Tyrur Big Mike can make winning return
One of the more interesting is Tyrur Big Mike, who will be well-fancied to go close in the featured Open 550.
He faces no easy task however. The 2010 Derby favourite is pitted against two other dogs with Derby final history — Barefoot Bullet, who has reached both an English and Irish Derby decider and 2011 Irish Derby finalist Rockview Head.
Others of some note in the line up include the high class Piercestown Sand and the hugely progressive Slippery Patch. Despite his lack of a recent outing, Tyrur Big Mike is fancied to make a winning return after a spell at stud. His owner PJ Fahy reported during the week that he has been busy since moving into his new career, but the dog is so well in himself that Fahy couldn’t resist having a crack at the SIS Gold Cup.
He posted 28.52 – a career best for a solo – last weekend and on that evidence is ready to add to his impressive career tally. Piercestown Sand has impressed around Clonmel in recent weeks and is probably the main threat.
Elsewhere on the card there are a number of other potential Gold Cup challengers in action, including last year’s Champion Stakes winner Uncle Eoin in the penultimate race on the card over 550yds.
In truth Kieren Fallon’s tracker hasn’t produced his best in a while and will need to be on his toes if he is to come out on top. A number of leading trackers including Whatsupjack, Airforce Frankie, Barefoot Machine and Tyrur Lucky also line up and on the strength of the draw, the last named gets the nod.
The likes of Wellesbourne Dan and Leap Of Faith are well established over six bends, but they may have to give way to a couple of potential stars over the 750 yard trip in the third race.
Both Airforce Newyork and Razldazl Marilyn give the impression they could reach the top over marathon trips and they can fight out the finish this evening.
Razldazl Marilyn stands out as a possible superstar over the trip despite her inexperience. In her latest start she encountered serious traffic problems before making up rapid late . It was a sensational effort in defeat and the likelihood is she will be making headlines in the future.
The richest prize on offer in Ireland this evening is for the Vetsearch Recharge Open 525 which comes to a conclusion at Limerick.
In normal circumstances the brilliant Calling Spice would start a red-hot favourite having posted 28.27, 28.30 and 28.31 in the prelims, but she was somewhat upstaged by Ogie Tom last weekend, who set new figures for the 525yd trip with a stunning 28.25. The odds are Calling Spice will continue her winning ways, as she has been handed a more favourable draw in trap two.
