PHILIP Dempsey and Andy Slattery are among the trainers taking advantage of the dry weather, as their mares Sansrisk and Royal Hollow reoppose in the listed feature at Thurles, the Billy Harney Memorial Irish EBF Mares Novice Hurdle.

Dempsey’s Sansrisk landed a Grade 3 at Down Royal last month, with Slattery’s chesnut chasing her home, beaten three and a half lengths.

The winner disappointed next time out at Newbury, but her trainer told The Irish Field that she comes into Saturday’s race in good form. “We’d prefer if the ground stayed good,” Dempsey said.

“We probably would have given her a break, and she will get one after this race, but it made sense to run again while the ground is the way it is. She gives a nice bit of weight away this time, but she’s in good form.”

On her run at Newbury, the trainer commented: “For some reason she didn’t turn up, and everything seems good, so we’re just hoping she returns to form. The ground was a bit soft for her, but I was still disappointed.”

Pace horse

Slattery’s representative is also said to be in good form and her trainer believes the race will play to her strength. “I think the track should suit our one,” he said.

“She’s got a lot of pace and Thurles is more of a pace horse’s track than Down Royal.”

Royal Hollow has also run once since, finishing fourth against geldings in a Grade 3, beaten 14 lengths.

“I just thought she was just a little bit weak in the finish,” Slattery reflected.

“Maybe it’s because we just didn’t train her for that race, we just kind of went for it, you know? I hope she should be better than that.”

The Dermot McLoughlin-trained Amanha, who finished a length behind them that day, is among today’s rivals.