now rated 132 over the bigger obstacles, Dads Lad looks well-treated here off a hurdle mark of 116 and bottom-weight. And he’s preferred to Gavin Cromwell’s My Mate Mozzie, fourth to Moracana on the flat at Leopardstown last time, having failed to figure in the Galway Hurdle.
READ MORE: Friday ITV Racing tips from Newsboy for Newmarket and Haydock cards live on ITV4
And the Mullins-trained Spread Boss Ted, whose Galway conqueror and stable-companion No Risk No Fun scored here on Wednesday, is napped to make a winning start over hurdles in the opener. He looks an exciting prospect.
Sharing the Friday slot with Day 6 of Listowel is polytrack action in Dundalk, where the listed Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Diamond Stakes in the feature.
And lightly-raced Hannibal Barca is a hopeful choice to continue a tremendous week for Joseph O’Brien.
Fourth to Luxembourg in the Vertem Futurity when trained by Brian Meehan last year, this fellow won the ‘Gallinule’ (Group 3) on his Irish debut before filling seventh spot in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.
Back after a break, Shane Crosse’s mount, with a tongue tie fitted, is marginally preferred to the Ballydoyle runner Aikhal.
And the Pat Martin-trained Intend, up 8b. for a clear-cut win in Navan last time, might follow-up, under Jamie Powell, in the first division of the William Hill Extra Places Every Day Handicap.
Peter O’Hehir's tips for Listowel
1.40.Spread Boss Ted (Nap)
2.15.Dads Lad
2.50.My Friend The Wind
3.25.Battle Of Benburb
4.00.Filon D’oudairies
4.35.Ballyshannon Rose
5.10.Sandhurst
5.40.Fun Fun Fun
Next Best
1.40.The Short Go
2.15.My Mate Mozzie
2.50.Chief Seattle
3.25.Ballyglass Beauty
4.00.Krujer’s Girl
4.35.Donkey Years
5.10.Zaynudin
5.40.Scopelle
Double : Spread Boss Ted and Dads Lad.
O’Hehir’s Longshot : Cahirdown Boy (4.00.).
Peter O’Hehir's tips for Dundalk
5.00.Mehman
5.30.Tawaazon
6.00.Sister Lola
6.30.Perseida
7.00.Hannibal Barca
7.30.Eighty Eight
8.00.Intend
8.30.Lamprog
Next Best
5.00.Pillar
5.30.Cometh The Man
6.00.Dandyville
6.30.Valkyrian
7.00.Aikhal
7.30.Clemmie C
8.00.Tory Reel
8.30.Draco Pulchrac
Double : Perseida and Intend.
O’Hehir’s Longshot : Jazzy Dancer (6.00.)
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