Johnny Ward's top tips for Down Royal on Saturday

It’s a day to savour at Northern Ireland's main race-track, Down Royal, on Saturday. The crowd will relish it after a tough 18 months.

So will Gordon Elliott, whose decision to tell his jockeys they had to ride for him in the big races on Saturday was the subject of debate on our On The Wire podcast.

Click below to have a watch. It's a superb card. Be lucky.

This is a race that JP McManus runners thrive in, with Stocktons Wing, Janidil and Cayd Boy winning it in recent years. It is not always his apparent first string who obliges and one you could do worse than back at long odds here is Charli Parcs, who represents under-rated trainer Aidan Howard.

On his Scottish Champion Hurdle run in 2018, Charlie Parcs would probably win this and, if that might seem a long time ago, he has only had four runs since, including when winning easily on his Irish debut last year.

He shaped very well on the Flat on his return and might still have the class.

Gordon Elliott accepts stable recruits of all shapes and ages, including an 11-year-old who has not won since April 2019.

A dour stayer, he made a lovely debut for the stable sent hurdling at Limerick, and should be spot-on for this assignment off a lower chase mark. Few of these appeal, although stablemate Clondaw Street is an obvious danger.

The horse that was a remote third when this one won his point went really close next time and Gordon Elliott gave me this Mahler gelding as his dark horse for the season.

The trainer has won this race six times in a row, including with Death Duty, Malone Road and Sir Gerhard. Take the hint.