English triple-handed in attempt to break through barrier

8.00 Dundalk
matthews.ie Race | 1m | 4yo+ | ATR

Damian English has amassed more than €88,000 in prize-money during the Dundalk winter series, made up of seven winners, four seconds and a third, and he hopes to break through the €100,000 barrier in this lucrative contest over a mile in which he is responsible for three of the five runners – Bluesbreaker, Red Avenger and Tribal Path.

Red Avenger has accounted for three of the aforementioned seven victories and English feels he is back to himself after two lacklustre performances on his last two visits to the track.

"Red Avenger is back bouncing and he seems to be in the form of his life," English said. "Don't read anything into his last run as he scoped dirty and was not right at all. I think I have him back now and I think he's got a great chance."

English added: "I would have loved to have got a run into Tribal Path before now but he pulled a shoe and had a stone bruise when he was supposed to run. He is as fit as I can have him but I am just a little bit worried that he might come on for the run.

"Bluesbreaker is a big horse who ran over five furlongs last time and is stepping up to a mile now. This will tell us where we are with him."

Standing in the way of English's trio is the unbeaten Another Story, who has won both her starts at Dundalk and looks as though she could be above-average from what we have seen so far. Trainer Sheila Lavery is certainly hopeful of another bold showing.

"I think she is in a very good place at the moment," she said. "She shows us an awful lot at home so it was not a huge surprise to me that she won both of her starts. What did surprise me was how professional she looked. Fingers crossed she will continue to progress. I couldn't be any happier with her."

The quintet is completed by the Michael Grassick-trained Texas Rock who, like Another Story, is also chasing a hat-trick having won a pair of Curragh handicaps in September and October.