Today's Tips: Fever Pitch can score again at favourite track
The nine-year-old has run at this track twice, both times over fences, and won on each occasion.
While he was a touch below his best when last seen, in the Midlands National at Kilbeggan, the drop in trip and cut in the ground are in his favour.
In this small field, Barry Geraghty is likely to ride a positive race aboard the selection, and the pair can be expected to make all the running.
The danger may come from Kilcrea, who, though relatively lightly raced, has won a point to point, a bumper, a hurdle and a chase. If back to the form he showed in the first few months of last season, he’ll be heavily involved.
The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Beginners’ Chase can go the way of classy hurdler Carrigmoorna Rock. Robert Tyner’s seven-year-old wasn’t without her supporters on her seasonal debut in a decent hurdle at Gowran Park at the start of this month, but found plenty of trouble in running and had to settle for fifth place behind Daisy’s Gift.
With the benefit of that outing, she should be ready for her first start over the larger obstacles, and is just preferred to Gambling Girl, who has the advantage of previous experience over fences. The latter promises to be better in this sphere than she was over hurdles, but was a shade disappointing last time, when she looked to have been brought through with a perfectly timed challenge.
While sure to improve further, on this occasion she may have to play second fiddle to the classy Carrigmoorna Rock.
Tobar Na Gaoise appears well treated over hurdles, relative to his handicap mark on the flat, and makes plenty of appeal in the Clonmel Handicap Hurdle. Fever Formerly with Jim Bolger, for whom he reached a mark of 93 on the flat, he hasn’t really built on that over timber and, as a result, gets in here off a mark of 98. That looks very manageable and, with the cut in the ground of no concern, the seven-year-old looks set to earn a belated first success over obstacles.
While two of his rivals, Damut and Eric The Third, are seeking to complete a hat-trick and must be respected, the greatest danger may come from Trade Marked, who has shown more than enough in three runs over timber to suggest he will make his mark. Market support for him would be significant.
