Flying Column

(This is a short story I wrote that won first prize in a local radio competition, it was recorded by an actor and read out live on air)

Flying Column

Written by
Stephen Dwyer



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Prologue

Many people associate the term “flying column” with the hit-and-run IRA guerrilla units of the Irish War of Independence. These units, first instigated in 1919 consisted of up to 35 local men, usually serving for a week at a time. The columns travelled light, with the minimum of equipment and carried out ambushes on British forces to often devastating effect.

Such was the impact and casualty rate of the flying columns that the British Government introduced a mercenary or “Auxiliary” division to the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC), the police force responsible for law and order in Ireland at that time. The purpose of this force was to participate in counter-insurgency campaigns; the popularity of the division was enormous that it led to a shortage of uniforms so new recruits were issued with khaki Army trousers and dark green or blue police surplus tunics .This mixture of colours was similar those of a famous pack of foxhounds in Limerick called the “Black and Tans” and the name stuck, even when the auxiliaries were issued full RIC uniforms.

The resultant battles between the Auxiliaries and flying columns caused many tragedies on both sides. At its peak, the Auxiliary division of the RIC contained 9,500 members; the true number of men who served in the flying columns is unknown. The disruption caused by the flying columns greatly hindered the sustainability of British rule in Ireland and galvanised support at local level, eventually resulting in a truce in 1921.

A Republic was born and Ireland would be forever changed by the War for Independence.

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“You cannot conquer Ireland; you cannot extinguish the Irish passion for freedom. If our deed has not been sufficient to win freedom then our children will win it by a better deed”
- Padraig Pearse

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Séan and Liam Byrne were the only sons of Kate Flanagan and Liam Byrne, Kate’s parents had been famine emigrants who returned to Ireland in 1860 to ensure their daughter was born on Irish soil. Séan and Liam were born a year apart, Liam, the eldest and stronger of the two cared for his younger brother after their father died while still a young man. Of the two, Séan was more cerebral; he was much slighter than his elder brother and devoured all the books he could find. His love was Irish poetry, literature and native Legends and had a particular fondness for the transcendent beauty of Yeats learning several of his poems by heart.

A flying column was no place for Séan Byrne. No doubt he had a love for his land, pride in defending it and bravery beyond bounds, but a fighting ability within Séan was absent. He had never held a gun, never fought with so much as his brother when they were growing up; he seemed gentle and not the archetypical tough soldier.

Against the wishes of Liam, he had persuaded the officer commanding the local IRA unit that he wished to join the war for freedom and would fight and die for Ireland. Buoyed by the young man’s enthusiasm, Séan was accepted into the column and swore a simple oath over a folded, fraying Tricolour, the orange side facing a dusty farmhouse floor.

Two months had passed since Séan had taken the oath and now the two brothers lay in the countryside, side by side on damp grass, shadowed by a thick ash tree. They were waiting for a Lancia Armoured Car to chug down the laneway and stop at a makeshift roadblock. As it narrowed into a bottleneck, railway sleepers blocked the laneway; these were earlier positioned by several of the other volunteers who now lay in wait on higher ground. It was an early evening in spring; the sun was setting lazily behind a nearby hill, Woodpigeons could be heard cooing overhead, they were accompanied by the beautiful chirping of little finches. There was simple stillness in the air, dew was settling and diffusing on the volunteers bolt-action Lee Enfield rifles. Abruptly, breaking the bird’s evening vespers, a heavy splutter of the oncoming armoured car could be clearly heard, its reinforced wheels trundled down the lane quicker than anyone expected.

A muffle of British voices, quieter at first became louder now as they noticed the sleepers blocking their path, there was no room to turn the vehicle, the driver braked hard and the car started to grind to a halt, sending dust billowing up behind it. As it passed the two brothers; Liam unpinned the detonator on a percussion grenade that dangled from his Sam Browne belt and threw it behind the car. Seconds later a deafening explosion ripped through the air, sending sodden earth and gravel in a blast wave. The car swayed and three Auxiliaries bounded from the back hatch, as they ran for cover the volunteers in the higher position primed and pointed their weapons and prepared to fire “Surrender” they cried at the British forces, “Surrender and lay down your arms” . Taking no need, the Black and Tans opened fire and the machine gunner aboard the Lancia sprayed the hedgerows with lethal covering fire. Liam and Séan fired at the troops, who were sprinting for cover, before they reached the ditch; they were hit from above and dropped to the ground. Liam flung another grenade at the car, it landed by the engine and exploded in a ball of flames, the fuel tank aboard exploding, killing the driver and gunner. The ambush was over in under a minute and five auxiliaries lay dead. The brothers collected any salvageable weapons from the British soldiers and started to march towards the nearest safe house.

At supper in the safe house, Séan explained to his fellow troops how “Guerrilla” means “little war” in Spanish; they understood it is the method by which small groups of soldiers raid and ambush larger forces. What they did now know was that it has been used for centuries, the Boers used flying columns to great effect against the British Empire in 1900, they disrupted supplies and command posts viciously and swiftly, then withdrew and vanished into the surrounding countryside. Liam was proud of Séans knowledge and it even drew a coy smile from the youngest daughter of the woman of the house, this did not go unnoticed and a healthy banter ensued. Guerrilla tactics were now employed on a widespread scale by the Irish Volunteers against the black and tans, many of who were World War 1 veterans. Far from the poppies of Flanders field, the tans were stationed now in RIC barracks, one such garrison was the next target of the flying column that included Séan and Liam Byrne.

The assault on the barracks was carefully planned, it was five weeks after the last raid and it was understood that a large consignment of weapons and ammunition lay in the strong room within. Twenty volunteers were apportioned to the task of storming the barracks and acquiring its contents. Dusk was falling; the walls of the barracks were throwing long dark shadows onto the ground. A former famine workhouse, it seemed ethereal. There were rumours heard from housekeepers who worked within the fortress of unexplained noises at night, whispers and noises from still corridors and locked rooms. An unpleasant place for an unwelcome force they called it, tonight it would be razed to the ground, purging whatever malcontent spirits lay within.
Liam Byrne had acquired a 75mm French field gun which had been raided from a stockade near the Curragh camp; the cannon and several high explosive shells was now hidden behind a deep gorse bush and aimed straight at the heavy oak double door of the barracks. Small groups of volunteers had positioned themselves in strategic positions around the building, spread out like the end points of a compass, awaiting the order. From the inside information that had been gleaned from the local housekeepers who worked within, up to thirty RIC soldiers were garrisoned within at any one time.

Liam blew hard on a whistle which signalled the start of the attack, he fired the field gun and a huge explosion of oak splinters, beams and bolts fragmented all around, another shell was directed at the door and with a great crash, the supporting wall collapsed. Covering fire from a Vickers machine gun was directed at the pillbox which housed a similar weapon at the top of the barracks wall. Several members of the flying column poured into the gaping hole and into the barrack. Led by Séan they carefully made their way into the heart of the barracks towards the strong room, they were met with little resistance, all auxiliary forces were rushing into defensive positions atop the barracks, the diversionary tactics were working and the strong room loomed ahead. Two sentries posted near the arsenal were immediately subdued by the larger force; they were knocked unconscious from blows of long IRA rifles. Inside, the weapons cache was substantial, easily a hundred rifles, thousands of rounds of ammunition, incendiary grenades and gun cleaning equipment, a vital resource for the flighty flying columns.

With the building secure and over a dozen black and tans fatally wounded, Séan ran back out the front of the barracks toward the gorse bush to Liam. Heavy canvas bags lay behind him which would be used to store the weapons. Picking up an armful each, the brothers started to move back into the barracks. Séan eagerly moved some yards ahead of his brother, as he turned back to check how far Liam was behind him, he noticed a movement in the furze bush near the cannon, he saw a familiar khaki colour near the field gun and cried out to Liam, he raised his pistol to fire. Panicking, and blindly letting lose a volley of shots Séan, still firing his handgun was thrown off his feet by the blast as the cannon fired, it was off target and missed by some twenty yards.

Some long seconds later and through ringing ears and a bloodied face, he peered up from the ground; he crawled towards Liam who he noticed was also lying prone on the earth. Behind him, several of the volunteers were walking out of the barracks, carrying freshly minted British rifles. When Séan crouched over Liam, he saw a single dark spot in his chest, unmistakably made by the pistol which was still clutched tight in Séans right hand. As Blood collected underneath his dirty uniform, kneading his knees into the ground he looked through tears into the lifeless eyes of his brother and understood what he had done.

Harbinger to take Ormonde Stakes

Harbinger to take Ormonde Stakes

The £75,000 Group 3 Boodles Diamond Ormonde Stakes is the highlight of today’s competitive Chester card. In the race, Sir Michael Stoutes Harbinger will be looking for his second win of this seasons campaign following an impressive display last time out at Newbury. He won the Group 3 John Porter Stakes that day. That race panned out perfectly, he made steady headway through the large field of runners and led from a furlong out when he ran on strongly for Ryan Moore. He went on to win by a margin of three lengths and the imposing son of Champion Sire Dansli will be very hard to beat today despite a three pound penalty for his last run.

Chester is the both the oldest and smallest racecourse in Britain, it is a natural amphitheatre and not every horse takes to its tight brandy bowl shape. Known also as “the Roodee” course form at Chester is important. Harbinger has won at Chester before, a year ago he won his maiden at the track over 1 mile 2 furlongs. He was 6/4 favourite that day and scored by three lengths from Aidan O’ Brien’s Changingoftheguard who subsequently went on to win the Ulster Derby.

Harbinger heads a field of six today in the Boodles Diamond Ormonde Stakes, the two main dangers are Age Of Aquarius and Munsef. However both go into the race without the benefit of a run this season. Munsef, trained by Ian Williams is a previous course and distance winner and also won at the course over a shorter 1 mile 2 furlongs. Now a veteran at eight, he was last seen out in England 240 days ago but has since ran was in Australia where he finished down the pack at the Melbourne Cup. His owner, Kuwaiti-born Dr Marwan Koukash expects a good run from Munsef, a horse with a chequered background. He was a two-time cast-off and is currently trained by a stable still in its infancy, he is also owned by a man who who until two years ago had never had a racehorse and who fully expects a fairytale run today.

Harbinger, the chief protagonist was bought for 180,000 guineas, he is a half-brother to Penang Cinta, a multiple 7-12 furlong winner . His dam, Penang Pearl is a dual 1 mile-9 furlong winner so there is no question marks over today’s extended trip of 1 mile 5 furlongs.

He did disappoint connections last summer when sent off the well backed favourite for the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York. He finished last of the seven runners that day, eased down and beaten 27 lengths. Trainer Sir Michael Stoute still admits to being mystified about that run but now that he has matured into an impressive four year old who is the improving type, he will take all the beating today.

Age Of Aquarius and Harbinger were meant to clash in last year’s St. Leger. This failed to materialise however and it will be interesting to see how O’ Briens colt has matured over the winter. At current rating, the Age Of Aquarius is rated at 117, one ahead of Harbinger.

Aidan O’ Briens runners first time out this season have a poor strike rate, fancied runners Mikhail Glinka (11/10 favourite in the Ballysax stakes) Devoted To You (2/1 favourite in The Lodge Park Stakes), Fame And Glory (2/5 favourite, in a listed race at the Curragh) and of course lest we forget the 2000 Guineas even money favourite, St Nicholas Abbey were all beaten first time out. Classier colts than Age Of Aquarius were, it has to be said, beaten convincingly.

Age Of Aquarius, a Galileo colt may, like Munsef will most likely improve for the run but is vulnerable today. There is no doubt Age Of Aquarius is a high class horse, second last time out in Longchamp in the Group 1 Juddmonte Grand Prix De Paris, he may suffer from the long layoff but he may go close.

Harbinger is highly thought of, he may indeed be better than a Group 3 horse and should he win today do not rule out a tilt at the Coronation Cup. He has a bright, positive attitude and is a good galloper, on the ground, over the trip, against the opposition he faces, today should be a pedestal onto better things.

I fully expect him not to be beaten.

St Nicholas Abbey

St Nicholas Abbey

In 1627, the British Navy colonised the Caribbean island of Barbados. At the time, most dwelling houses on the island consisted of locally-felled timber; this was not the case for the magnificent three-storey sugar plantation mansion belonging to George Nicholas. The house was made from bricks and limestone, a mahogany tree-lined avenue led up to its doors and its expansive gardens offered peace and a haven from busy island life. It was from this spiritual essence that the mansion was called “St Nicholas Abbey”.

At the Tattersalls October Yearling Book 1 Sale in 2008, a bay yearling colt was bought by Demi O’ Byrne on behalf of John Magnier. Sold on behalf of Oaks Farm Stables, the yearling was out of Montjeu and Leaping Water. Magnier named the colt St Nicholas Abbey, he is currently trained by Aidan O’ Brien and remains unbeaten after three starts. He holds the mantle of stable star at Ballydoyle and is a very short-priced favourite for both the 2000 Guineas and the Epsom Derby. St Nicholas Abbey was also last season’s champion two year old. He won his maiden in impressive style over a mile at the Curragh by a widening four lengths. Quickly stepped up to Group 2 Company, he then took the Juddmonte Beresford Stakes over a mile again at the Curragh, staying on gamely in the finish at cramped odds of 2/5f.

O’Brien then upped the colt in class again, this time to Group 1 Company where he contested the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster. As many punters know, this race is a proving ground for Derby winners with three of the last eight winners, Authorized, Motivator and High Chaparral, all subsequently winning the Derby. In the Racing Post Trophy, the colt was given a very confident ride by Johnny Murtagh, he was stone last two furlongs from home but sluiced through gaps in the field and was already in front a furlong out. He went on to win in effortless style, the race simply settled in a matter of astonishingly quick strides. He did in fact run the two furlongs in around 22 seconds; this was an exceptional time on ground that was officially Good to Soft. He was a very popular winner on the day, backed into 13/8 favourite from an opening show of 2/1; indeed these may well be the largest odds he can be backed at in his career.

Following his electric display at Doncaster, the horse was then put away for the winter, three races in three months, August, September, October, a maiden, Group 2, Group 1. Job done.

At a recent stable tour of Ballydole, Aidan O’ Brien was quick to praise St Nicholas Abbey noting “he has an excellent temperament and has always been incredibly natural in everything he does”. O’ Brien may have 150 horses in training at his world-class Rosegreen facility but none have wintered as well as the 3 year old colt who he has noted “matured in all the right places”. Opinions about the colt were widely unanimous with the British Horseracing Authority handicapper Matthew Tester describing St Nicholas Abbey as "a really significant champion".

The colt is also the first Racing Post Trophy winner to top the handicap classifications since Celtic Swing in 1994; Tester awarded St Nicholas Abbey a rating of 124. It may also be worth noting that this rating is greater than that of previous winners of the race, Authorized, Motivator and High Chaparral, all of whom went on to win the Derby, all who were in the 116-117 bracket.

St Nicholas Abbey is by Montjeu who has an exceptional strike rate with middle-distance runners. Leaping Water; the dam of St Nicholas Abbey was unraced, in 1993 she was sold for 3,200 guineas at the Tattersalls July Sale. Leaping Water was by Sure Blade who won a QEII over a mile. St Nicholas Abbey’s granddam Flamenco Wave was a top class two year old, winning the Moyglare Stakes for John Oxx. She has been a major success at stud, becoming dam of Group 1 winners Starborough (by Soviet Star), Aristotle (Sadler’s Wells) and Ballingarry (Sadler’s Wells).

If you are searching for a negative, there is one, concerning of all things, his foaling date. If St Nicholas Abbey (born on April 13, 2007) were to win at Newmarket on May 1st, he would become the latest-foaled winner of the 2000 guineas since Lester Piggott aboard Rodrigo de Triano in 1992. There are of course, exceptions to every rule and St Nicholas has the speed, stamina and ability to buck most trends.
As was much publicised, last year, Sea The Stars became the first horse since Nashwan in 1989 to complete the Guineas-Derby double. St Nicholas Abbey has already surpassed what Sea The Stars achieved at two, he has huge talent and potential and a blistering turn of foot. The positives are topped up by reports from Ballydoyle that he is working very well at home.

There is no question that Aidan O’Brien and his team will have him primed for May 1st at Newmarket when the first leg of that double should be achieved.

Then we will talk about a Triple Crown.

Recommendations:

2 pts win for 2000 Guineas @ 7/4
2 pts win for Epson Derby @ 2/1
1 pt win double for 2000 Guineas and Epsom Derby @ 15/2

Cheltenham Highlights

Dunguib defeat starts bookies’ bonanza


Dunguib is, as you may know by now, named after a townsland in the Parish of Killenaule, Co. Tipperary. (Cooldine is named after a different townsland in Killenaule but that’s a story for another time.) Dunguib of course, was the leading Irish hope for the Cheltenham Festival and his 1¾-length defeat in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the hands of Menorah and Get Me Out Of Here was the first blow in a week long bloodbath for favourite backers. Such was the one-sided nature of the results in favour of the bookies that William Hill estimated that a profit of €65 million was made across the Festival. This was aided by the fact there were just four winning favourites from 26 races, a ratio of just 15%, low even for Cheltenham.

In the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle alone, Paddy Power cleared €5 million when Dunguib finished third. That’s enough for a brand new shamrock-green, 8-seater Lear Jet with enough change left over to staff and run it for two years. Much was made of the defeat of Dunguib, but there was no real mystery. The simple facts are that he ran on ground that was not ideal, he was far from fluent at the third hurdle, then he hit the fifth hard and ran wide. He was under pressure up the hill and was beaten by two good horses in a cut-throat championship race. This happens, time and time again, and his starting price of 4/5 was far too short given his jumping. It was Plato who said “A good decision is based on knowledge and not on numbers.” Paddy Power put this into practice.

Dunguib will now head for Punchestown, he may be a price on the day and he is very capable of beating the best novices and senior hurdlers around. Brian O’Connell will keep the ride at Punchestown, the right choice. Philip Fenton insists, O’Connell, still only 23, does not have to make amends for anything that happened in Cheltenham. Any Dunguib doubters may well be silenced after either the Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle or the Rabobank Champion Hurdle when the hills around Killenaule will be smiling.

Paddy makes his own parade

6,000 scarves is a lot of scarves. That’s how many Kauto Star- and Denman-themed neck warmers were sold in the run up to the Gold Cup according to Rebecca Morgan, commercial and operations manager at Cheltenham. Never mind the 6,000, there were six other scarves worn on Gold Cup Day, black and white ones adorning the six strong syndicate, Our Friends In The North, in the colours of Imperial Commander.

Our Friends In The North trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies and jockey Paddy Brennan paid no heed to the marketing spin that had been accelerating since Christmas, the blue riband duel, the showdown between Kauto and Denman. The rematch between the former Gold Cup winners, the hype, it really didn’t matter, Twiston-Davies said his lad was “a ball of muscle” and he could not have prepared him any better. Should more attention have been paid to this comment, made by a man who has trained over 1000 National Hunt winners and two Grand Nationals?

Our Friends In The North, like many syndicate owners, have their own setbacks, theirs was in 2004 with the death of useful hurdler Bobby Dazzler following a training yard accident where he slipped and broke his pelvis. They used Bobby Dazzler’s insurance money to acquire Imperial Commander who was bought for £30,000 in 2005. The horse soon became a Cheltenham specialist, winning four chases from five at the track – beaten only when trying to win his third race in two months before subsequently being laid off for a year with a back injury. His first race back was the Paddy Power Gold Cup, which he duly won; he then beat odds-on favourite Voy Por Ustedes to win the Ryanair Chase at last year’s Festival.

This season, Imperial Commander’s battling run in the Betfair Chase last November, where he went down by a nose to Kauto Star, was followed up by a sixth place in the King George where Kauto, at his brilliant best, beat him by a total of over 63 lengths. He hit the second fence badly that day so could possibly be excused. With this run behind him, he was a general 8/1 chance for the Gold Cup, largely considered an each-way chance. Paddy Brennan said the day before the race that he “wouldn’t ride anything else”. John Francome presented a television feature where he cantered on Imperial Commander and was highly impressed by the horse’s tone and balance, describing him as “half-way between Kauto Star and Denman”. Francome was getting the best of both worlds, the brute galloping style of Denman and the poise and precision of Kauto. Not a bad combination.

Imperial Commander looked relaxed and confident in the pre-parade ring. When the tape went up he settled well early behind Carruthers and Denman. He jumped fluidly and following Kauto Star’s exit four out, he went into second and led two out, from where he powered up the hill, away from Denman and a hard-at-work Tony McCoy.

Winning in the end by a widening seven lengths, Paddy Brennan passed the winning post and turned to the Grandstand, putting one finger up to his lips, Arshavin-like, in a silencing motion as he trotted to the winner’s enclosure, a new champion. Imperial Commander was awarded a Timeform rating of 184, the fifth highest of all time, and Brennan, when asked about his silencing gesture, responded: “I put the quiet sign up because he was probably a little bit forgotten coming into the race.”

Now he will be remembered.

Neptune

14:05 Neptune Investment Management Novices Hurdle- 2 miles 5 furlongs
Prize Money £100,000
Preview:
Previously known as the Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle and the Ballymore Properties Hurdle, the Neptune Investments Novices Hurdle is a Grade 1 hurdle run over two miles and five furlongs. It is open to novices aged four years old and upwards. Past winners have included, Danoli, Monsignor, Mikael D'Haguenet in 2009 as well as future Champion Hurdle winners Hardy Eustace and the mighty Istabraq.

Being a novice event, the race favours 6 year olds; in fact just 1 winner from over 100 runners since 1974 was aged older than 6 and 7 out of the last 10 winners were 6 years of age. The current favourite for the race is the Dermot Weld-trained Rite Of Passage. Certainly at face value, the son of Giant's Causeway is indeed a worthy one, he was an almost unbackable 5-2 favourite when third in last year’s Champion Bumper to Dunguib.

This season, Rite of Passage proved his ability when slamming the useful Donnas Palm by 8 lengths in the November Handicap and then beat the useful (and subsequent winner) Grey Soldier in a 2 miles maiden hurdle in January by 3 lengths (it was a significant 14 lengths back to the third horse). He also beat Healys Bar as he liked over 2 miles 4 furlongs on soft ground in Punchestown in February, the result of which trimmed his odds for the Neptune Hurdle again.

Willie Mullins who saddled the 2008 and 2009 winners of this race has entered the French-bred Quel Esprit. This gelding was Mullins chief bumper horse last year and was 2 lengths behind Rite of Passage in the Champion Bumper. He quickly won a bumper last April before winning two hurdle races over 2 miles 4 furlongs and 3 miles respectively. Although he was beaten ½ a length at odds of 3/10 in a grade 2 hurdle in January at Leopardstown, any cut in the ground will suit him and this Mullins horse cannot be ignored.

The Irish-Bred Finian’s Rainbow who is trained by Nicky Henderson represents the strongest English challenge; he won his bumper by 6 lengths and his maiden hurdle by 15. He was third to Reve de Sivola the Grade 1 Challow Novices Hurdle in Newbury in December and has since been put away for this race. Interestingly, Reve de Sivola, who was sixth in last years Triumph Hurdle is a bigger price for the race than Finian’s Rainbow (12/1 versus 10/1)

Rite of Passage, at current odds of 7-2, is on the short side for the race but favourites have been successful in 13 of the 37 runnings (a strike rate of 35%) and the horse has talent in abundance and should take all the beating. He ticks all the right boxes, he is a 6 year old, progressive; he jumps smartly from what we have seen of his one start over hurdles and he has swerved the Supreme Novices hurdle in favour of this race, whether that is to avoid Dunguib or to run over the longer distance remains to be seen but he is tipped to be the fourth successful Irish winner in this race over the past five years.

Race facts
• 22 of the last 24 winners started in the first 6 in the betting.
• Ruby Walsh has taken two race wins during the past five years
• 25 of the last 26 winners won or came 2nd on their most recent start.
• Over 80% of recent winners finished placed in their last event prior to contesting this race
Tip: Rite of Passage

My selections for Cheltenham

Premier County set for Premier Victory

In what is a very competitive €40,000 Grade 2 Michael Purcell Novice Hurdle over 2 miles 4 furlongs today at Thurles, the 140-rated mare Premier Victory looks to follow up an 11 length success at Cork against a useful field of 7. With a tongue tie installed today, she has won 5 races thus far and is a current 20/1 chance for Cheltenham in the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle on Gold Cup day.

The versatile mare (pictured above), trained by Tom Hogan and ridden by John Cullen will start around the 5/2 mark for todays race and although she steps up in class the ground and trip are sure to suit and she looks well weighted. A winner over 3 miles in Cork and 2 miles in Down Royal in a Mares Novice Hurdle, she is improving and should account for the challenges of Western Leader andQuadrillon.

Shark Hanlons Western Leader, a stylish bumper performer last season won a maiden hurdle by a short head in December when strongly pressed by Acapulco (an odds-on winner since, beating The Book Thief). The distance will suit and the 6 year old Gelding by Stowaway will make it a race of it for Premier Victory.

Quadrillon commenced the season with a facile maiden hurdle win over 2 miles 4 furlongs at odds of 1/3 in Cork last November. This success was at the same meeting that Premier Victory scored by 11 lengths over 3 miles. He has raced twice since, finishing well down the field at Limerick over 2 miles 3 furlong when 7/4 favourite and beaten third of five in Clonmel over 2 miles 6 furlongs two weeks ago.

Nenagh-based Tom Hogan, trainer of former stars Kalderon and Silver Jaro will have Premier Victory primed today and it would come as no surprise of she was to run out an easy winner on the soft turf of Thurles at around 2pm this afternoon.