Three things to watch out for at Thurles as Willie Mullins targets Grade 3

Willie Mullins bidding for fourth win in Grade 3

Since Willie Mullins won the first running of the Grade 3 Michael Purcell Novice Hurdle (3.25) in 2004, Ireland's champion trainer has followed up with Cooldine (2008) and Tin Soldier (2017).

Mullins is well placed to secure win number four with strong stayer Five O'Clock and three-time winner Drury declared, with Paul Townend opting for the latter.

“Paul has sided with Drury but she's going to have to improve from a disappointing run at the Dublin Racing Festival last time,” Mullins said. “Five O'Clock’s a promising horse who was unsuited by the trip at Limerick last time. I think he's open to plenty of improvement as he steps up in distance now.”

Drury is the choice of Paul Townend in Thursday's Grade 3 highlight at ThurlesCredit: Alain Barr

There has only been one winning favourite of this race in the past ten runnings but the Mouse Morris-trained French Dynamite, likely to occupy a strong position in the market, is unbeaten in two runs at Thurles, most recently over the course and distance.

Joseph O’Brien also boasts a strong hand, with Assemble, Front View and Home By The Lee his three against the field, while Gordon Elliott runs Ferocious.

Salsify not the retiring kind says Sweeney

He may be 15 years old, but Salsify is not the retiring kind according to his trainer Rodger Sweeney, who is predicting a bold showing from his former dual Cheltenham Festival winner.

Salsify provided Sweeney with some of his greatest days as a trainer when winning back-to-back Foxhunter Chases at Cheltenham in 2012 and 2013 and, while his recent form is uninspiring, Sweeney says his stable star would not want to be doing anything else.

Salsify: still going strong at the age of 15Credit: Caroline Norris

He may be largely overlooked ahead of the Thurles Racecourse Hunters Chase (2.55), but Sweeney has warned against dismissing his evergreen veteran.

He said: "Salsify missed a bit of time down through the years with injury so he doesn't have a huge amount of miles on the clock. He's in right old form and he'll rattle away while he's fit and well. We will probably retire him at the end of the season as he owes us nothing and we won't knock him about.”

Sweeney added: “We'll let him tell us when he's had enough. He wasn't fit enough last time at Naas but I'm confident that he's come on a lot for that. He should run well but, it's funny, Thurles wouldn't be his favourite track in the world. We're hoping for the best with him.”

Politesse to go close for flying Fowler

Lorna Fowler has unearthed a couple of potentially smart fillies over the last number of weeks.

Following on from Lady Heath's taking bumper win at Down Royal last month, Fowler's Politesse ran a cracker to finish a staying-on second in the Grade 2 mares' bumper at Leopardstown last month.

Politesse will bid to go one better in the concluding bumper (4.55) under Tom Hamilton at Thurles.

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