Today's Tips: Elusive Approach can gain win at Tipperary
The New Approach filly made her debut in March, and was far from disgraced in finishing seventh of 11 behind Queen Blossom in a Group 3 at the Curragh.
She was a little disappointing next time, at Navan, but got back on track by finishing runner-up to Unyielding at Limerick. Beaten only a neck that day, she was just a nose in front of Eddystone Rock, who gave the form a boost when winning at Wexford on Saturday.
A mark of 82 suggests she should be more than good enough to land a maiden and, with a hood applied for the first time, can score at the expense of Dermot Weld’s two runners, Chapter One and Pictogram.
Sweetest Taboo appeals as a mare who could have a bit in hand of her current mark, and she gets the vote to land the Follow @Tipperaryraces on Twitter Handicap for Willie McCreery and Billy Lee.
A quite lightly raced five-year-old, she ran numerous good races without reward last season, and has started this term in a similarly rich vein of form.
Not beaten far on her comeback, at Dundalk, she then returned to the turf for a sprint over today’s course and distance, and looked a winner for much of the trip. However, after going clear, she was reeled in late by Bluesbreaker.
She has gone up 3lbs for that effort but, proven over course, trip and versatile with regards ground conditions, the application of blinkers can help bring out the best in her.
She can gain an overdue second career victory, with A Few Dollars More the one to chase her home.
The somewhat frustrating A Likely Story has shown enough pace in all outings to date to suggest he can get off the mark on his first try over five furlongs, in the opening maiden.
Not out of the first four in any of his five outings to date, he assumed pace-making duties in a listed race at Leopardstown last time and, for one moment after turning for home, looked as though he might have some high-class rivals in trouble. However, he was reeled-in in the straight and then eased to finish fourth behind Black Sea.
It was a similar case on his seasonal debut, over seven furlongs, in which he faded late to finish a well-beaten third behind Clear Cut.
While five-furlong sprinting is a specialist discipline for older horses, it is certainly worth letting the son of Exceed And Excel have a go at it, and today’s race looks like a good opportunity for the gelding to get off the mark.
