Ice Factor can chill out rivals
In what is traditionally the first juvenile hurdle of the season, the gelding warmed to the task of jumping quite well and was noted staying on in good fashion to finish sixth behind winner Burrenbridge Lodge.
That was his first outing for almost ten months and it’s reasonable to expect that he has come on for the run. The two runners that finished behind him that day and re-oppose here have no great claim to reversing the form and The Ice Factor should be able to put his experience to good use to see off Arctic Myth and Bleuker.
At much bigger odds, Dermot Weld’s Humiliation can get off the mark on her handicap debut at Leopardstown.
On her most recent outing, in an apprentices’ maiden, she finished a well beaten fourth but that tells only half the tale. Settled at the rear, she showed plenty of speed as she was brought wide around the field. Given the tight turns of Sligo, she did very well to race into contention as they straightened up for home.
Having made up so much ground, it was understandable that she was unable to sustain her challenge and she faded back into fourth place. She should be suited to the drop in trip here and if ridden patiently can be delivered late to land the spoils.
Mannheim was a very expensive failure at Galway but he should shed his maiden tag in the EBF Farms Maiden at Leopardstown. He looks a fine prospect for middle distance races next year and can gain a deserved first success here.
Jim Bolger’s Lady Wingshot should prove hard to beat in the opener. She was well touted prior to a very promising debut effort behind After at the Curragh on Derby Day. It was perhaps a shade disappointing that she was touched off by Lady Rochford next time out but the pair pulled clear in the closing stages and her attitude cannot be questioned. A maiden is well within her compass and she can prove that today at the expense of Pearl In The Sand and Zahr Alyasmeen.
