O'Grady's winning spree can continue with Roconga

The good form of the Edward O'Grady stable has been a feature of the Irish scene during the last month or so. Roconga was one of the contributors when the Tipperary trainer enjoyed a particularly successful assault on last month's Killarney meeting, the six-year-old running out an emphatic winner of the John J Galvin Handicap Hurdle. Now a 128-rated hurdler, he reverts to the Flat off 83 in a 1m4f handicap at Fairyhouse today (5.35).

On his last Flat run Roconga was quite well fancied for the big 2m1f amateur handicap won by the progressive Swamp Fox at the Galway festival, but did not seem to get the trip. That bid had been prefaced by a third placing over today's course and distance, when he made late headway after meeting some trouble in running. Bearing in mind he may well have needed the run on his first outing since the Punchestown festival in the spring, it can be interpreted as a decent piece of form, well advertised by runner-up Melanna when winning 1m4f handicaps at the Curragh and Galway.

The opposition includes Noel Meade's high-class hurdler Snow Falcon, who made a winning start to his Flat career in a 1m6f Listowel event. Meade sees him as a possible contender for the November Handicap at Leopardstown and as a long-range candidate for next season's Ascot Stakes, so perhaps 1m4f will prove on the short side for him.