Copper can collect
Kevin Prendergast’s lightly-raced colt has plenty of scope for improvement and is fancied to prove too strong for main rival, Dermot Weld’s Keep It Cool.
Copper Bell got off the mark with a game display at Down Royal last month. A well supported favourite, he eased to the front with three furlongs to run.
Davidii was soon in pursuit, but the selection found plenty for pressure when challenged, scoring snugly in the end by two lengths.
The handicapper says Keep It Cool is just one pound inferior to Copper Bell and that piece of theory will certainly be put to the test at level weights.
Keep It Cool had an impossible task at the weights in a Curragh handicap last time when fourth to She’s Our Mark. That filly, who ran Alexander Tango close at the Curragh on Sunday, was in receipt of 8lbs from Keep It Cool.
Previously, Weld’s charge beat the subsequent winner, Perpetual Motion, to land his maiden at Navan.
Conna Castle is fancied to have the legs on Smile Later in the Kenmare Timber Frame Homes Novice Chase.
Jimmy Mangan’s gelding, however, has to leave two relatively disappointing efforts of late behind him.
Rather surprisingly, he proved no match for Kadiskar at Listowel and far too much use seemed to be made of him when a poor fourth to Ballycullen Boy at Limerick.
Smile Later has won two moderate races at Navan and Clonmel, but Conna Castle near his best would surely make short work of her!
