Today's Tips: Marie Celeste can get right result in easier exam at Tramore
The daughter of Galileo finished fourth of six, beaten less than five lengths, on her most recent start, at Leopardstown, but the winner, Stellar Glow, gave the form a boost when finishing sixth in the Irish Oaks, while runner-up On A Pedestal serves as a good yardstick.
This race looks far less taxing, proving a good opportunity for the filly, and she should prove too good for her rivals, headed by Recollection.
Only seven runners are due to start in the fifth race, which is the Christine Hadfield Memorial Handicap, over a mile and a half, and Bobskier could represent some value now she has her favoured conditions.
The mare’s two runs this season were on testing ground and, despite a preference for quicker conditions, she ran well in defeat on the more recent of them.
The Ger O’Leary-trained seven-year-old has winning form over today’s course and distance, off the same mark as she runs off here, and a return to that sort of form looks on the cards. She’s unlikely to be prominent in the market, but should give supporters a good run for their money.
There are two meetings tomorrow, and the nap comes in the shape of Tessona, who should take a world of beating in the opening race at Dundalk.
She faced some stiff competition on debut, at the Curragh in the middle of last month, but ran a really eye-catching race to finish third, beaten two and a half lengths, behind Leafy Shade.
With Gilded Reflection and Diamond Fields putting a positive shine on the race, with their subsequent runner-up finishes, Tessona is potentially head and shoulders above her rivals here. The drop in trip is something of an unknown, but she’s bound to have come on appreciably for the experience, and her class should see her through.
At Tramore, the Paul Nolan-trained Illtakeitfromhere should prove very hard to beat in the Heinz Pollmeier Memorial Handicap Chase.
The seven-year-old was a winner at Wexford on her penultimate start, and then ran another fine race to finish second behind Harangue, at Roscommon.
He drops back to two miles this time, but that shouldn’t be a major concern as he was very much still in contention when unseating his rider at the second last over course and distance, back in April. The booking of Jack Kennedy is a real positive, and he can land the spoils, at the expense of Old Castletown.
Compass Hill can take the closing race at Dundalk, for trainer John Murphy. The colt showed promise in each of his first two outings, and was the subject of significant late support when runner-up behind Little Treasure on his most recent start.
He made rapid late progress in the latter contest, leaving the impression the step up to seven furlongs would suit.
With that in his favour this time, and further scope for improvement, he looks set to make the breakthrough.
