Jezki and Limini set for battle in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle
JEZKI heads eight contenders for Saturday's Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park.
Winner of the 2014 Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, Jessica Harrington's charge returned from an absence of more than 20 months to win at Navan in January.
Harrington, who won the race with Macs Joy in 2006, has also entered Ttebbob in the 45,000 euro event, edwhile Gordon Elliott has two possibles in Sutton Place, winner of the Grade Three Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas two weeks ago, and Tombstone, who was third behind Jezki last time.
Willie Mullins looks set to rely on Limini, winner of the Grade Two Trull House Stud Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham last March.
She subsequently finished third in a Grade One at Aintree before claiming second at the highest level at Punchestown, but has been off the track since then.
Owner Rich Ricci is eager to see the six-year-old return to action and thinks her Aintree form in particular has worked out very well.
He told his RTE blog: "Limini was a big talking horse this time last year and justified that reputation with a win at Cheltenham. She has taken a while to come to hand this season, not dissimilar to last year, but is right back to herself now and seems a lot stronger than last year.
"She seemed to get a bit weak as the season went on last year and we were initially disappointed with her defeat at Aintree. But with the benefit of hindsight it was Buveur D'Air and Petit Mouchoir that finished in front of her that day so there's quite a bit of delayed solace in that form!
"She seems to have grown up over the summer and autumn, so it's going to be great to see her back on the track."
Colin Kidd has entered Rashaan, who accounted for both Apple's Jade and Petit Mouchoir when taking the WKD Hurdle at Down Royal in November, while the Ronnie O'Leary-trained Rory O'Moore and Adrian Joyce's Rock On Rosie complete the entries.
Elliott is responsible for four of the seven entries for the Grade Two Red Mills Chase with Ball D'Arc, who won the Dan Moore Memorial Chase last time, heading the contenders.
Clarcam, Realt Mor and Roi Des Francs could also represent the trainer who is chasing a second win in the race following Chicago Grey's triumph in 2013.
Mullins has entered Ballycasey, with Jimmy Mangan's Monty's Meadow and the Mouse Morris-trained Mozoltov the other possibles.
