Consistent Sharjah looks poised to follow up
The nap vote falls on Andy Slattery’s in-form Sharjah, who is fancied to land a very competitive looking Christmas Party Nights At Dundalk Stadium Handicap.
The four-year-old is at the top of his game right now and is an admirably consistent and durable sort.
Shjarjah again showed his liking for this surface a week ago when making a lot of the running, for Declan McDonogh, to beat Alvar by a hard-earned half a length.
He went up 4lbs, but Slattery has moved to more than offset that by now booking the capable 7lbs claimer, Donnacha O’Brien.
The selection likes to race near the front, so hopefully will get away quickly from an unfavourable draw in 12.
That being the case, he will take plenty of pegging back, off a mark which is still more than manageable.
Johnny Levins’ Alcatraz should take plenty of beating in the Dundalk Stadium Racecourse Of The Year Maiden.
He shaped with real promise on the second of two outings when six and a half-lengths runner-up behind Giovanni Canaletto at Leopardstown in late October.
Giovanni Canaletto is a highly rated Ballydoyle inmate and Alcatraz certainly faces nothing of that calibre now.
Michael O’Callaghan’s team are in good form and his Fastidious can defy top weight in the Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey And Trainer Awards 2014 Handicap.
The five-year-old went up just 1lb for finishing a length second behind the smart Captain Joy at Dundalk seven days ago. Dropping down a furlong is less than ideal, but this is also a drop in class and Fastidious is fancied to prove equal to the task.
