'Plenty of reasons to be confident' - Irish representation at Warwick and Abu Dhabi on Saturday The rain is causing issues across Britain and Ireland this weekend and it’s hard to be sure of how much racing we’re going to get on Saturday and Sunday. Warwick’s card appears to be the safest of the lot and they’re offering up seven races on Saturday, one of which is the Grade 2 Jane Seymour Mares' Novices' Hurdle. Emmet Mullins is sending a runner over, for the first time, and on the other side of the world, Donnacha O’Brien and Johnny Murtagh send a runner apiece to Abu Dhabi. We’re going to take a closer look at all three runners and assess their chances of bringing home the first-place prize. Good Girl Kathleen - Warwick 3.00 @ 11/2 The handicapper believes that Emmet Mullins’ Good Girl Kathleen is the best horse in the race at Warwick, having been handed a mark of 133 The Irish raider carries a 5lb penalty following her impressive victory in a Grade 3 novice hurdle at Cork in December, where she saw the three-mile trip out well to score by just over eight lengths. There’s going to be a big emphasis on stamina and that will play to her strengths. Further progress can’t be ruled out and she probably doesn’t need to find much in order to come out on top. It’s also very interesting that Donagh Meyler heads over to take the ride, making it unlikely that they’re heading over just for a day out. Comanche Brave - Abu Dhabi 4.00 Chicago Critic - Abu Dhabi 4.00 Donnacha O’Brien is sending Comanche Brave over to Abu Dhabi for the Listed Abu Dhabi Gold Cup and there’s some very good prize money on offer. Ryan Moore takes the ride, which is never a bad thing, and there are plenty of reasons to be confident. Beginning the last campaign in a Classic trial at Leopardstown, subsequent French 2,000 Guineas winner Henri Matisse was the winner that day and Comanche Brave wasn’t too far away when taking second place, finishing three-quarters-of-a-length behind him. O’Brien’s colt also finished third in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot and returned to winning ways at Naas after that. He kept on well to finish third in the Group 2 Solonaway Stakes when last seen and should be capable of making his presence felt. Johnny Murtagh’s Chicago Critic has been on the go in Meydan over the winter and he was a short head away from winning the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort last time out. He took up the lead with a furlong or so to go and was just collared in the closing stages. He won a Listed contest over this trip at Leopardstown in May and wasn’t disgraced when third in a Group 3 back in August. The five-year-old has some solid form to his name but he might find one or two too good in Abu Dhabi.
