Down Royal and Dundalk tips: Elliott can get off to a flyer with Farouk D’alene
Envoi Allen (left) the only danger to him today are the fences he has to jump. Picture: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
Gordon Elliott’s recent domination of Down Royal’s feature meeting will continue this weekend, and he can get off to the perfect start by taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle with Farouk D’alene.
Winner of his only point to point and his two bumpers, including the one at this track on St Stephen’s Day, he is a top prospect for the season ahead. All his form thus far has been on testing ground and, while it won’t be too bad today, his breeding suggests he should cope with the slightly quicker conditions, and his class can see him through.
Stablemate Grangeclare Native fell on only outing to date over hurdles but remains a decent prospect and can win the race for second place.
In the Advanced NI Scaffolding Beginners’ Chase, the only dangers to Envoi Allen are the obstacles he will face. The opposition does not match up whatsoever and the unbeaten six-year-old should have no trouble casting them aside.
He reached a rating of 127 in bumpers, 160 over hurdles, and could be even better over fences. Today’s race won’t be a true test of him, but it is the same race in which Samcro and Delta Work successfully started their chasing careers and Envoi Allen can do likewise, to give Elliott his fifth consecutive win in the race.
Abacadabras was a top-drawer two-mile novice hurdler and can make a winning return in the Grade 2 WKD Hurdle. His only two defeats of last season came when runner-up to stablemate Envoi Allen in the Royal Bond and when beaten a short head behind Shiskin in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. That form sets him apart from today’s rivals, and he can take a successful first step towards the Champion Hurdle in March.
It is interesting that Rachael Blackmore has gone for Aspire Tower ahead of Jason The Militant. Her selection was runner-up in the Triumph Hurdle and perhaps he has developed well over the summer, but Jason The Militant’s win in a Grade 2 at Naas in February could hardly have worked out better, and he has the benefit of a recent run, which was an impressive win on the level. He is also a little bit older than his stablemate and has form against older horses. He can fill the runner-up spot this time.
Only five are due to go to the start for the Rainbow Communication Bumper but it’s a hot race, with two once-raced winners taking on On Eagles Wings, whose form ties in nicely with the best bumper form of last season, and that makes him the selection.
Tim Hyde’s six-year-old finished runner-up to subsequent Champion Bumper winner Ferny Hollow on his third start but got off the mark next time when beating Stattler and One Down. On his recent seasonal debut in Cork, he ran out an impressive winner and there should be more to come. Dan Hyde, who rode him that day, is in the saddle again and his mount, a six-year-old taking on four-year-olds, can complete his hat-trick. Chemical Energy was green when winning on debut but looked a smart prospect and is an obvious danger.
In Dundalk, Ballinlough Gale can get of the mark in the first division of the Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk Maiden. Pat Martin’s three-year-old was just touched off in a maiden at Thurles just three weeks ago and a reproduction of that effort should be good enough today.
12:40 Farouk D’alene (nap)
1:15 Queens Brook
1:50 Abacadabras
2:25 Myladyrose
3:00 Envoi Allen
3:35 Envol Pierji
4:10 On Eagles Wings
12:40 Grangeclare Native
1:15 Politesse
1:50 Jason The Militant
2:25 Select Opportunity
3:00 January Jets
3:35 British Art
4:10 Chemical Energy
4:30 Baldomero
5:00 All About Ivy
5:30 Ballinlough Gale (nb)
6:00 Feminism
6:30 Khafaaq
7:00 Raffaello
7:30 Big Gossey
8:00 Humaniste
4:30 Anjalawi
5:00 Red Cymbal
5:30 Freepark
6:00 Bluebeard’s Castle
6:30 Bobby K
7:00 Eye Of The Dragon
7:30 A Step Too Far
8:00 Ela Katrina
