The sight of the All Ireland SFC and SHC winding to a close also means that the National Hunt season is about to get ratcheted up a considerable rate of knots. With that in mind, The Guvnor will attempt to put an injury plagued end to last season behind him and get this term’s show on the road by trying to pick a few winners for you at the opening day of Listowel’s Harvest Festival...

The opening Maiden Hurdle has a competitive enough look to it. Cecil Ross sends out Ben Of Fore, second on his last outing at Bellewstown while Paul Nolan’s Sirius Bay looks to be on the upgrade and Noel Meade’s Fully Funded has also shown modicums of ability on his only two stars for the Co Meath trainer thus far.

Meade is double handed in the Beginner’s Chase at 4.35 with Rahan De Marcigny and Accord Aris. The latter had the better form of the two over the smaller obstacles and may have the better chance here too.

Elsewhere, Jessica Harrington’s Alpine Eagle is an admirably consistent sort and should claim the 3.05 while it could pay to stick with the ultra consistently effective Tony Martin/Ruby Walsh axis who go to battle with High Importance in the 3.35. The gelding by Arch ran a blinder on his first start for his new handler at Dundalk recently while the same jockey/trainer combination could not be totally dismissed in the 5.10 either where they team up with the veteran Reisk Superman.

To conclude however, the advice would be to try the three below as we attempt to get the show on the road for another season:

SIRIUS BAY (2.30)
ALPINE EAGLE (3.05)
HIGH IMPORTANCE (3.35)


The Guvnor...