QUARRYVALE, trained by Jimmy Mangan and partnered by his son, Patrick, ran her rivals ragged in the Tote Placepot Races 1 To 6 Chase at Thurles yesterday.
DERMOT WELD, fresh from beating Thousand Stars with Unaccompanied at Leopardstown on Thursday, can saddle El Toreros to land the nap in the Festival Hospitality three year-old Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon.
THE more one looks at last Monday’s King George at Kempton, the more convinced you become that the Cheltenham Gold Cup is Long Run’s to lose.
THOSE of us who had pencilled in Mount Benbulben as a possible Cheltenham festival winner weren’t half left gasping for breath after he was beaten out of the gate by Boston Bob in a Grade 1 hurdle at Navan last Sunday.
THERE will surely never be a better illustration of the difference between Britain and Ireland the whip rules make than the Grade 1 JNwine.com Chase at Down Royal last Saturday.
TALKING to a number of trainers during the Listowel festival one had to be sympathetic to the plight in which many of them currently find themselves.
WHEN La Collina mugged Power in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh last month, here’s one who could not believe what he had just seen.
BETFAIR has long played a major part in Irish racing and there is little doubt is often a useful tool when it comes to winner finding.
REMEMBER a horse called Ballyronan Boy, who was nabbed by the Tipperary stewards in May of last year?
THE extent to which Ballydoyle has left all of the opposition in this country trailing miles behind in its wake was further emphasised by that 1-2-3 in Sunday’s Irish Derby at the Curragh.
WHEN So You Think suffered that defeat by Rewilding in the Prince Of Wales’ Stakes at Royal Ascot, Aidan O’Brien gave an extraordinary post-race interview to the BBC.
THE much-hyped Frankel made it a magnificent seven from seven in the St James’ Palace Stakes at Ascot on Tuesday, but this really was most disappointing.
RYAN MOORE didn’t half toss the toys out of the pram in the wake of Carlton House only managing third in last Saturday’s Epsom Derby.
BOOKMAKERS and punters were singing off the one hymn sheet after Fame And Glory had landed the Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown last Sunday.
I DID not enjoy the Curragh last Sunday one little bit and I’ll tell you why: noise, noise and more noise!
Charles Byrnes’ Scottish Boogie justified strong market support in a maiden hurdle at Killarney on Sunday.
WELL, at least that report released by the Strategic Marketing Group on Tuesday provides plenty of food for thought.
IT was the kind of result which makes bookmakers glad they took out a licence in the first place.
IT’S difficult enough to look beyond Kauto Star in what is a weakly contested Grade 1 Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown today.
ANYONE else sick to death of the waffle regarding the use of the whip by jockeys in Britain?
IS he the real deal, or the most over-hyped horse we have seen in a long time?
JONJO O’NEILL’S Synchronised, the Welsh Grand National winner, heads a 51-strong list of initial acceptors for the €250,000 Ladbrokes’ Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday.
THERE is no denying that the Grand National at Aintree a week ago represented a bad day for National Hunt racing.
SURELY a case of dropping what you are doing shortly before 4.15pm today, and tuning in to the greatest spectacle in racing, the Aintree Grand National.
YOU’D wonder if Aidan O’Brien stared wistfully at the winner’s enclosure after the first race at Leopardstown last Sunday, a maiden for three-year-old fillies?
THE Punchestown executive must be smacking their collective lips in expectation of a massive spin-off from Cheltenham for their forthcoming festival.
WHEN Kauto Star landed the Gold Cup two years ago he created history.
HERE’S a tip for Cheltenham — don’t bet. But, of course, such words of wisdom will be completely lost in the festival air — though there is the possibility they might be fleetingly recalled after the last race has been run next Friday.
EVERYONE in the racing industry, trainers, jockeys and owners: did you all enjoy your time off over the last few days?
NICKY HENDERSON must wake up most mornings and thank his lucky stars he had the foresight to appoint Barry Geraghty as his number one rider.
IF there was one horse to take out of Leopardstown last Saturday, with the future very much in mind, it was surely the Jessica Harrington-trained Oscars Well.
IT’S been a dreadful National Hunt season and, quite frankly, we will lose little sleep when it finally finishes.
WILLIE MULLINS is a phenomenon. That five-timer at Punchestown last Sunday, from just six races, was a remarkable feat and emphasised that, at least in this country, he operates on a different level to all other trainers.
IRISH racing may have its share of problems at the moment, but one of the more positive stories has to be the growing success of Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud.
LESS than a year ago, prior to Cheltenham, Paul Nicholls was in Cork for a Festival preview night at Fermoy.
IT’S HARDLY an exaggeration to say that Leopardstown and Punchestown produced their share of controversy last weekend.
THE collapse of Celtic Bookmakers on Tuesday came as no great surprise, with rumours circulating for a long time that here was a company which was in big trouble.
THE three days at Leopardstown this week almost renewed one’s faith in this great game of ours.
THE conclusion to be drawn - following yesterday’s paddypower.com IPhone December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown - is that whatever beats Hurricane Fly at Cheltenham will win the Champion Hurdle.
YOU’D imagine there will be no turkey for Aidan O’Brien this Christmas, following that ‘hefty’ fine handed down to him by the British Horseracing Authority on Wednesday.
JUST about everyone was shocked when the attendance figures for Fairyhouse on Wednesday were revealed.
TOMORROW week we will know if Tony McCoy has become the first racing winner of the BBC’s Sports Personality Of The Year award.
DENMAN has been left at the head of the weights and is one of 34 remaining entries for the Hennessy Gold Cup on Saturday week.
JOHNNY MURTAGH didn’t half light up a dull and sleepy last Monday when announcing his resignation from Ballydoyle-Coolmore.
HAVE a glance at this e-mail that I, along with many others, received from William Hill some days ago.
I KNOW, I know they made all the right noises, but deep down it must really drive them daft.
THE performances of Roderic O’Connor and Glor Na Mara, in last Saturday’s Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, showed that the Irish juveniles are at least on a par with their English counterparts, with the exception of Frankel.
ADRIAN MAGUIRE’S Anshan Dreams followed his win in a maiden at Tipperary with a smooth success in the INH Stallion Owners’ EBF Novice Hurdle at Cork yesterday.
ADRIAN MAGUIRE didn’t half celebrate in style in the press room at Limerick last Sunday, after his Golden Kite had beaten Fisher Bridge a short head in the Munster National.
I HAVE to admit to getting a great kick out of Workforce winning the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp last Sunday.
IN all the years of covering racing, I have to say this was the worst decision I have seen.
IRISH racing, which has been dragged through the mud since the Saturday of Listowel, reached a new low at Clonmel yesterday.
THERE has been a fair bit of furore in England, and here at home as well, regarding that performance – or rather non-performance – by Sariska at York.
In the press room at Tramore last Thursday week a group of us were watching a two-year-old maiden being run at Leopardstown.
FROM Saratoga in America to the county of Kerry is the road travelled by Steinbeck, the likely favourite for the featured Listed Vincent O’Brien Ruby Stakes at Killarney tonight.
TRAINER John Hanlon isn’t called the shark for nothing and at Tramore yesterday his heavily-backed Bandama scorched away with the Tote Go Racing Maiden Hurdle for amateur riders.
WE have learned one thing for sure of late – riding arrangements for Ballydoyle-trained horses have to be treated with more than a hint of caution.
DOES anyone, at this stage, really understand the rules when it comes to stewards’ inquiries?
PROFOUND BEAUTY is impossible to oppose in the Group 3 ITM/Springpaarden Fonds Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown tonight.
BALLINROBE last Monday night created a right bit of controversy.
WHEN you watch a lot of racing there aren’t many occasions when the performance of a horse makes you sit up and take particular notice.
IT’S A puzzle, a real puzzle! At Fairyhouse last month, Chris Hayes was suspended for two days, having been found guilty of careless riding, after he had won on a horse called Laldie.
CRUISING KATIE, the only horse Richard Cotter from Ballynoe, Co Cork, has in training did him proud when taking the Greenmount Annual Members’ Novice Chase at Limerick yesterday.
AIDAN O’BRIEN, for the third time in his career, saddled the first three in yesterday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.
AT Tipperary on June 17, the stewards thought it was fine for Robert Rower, in a conditions chase, to just push out Bobs Pride hands and heels and, as a result, get him beaten a short head by Don’t Be Bitin. Bobs Pride went off a heavily-backed 15-8 favourite.
NO matter what you have to do next Tuesday make sure to get in front of a television for the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot at 2.30.
JESSICA Harrington’s Blaze Brightly, who had finished second three times previously, got it right for Fran Berry in the Median Auction Maiden at Listowel yesterday.
FINALLY, we can get down to business this afternoon, leaving all the St Nicholas Abbey drama behind us, and concentrate on the most exciting flat race in the world, the Epsom Derby.
AT Tipperary last Thursday week the stewards found what could be best described as a real easy touch in the shape of a horse called Ballyronan Boy.
MORNING prices again proved more than a good friend to punters at Clonmel last night.
BETHRAH came with a flying late challenge to give Dermot Weld his fourth win in the Etihad Airways Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh yesterday.
TWO weeks to the Epsom Derby and the mystery continues.
JOHNNY MURTAGH wasted no time getting down to business at Tipperary last night, booting home the first three winners.
PAUL NOLAN’S classy Cuan Na Grai toyed with the opposition on the way to landing the Supermacs’ Drive Thru Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.
GOOD old Barney Curley didn’t half liven up the scene with those well-publicised gambles in England on Monday.
TRAINER, Eoin Griffin, has seen little go his way over many months, but there are signs of an upswing in fortunes and his Norther Bay can keep the current modest momentum going in the Mallow Town Summer BBQ Race Evening Beginners Chase at Cork tonight.
THERE are times when you really wonder what the race-planners are at in this country?
ANDREW LYNCH was positively brilliant when guiding French-import Kotkidy to victory in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Beginners Chase atKillarney last night.
IF Aidan O’Brien can get St Nicholas Abbey to win the Epsom Derby on June 4 then he can surely be mentioned in the same breath as Merlin - and we all know what his profession was.
THERE may be only four runners in tomorrow’s Group 2 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown, but this does look a tricky little contest.
KEVIN Prendergast’s Faranadooney can oblige at the third time of asking in the Ingard Point Maiden at Wexford this evening.
JOHN KIELY’S Oneeightofamile, whose previous claim to fame was winning a Dundalk bumper, could hardly have been more impressive in the Lynch and Partners’ (Solicitors) Maiden at Clonmel last night.
AIDAN O’BRIEN, who doesn’t send too many horses to Clonmel, could provide a winning nap in the shape of Great Wisdom in the featured 2010 SEPAM Tipperary Perpetual Cup Handicap at the track tonight.
LAST Saturday morning, I got a phone call from well-known racing photographer, Pat Healy, asking if I’d read page 24 of the Racing Post.
ADRIAN HESKIN added to his growing reputation when powering False Economy, backed from 7-1 to 5’s, to an easy victory in the opening maiden hurdle at Tipperary last night.
AIDAN O’BRIEN’S progressive Awe Inspiring should now be ready to strike and gets the nap in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Fillies Maiden at Cork tonight.
HURRICANE FLY, the medium of positive reports of late, can take the Grade 1 Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown this evening.
THE Grade 1 Paddy Power Champion Bumper produced a particularly smart winner in Dermot Weld’s four-year-old, Hidden Universe, writes Pat Keane
PUNCHESTOWN so far this week has been nothing short of a minefield for punters and today promises more of the same.
WILLIE MULLINS’ Golden Silver, a proven mud-lark, showed he is just as effective on a sound surface when landing the Boylesports.com Champion Chase at Punchestown yesterday.
TAKE a chance on Cooldine turning-over Denman in the Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown this evening.
FAMOUS NAME is fancied to outclass his rivals in the Listed Heritage Stakes at Leopardstown tomorrow.
EVER hear of a guy called Louis Romanet? Well, he used to be heavily involved in French racing, but these days is better known as the chairman of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities — if that’s not a contradiction.
PUNTERS who backed De Valira in the mile and six conditions race at Tipperary last night had every reason to feel aggrieved.
GER LYONS’ Clondinnery can get us away to the ideal start by landing the first on the programme, the Irish Stallion Farms' EBF Median Auction Maiden, at Dundalk tonight.
IF there was a possible star of the future on show on last night’s all-flat programme at Limerick then it was probably Dermot Weld’s once-raced Bethrah.
THE famous Gigginstown House Stud colours were carried to success by yet another of their promising young horses, Stonemaster, in the Meteor Mobile Novice Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.
FOOTY FACTS is the nap choice to land the opening Killinan Hurdle at Thurles this afternoon.
THERE seems little doubt the Cheltenham Festival will undergo a major alteration as early as 2012.
MASTER MINDED has to be the choice to land the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham this afternoon.
THE DUNGUIB bubble was well and truly burst in the Spinal Research Supreme Novices' Hurdle and, on this evidence, he appears to have been clearly over-rated.
LISS Na Tintri, so unlucky last time, can redress the balance in the Munster Supporters’ Club Mares Maiden Hurdle at Limerick this afternoon.
RUBY WALSH and Tony Martin joined forces to land a double with Psycho and Tijuana Dancer at Clonmel yesterday.
SOLWHIT remains a major doubt for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham next Tuesday, having scoped badly on Monday.
DERMOT WELD can warm up for Cheltenham by saddling Brushed Aside to land the ATR Festival Focus Fillies Maiden, at what is sure to be a less than packed Dundalk tonight!
COULDN’T believe the news regarding Solwhit on Monday.
RUBY WALSH has a strong hand at Clonmel this afternoon, headed by Psycho in the Comeragh Beginners Chase.
IRISH racing received a major boost yesterday with the news that Boylesports.com is the new title sponsor of the opening day of this year’s Punchestown Festival.
TAKE a chance on French-import Sweet My Lord in the opening Thoroughbred County Maiden Hurdle at Naas this afternoon.
BETTER TIMES can help us top up the Cheltenham tank by landing the nap in the Great Oak Maiden Hurdle at Gowran Park this afternoon.
WILLIE MULLINS has finally given up the fight to get the brilliant Mikael D’Haguenet to Cheltenham.
IF Tranquil Sea wins the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham on March 18, there seems little doubt connections will look back at Leopardstown last Sunday as having played a massive part in the success.
ONCE-raced Jim Bowie can land the Richard Behan Financial Planning Bumper at Downpatrick this afternoon.
NICANOR, who once beat Denman at the Cheltenham Festival, should be finally ready to strike over fences in the Trim Beginners Chase at Navan this afternoon.
WESTERN LEADER stamped himself as one of the most exciting young horses in the country with a breathtaking display to land the Grade 2 Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at Thurles yesterday.
DOONEYS GATE is a confident nap choice to land the Cashel Chase at Thurles this afternoon.
A LETTER in the Racing Post last Sunday didn’t half catch the eye of this observer.
THE Grade 2 Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at Thurles this afternoon should be a cracking contest, bringing together some very promising young horses.
MORNING SUPREME is the nap choice to run her rivals ragged in the Grade 2 paddypower.com Novice Hurdle at Naas tomorrow.
WILLIE MULLINS continued his terrific campaign when landing a treble at Clonmel yesterday.
LAST Saturday in front of the television was the place to be - and I’m not talking about watching that debacle in Paris!
QUISCOVER FONTAINE, the least experienced horse in the field, can land the nap in the Powerstown Chase at Clonmel this afternoon.
IT may be the height of folly to nap a horse who finished a remote seventh of seven finishers last time, but that’s precisely what we are going to do with J’y Vole in the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park this afternoon.
HORSE Racing Ireland have announced a replacement fixture for Thurles after yesterday’s fixture was cancelled following heavy overnight frost.
THERE could hardly have been a more popular winner of Sunday’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown than Joncol.
TURF CLUB officials, currently in dispute with the Turf Club, are threatening to strike on Sunday February 28, an afternoon when racing is scheduled for both Leopardstown and Clonmel.
THE Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown tomorrow centres on which Cooldine turns up. If the one which landed the RSA Chase at Cheltenham in March appears then there can only be one winner.
WHINSTONE BOY added to his considerable gains in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park two weeks earlier, with another terrific display in the Kilcash Chase at Clonmel yesterday.
THE public relations merchants for the ante-post firms have been on overdrive this week, letting us know about the sustained gamble on Cooldine for Sunday’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown.
THE Michael Winters-trained For Bill, who has never been beaten, is the nap choice to keep her tremendous record intact in the Kilsheelan Mares Novice Hurdle at Clonmel this afternoon.
DESPITE the fact the conditions of the contest aren’t exactly stacked in his favour, C’est Ca is the nap choice in the Weatherbys’ Racecards Hurdle at Down Royal this afternoon.
THE progressive Saludos can land the Grade 2 Festival Party Pack Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown tomorrow.
THE John Murphy-trained Newmill rekindled memories of the past when landing the Grade 2 Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles yesterday.
SNOWY MORNING is the hopeful choice in the Grade 2 Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles this afternoon.
IT isn’t very often a horse heads to the racecourse seeking a four-timer, gets beaten and emerges with reputation not just intact, but enhanced.
ACAPULCO, runner-up in all three of his races so far over flights, gets the nap in the www.navanracecourse.ie Maiden Hurdle at the Co Meath track this afternoon.
SOLWHIT, a top-priced 6-1 with most firms yesterday for the Champion Hurdle, can live his Cheltenham prospects a major boost by landing the Tohiba-sponsored Irish equivalent at Leopardstown tomorrow.
ON AN afternoon when you wouldn’t put the cat out, the Jimmy Mangan-trained Whinstone Boy landed a massive gamble in the Tendrleen Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park.
FOOTY FACTS gets the vote to land a typically wide-open Tendrleen Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park this afternoon.
PITTONI gets the nap to make it two from two over flights in the Visit Punchestown.com Juvenile Hurdle at the County Kildare track this afternoon, should the meeting pass a 7.30am inspection.
FINALLY, we look set to see some action, with Naas the focus of attention this afternoon.
EVERY year we travel to Cheltenham it’s taken as a given that one of ours will definitely win the Bumper.
THE two Thurles meetings which were due to be held today and tomorrow, but had to be cancelled because both the chase and hurdle tracks were found to be unfit for racing, have been rescheduled by Horse Racing Ireland.
HOPES of an early resumption of racing in Ireland at Thurles on Thursday and Friday were dashed yesterday afternoon when both the hurdle and chase tracks were found to be unfit for racing.
DAIRYGOLD in association with Pegus Horse Feed have launched their point-to-point series of qualifier races and final for the 2009/2010 season.
For years, during the so-called boom times, when some people clearly had far more money than sense, balloting was the curse of the trainer.
CORK this afternoon is subject to an 8am inspection, due to the prospect of a severe frost overnight, but if the meeting survives then Adrian Maguire’s Mr Warbucks can land the nap in the McCarthy Insurance Group Hurdle.
EDWARD O’GRADY ran two in the Metal Man Novice Hurdle at Tamore yesterday and they totally dominated the finish.
BOROLEE can land the nap in the Tom Carroll Memorial Handicap Case at Tramore this afternoon, should the meeting survive a 7.30am inspection, called due to the threat of severe frost overnight.
FOOTY FACTS can win a fascinating little seven-runner Kathleen Clarke 80th Birthday Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon.
A 1-2 for England in yesterday’s rescheduled Lexus Chase at Leopardstown, What A Friend beating Money Trix, confirmed what most of us thought anyway that there is little or no chance of an Irish success in the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
IT is not beyond the bounds of possibility that the McNamara brothers, Andrew and Robbie, will take Leopardstown by storm on Stephen’s Day.
NOEL MEADE can land a double with Medical Card and Thegreatjohnbrowne at Navan today, should the meeting survive a 7.30am inspection.
LONG odds-on Apt Approach had to dig deep to beat Taradoun in the Lisronagh Beginners Chase at Clonmel yesterday.
DOWNPATRICK today is subject to a 7.30am inspection, due to the threat of frost, and if the meeting does go west we certainly won’t be losing any sleep.
YOU’D imagine the December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown at Christmas is going to have a major bearing on the way the market will shape up for the Champion Hurdle heading into the New Year.
EDWARD O’GRADY and Andrew McNamara continued their terrific run when Diophas justified hefty market support with a smooth success in the Dromahane Maiden Hurdle at Cork yesterday.
SMOKING ACES is the nap choice in the fairyhouseracecourse.ie Rated Hurdle at the Co. Meath track this afternoon.
THE KINGS SWORD, trained by former Kilkenny hurler, Kieran Purcell, can land the nap in the 20-runner Christmas Vouchers Maiden Hurdle at Gowran Park this afternoon.
WILLIE MULLINS’ Cadspeed can get off the mark at the third time of asking over flights in the Christmas Party Maiden Hurdle at Fairyhouse this afternoon.
I’D imagine Tom Cooper returned from Sandown last Saturday a reasonably happy man.
QUINOLA Des Obeaux is the nap choice to land the Kilberry Novice Hurdle at Navan this afternoon.
HARRY FINDLAY says Denman will win the Cheltenham Gold Cup ‘pulling a cart.’
THERE is every possibility the colourful Oliver Brady will light up the rescheduled Naas meeting this afternoon, should racing get the go-ahead, following a 7.30am inspection.
CATCH ME, successful in the contest a year ago, can again do the business in the Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse’s rescheduled triple Grade 1 meeting this afternoon.
CATCH ME can land back-to-back successes in the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse tomorrow.
RHYL ACCORD is the nap choice to defy a long absence in the Holycross Maiden Hurdle at Thurles this afternoon.
THERE is no greater sight in racing than to see a horse making a spectacular start over fences.
COOLCASHIN is the nap choice to land the six-runner Glen Chase at Thurles this afternoon, should the meeting pass the now almost mandatory 7.30am inspection.
THE colourful Oliver Brady might well light up Naas this afternoon.
DOCTOR Deejay should prove hard enough to beat in the Green Fee Vouchers three-year-old Maiden Hurdle at Gowran Park today, should the meeting survive an 8am inspection.
MIRACLE STEPS gets the nap to defy a big rise in the weights in the Crowne Plaza Jock and Trainer Championship Handicap at Dundalk tonight.
THE senior National Hunt handicapper, Noel O’Brien, had every reason to allow himself a little smile after the Grade 1 Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.
THE enigmatic, but talented, Watson Lake was on a going day at Clonmel yesterday, finding enough for the inspired Paul Carberry to win the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase.
TOM TAAFFE’S Smoking Aces is the nap choice to land the Clonoulty Hurdle at Thurles this afternoon.
GLENFINN Captain, successful in the race a year ago, can do the business again in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase at Clonmel this afternoon.
IF Punchestown today survives an 8am inspection then much of the focus will obviously centre on the second outing over jumps of the exciting Dunguib in the Ballymaloe Country Relish Hurdle.
CORK will hold an inspection at 7.30 on Sunday morning, ahead of it’s scheduled Grand National meeting that afternoon, but are optimistic racing will take place.
SHAREEN has plenty going for her in the Median Auction Maiden at Dundalk tonight and has to get the nap.
THERE IS no doubt this recession has started to bite hard as far as racing is concerned.
PAUL CARBERRY, never too far from controversy, has been banned for 30 race days for failing a breath test at Naas on October 31.
IF racing at Clonmel survives an 8am inspection this morning it may pay to follow Dessie Hughes, who can continue his terrific campaign by saddling Vic Venturi to land the featured Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase.
BATTLEOFTRAFALGAR can get off the mark at the fourth attempt in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden at Dundalk tonight.
RIGOUR Back Bob, a promising fourth at Cork on his debut over flights, strolled to victory in the Adare Maiden Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.
THE major prize at Down Royal today is the Grade 1 JNwine.com Champion Chase, but there’s no solid reason top be overly optimistic about finding the winner so let’s concentrate, for the moment, on the Grade 2 ladbrokes.com Chase.
VOLER La Vedette gets the nap to land a cracking five-runner Grade 3 WKD Core Hurdle at Down Royal this afternoon.
IN COMPLIANCE, having his first run since December of 2007, made a stunning return in the Thurles Chase at Thurles yesterday.
ON Monday morning a large number of the press corps made their way to Co. Carlow for a 10.30am rendezvous with Willie Mullins.
TOM MULLINS’ Chelsea Harbour should prove hard to beat in the featured Thurles Chase at the Tipperary track this afternoon.
NOEL MEADE, who has enjoyed a fine start to the season with 29 winners to his credit, can supply us with a winning nap in the shape of Midtown Boy in the Membership 2010 Maiden Hurdle at Fairyhouse this afternoon.
HE mightn’t be totally straightforward, but Dynasty does appear to have found his level in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden at Dundalk tonight.
“THERE was great pleasure in that”, remarked Tom Cooper, after he watched his son, Bryan, guide the trainer’s Rossdara to success in the Cahir Mares Maiden hurdle at Clonmel yesterday.
SO now we know. Heading to Doncaster on Saturday, St Nicholas Abbey was no more than a promising colt.
OSCAR Carrara is fancied to continue the good run of Tom Mullins in the Bumper at Clonmel today.
TADRIAN Maguire’s Mr Warbucks made a fine start over fences when easily beating Whatuthink in the Thurles Beginners Chase yesterday.
SANTO PADRE can land a spectacular four-timer in the listed Mercury Stakes at Dundalk tonight.
SATURDAY will reveal a lot about St Nicholas Abbey.
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