Unrelenting Elliott out for more glory at Limerick

After sending out eight winners at the Cheltenham festival, a feat that secured back-to-back leading trainer awards in the Cotswolds, Gordon Elliott will be bidding to keep up the momentum on the domestic front with strong chances Limerick.

Dinaria Des Obeaux looks to have leading claims of adding to her three wins to date over fences in the Grade 2 Charleville Cheese Mares Novice (4.10).

The Gigginstown-owned mare is rated 5lbs better than her nearest rival, Youcantcallherthat, whom she beat comfortably two starts back at Thurles, and the pair go toe-to-toe off level weights this time.

Dinaria Des Obeaux is also proven on the ground and holds another one of today's rivals, Kate Appleby Shoes, strictly on that Thurles performance.

Ray Hackett hoping Dancer is back on song

Crackerdancer will be bidding to bounce back to form for Ray HackettCredit: Alain Barr

Time has proved that being beaten by Laurina is nothing to be ashamed of, but Ray Hackett is convinced Crackerdancer didn’t run up to scratch against Willie Mullins’ ace at Fairyhouse last time, and is hoping for a return to form from his star mare in the Grade 3 mares’ novice hurdle (2.30) at Limerick.

A winner of three bumpers, including a Listed contest at Navan, Crackerdancer bolted up on her hurdling debut at the track over the Christmas before falling when it looked as though she was well beaten behind Laurina last time.

Although he doesn’t believe Crackerdancer would have beaten Laurina last time, Hackett has reason to believe the eight-year-old would have finished closer to the subsequent Cheltenham Festival heroine.

He explained: “She came home from Fairyhouse and wasn’t herself at all so we scoped her and it turned out she had a very bad lung infection.

“You never want to see them run like that but at least there was a reason for it. I’m not saying we would have beaten the winner on the day but she didn’t run her race anyway.”

He added: “Barry John Foley rides out for me a lot and he takes the ride on her for the first time and he knows her well. She was an impressive winner at the track over Christmas and hopefully she can bounce back, although it’s a tough race. She’ll love the ground.”

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