'All roads lead back to Aintree' - classy Burrows Saint returns to action

Thursday: 1.30 Clonmel
Jim Strang & Sons Kilsheelan (Peugeot) Hurdle | 3m | 4yo+ | RTV

Burrows Saint was a beaten odds-on favourite in this race last year, but the 2019 Irish Grand National hero is back to try to go one better as his road to Aintree begins again.

He was sent off 9-1 for the Grand National in April and hit a low of 2.2 in-running on the exchanges before tiring from the second-last to finish fourth to Minella Times. It was a fine effort and it is hard to believe he is still only eight.

The worry for punters is his record first time out. He was a 45-length runner-up to Mary Frances in this race last year, third of four finishers in the Drinmore on his reappearance in 2019, and the season before he was only fourth in a Gowran Park beginners' chase on his return to action. He could need this outing to blow away the cobwebs.

Pencilfulloflead is a fascinating contender. He acquired a rating of 153 as a novice chaser last term, just 3lb shy of Burrows Saint, and he was just a half-length away from winning a Grade 1 at Limerick over Christmas.

That form has worked out well as his conqueror, Colreevy, went on to win the mares' chase at the Cheltenham Festival and beat Monkfish and Envoi Allen at Punchestown afterwards.

Western Victory should not be dismissed either and she has a fitness edge on her two main market rivals. She was a wide-margin winner of a Listed mares' hurdle at Gowran Park in October and went close from the front in a similar event at Punchestown last time.

She could be a viable alternative and it wouldn't come as the biggest surprise to see her make it.

It is likely to be Western Victory's last run for Declan Queally as she is in the Cheltenham sale next Thursday. She has won seven of her 30 starts and been placed ten times.

What they say

Declan Queally, trainer of Western Victory and Bothar Dubh
She's going to the Cheltenham sale next Thursday and she's going to be an exciting prospect for her new owners. She's in very good form and came out of Punchestown in terrific shape. She stays three miles well, so we'll be making plenty of use of her. Bother Dubh is caught between a rock and a hard place with his handicap mark, but we're hoping to pick up a bit of prize-money.

Willie Mullins, trainer of Burrows Saint
I'm happy to get him started back again but it does look a tough starting point. It looks a competitive race. I'd imagine all roads will lead back to Aintree for him and this is the first step on the way there.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Pencilfulloflead
He's in good form but we're hoping for some rain for him. The more that falls the happier I'll be. There just aren't many races around for him, so that's why we've decided to come here. He's a nice horse and he'll go back over fences this season.

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