Cloone Stream set to redress the balance
He hit the bar big-time at Cork last month and has to be a strong fancy now to redress the balance.
At Cork, the selection looked certain to score for most of the long straight, but was finally mugged in the dying strides by Liz Doyle’s newcomer, Road Train Bob, and beaten a neck.
The fact Road Train Bob was a 25-1 shot would obviously tend to make the alarm bells ring, but chances are he’s a more than useful sort.
It was a winners’ bumper as well and Mr Sykes, who actually beat Cloone Stream decisively at Ballinrobe previously, was a further 18 lengths away in third and that has to be regarded as encouraging.
The first division of the same race is surely best left to Willie Mullins’ once-raced Watchurhouse.
He hasn’t been seen since finishing two and a half lengths runner-up behind Lasse Viern at Clonmel back in February, but is likely to strip fit and fancied now.
Another who has had just a single outing, Michael Halford’s Sunwake, looks best in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Median Auction Maiden.
The continuing indifferent form of Halford’s inmates is a worry, but she ran with real promise when fifth to Ard Fheis, successful at the Curragh over the weekend, at Naas eight days ago and this is a weak contest.
Pat Fahy’s Lesoto Diamond is a hopeful choice in the featured Bambury Bookmakers’ Handicap for qualified riders.
The six-year-old won what appeared to be a decent enough Leopardstown maiden last time and went up just 2lbs for that.
