Masters co-favourites favoured by the draw

IT has been a very busy period on the southern circuit in the past month and more and the action remains furious this weekend with the final of the Red Mill Masters at Waterford on Saturday backed up by the final of the Tyrur Kennels Open 575 at Curraheen as well as top open action at Tralee and Limerick.

With a winner’s prize of €13,000, the Masters is very much the top contest and it has all the ingredients to be a classic confrontation. Bookmakers Paddy Power rate it a three-dog contest with Dream Walker, Piercestown Sand and Sparta Maestro listed as 15-8 co-favourites and it is difficult to disagree, though the likes of Varra Captain, Mines A Pint and Piercestown Con are well capable of producing a very big run.

However the three top fancies appear to be favoured by the draw, though it could be argued that trap six may not be absolutely ideal for Sparta. He struggled from that box last weekend when slowly away and then baulked on the first bend.