Monday, September 07, 2009
JOANNA MORGAN'S Livaleo can land the nap in the Rathronan Maiden Clonmel this evening, should the meeting pass an 8.30am inspection.
It has to be said he was disappointing at Leopardstown last time, on good ground, finishing a modest fifth behind Michael Halford's Shalambar. As a result, it is no surprise Morgan now fits her colt with cheekpieces.
What sways one towards the son of Galileo, however, is his previous performance at Roscommon.
On heavy ground, he gave Tommy Stack's hot-pot, Estephe, a real fright. The selection looked all over a winner entering the final furlong, but was grabbed late and beaten a head by his 4-9 rival.
Estephe performed with credit in a competitive handicap at Leopardstown on Saturday and the booking of the powerful Declan McDonogh now is a positive.
Pat Martin's Our Nana Rose, another mud-lark, gets the nod in the Demense Handicap. She came from off the pace when beaten a length and a half into second by well-backed Champion Boy at Fairyhouse and can confirm placings with Vivien Lee (rec.6lbs), who was a just a short head away in third.
Edward O'Grady's Armaramak might be up to defying top weight in the two mile September Handicap.
Again, he will handle the surface and was left on a mark of 82, after going down by three parts of a length to Fingers at Killarney last month.
Blindspin, not seen since chasing home Prunelle De L'Orme at Tippperary in May, is the choice in the Comeragh Maiden Hurdle.
He will go through the ground, but the fact Andrew Lee's charge doesn't run very often is an obvious concern.
The plus side, however, is that this is a very weak looking heat and the four-year-old will hardly get a better opportunity!
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