William Hill Each Way Extra Challenge Series: 'The mare could excel in this discipline' There is a double helping of Irish racing action on Sunday, with action on the Flat at Naas joined by the National Hunt card from Cork. It's an eight-race offering at the Mallow venue, with action from 1:10-5:12 and here we're focusing on the William Hill Each Way Extra Challenge Series Rated Novice Chase (4.02) over 2m1f140yds with a couple of selections worth looking out for. NAP: Rockstown Girl Next Best: Chosen Shant Kazakh D'arthel has questions to answer Just four runners declared for this event and it's plausible that Gavin Cromwell's Kazakh D'arthel will be heading the betting. The youngest of the quartet, there are real reasons to be wary of his jumping at this point. He faced some difficult tests over fences last season, but it can't be escaped from that he had two falls and an unseat in just five runs. He also unseated his rider over hurdles at Galway last month on his comeback from a lay-off, though he did run well since in fourth in a handicap hurdle off a mark of 108 at Navan. He will have to improve on his ability to get from A-to-B safely and, on that reasoning, is opposed. Rockstown Girl to step up ROCKSTOWN GIRL also unseated on her only start over fences at Wexford in May but she can be forgiven. Anthony McCann's mare was staring down the barrel that afternoon, facing the Henry De Bromhead-trained pair Aspire Tower (first) and Foxy Gal (third). There's nothing of their ilk, ratings-wise, to be fearful of now. Good enough to be sent to a Grade 2 novice over hurdles at Cheltenham in November last year - and going well when she exited - the mare could yet excel in this discipline. She is a bumper and hurdles winner already and might not find a more presentable opportunity to complete the set than this one. She had a pipe-opener at Navan over hurdles last month more than three months off and finished fourth of 16 and can make the transition to fencing now. Don't dismiss Chosen Shant The other mare in the mix is CHOSEN SHANT for trainer Aengus King. She went 24 starts over hurdles without success for her previous handlers, but has found some form with this trainer, winning twice at Wexford over the summer months, latterly off a mark of 100. King's charge has thrown in a couple of lesser efforts since, both on softer ground, and the forecast good ground here will be a help to her. She has only had a couple of previous attempts over fences and if she can transfer the improved form shown over hurdles in her brief spell with this trainer, she could be in the mix. The line-up is completed by Shane Crawley's Royal Time, a six-year-old who has lost his way over hurdles and will require a leap of faith to see him involved in the shake-up here. William Hill Betting Offer
