Irish racing tips for Sunday: Johnny Ward's best bets

Jump The Shark's improved form for the yard when scoring at Downpatrick on Friday was put down to the nicer ground, and these conditions will also be a massive help here to Encanto Bruno who was so impressive when winning at Cheltenham in October. 

He was smart for John McConnell and still has lots of potential, so expect him to bounce back here.

It was hard not to be taken by how Enda Bolger talked about Solitary Man's chasing credentials last season, and his love of nice ground.

The selection also has a remarkably good record at Killarney and that, as well as his reliability, means he looks a good thing here, in my opinion.

A son of Churchill (Sprewell) won this race last year and at 14-1, Taraj is worth chancing. He bolted up in a back-end maiden at Dundalk in November, relishing the all-weather, and I reckon the heatwave this week will be very much in his favour. 

"He's a lovely horse and we always thought a lot of him," said Chris Hayes after his Dundalk win and, with the stable's three-year-olds looking quite classy, he is very interesting in such a small field.

I wonder...might this horse have Galway Hurdle credentials, like last year's winner (Zarak The Brave) who was also a four-year-old trained by Willie Mullins? 

He's entitled to a hurdles rating. He's rated 89 on the Flat, and he's a fascinating runner on his first start on the level since beating Beechwood (ran a blinder recently off a rating of 90) on his final outing for William O'Meara.

Given he beat Taraj when second on debut at the Curragh, I need to make little case. Moreover, the way he raced that day over a mile, he is surely crying out for this trip now as a three-year-old. 

A really expensive yearling by Justify, he is surely going to rattle off this ground, and it's worth noting all his grand entries. He's been really solid so far in maidens, and is the one to side with here.

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