Clonmel tips: Cilaos Emery has the class to deliver for Willie Mullins

The week’s racing fare takes a significant step up today

Thu, 12 Nov, 2020 - 08:00

Tommy Lyons

The week’s racing fare takes a significant step up today with the Clonmel Oil Chase as the centrepiece in a fine card at Powerstown Park.

Willie Mullins’ pair, Bachasson and Cilaos Emery, head the market for the feature and the latter, the mount of Paul Townend, should have the class to concede weight to his stablemate and his other rivals.

Fourth in the Champion Hurdle on his last outing, he is unbeaten in three completed starts over fences, having fallen on the other occasion.

His only previous try over today’s two-and-a-half-mile trip was when fourth to Apple’s Jade in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle on what was his first start of that season. There isn’t anything to suggest he doesn’t stay the trip and, with plenty of pace in this race, Townend can bide his time and produce the eight-year-old with a late run to land the near €30,000 winner’s prize.

Stablemate Bachasson or Alpha Des Obeaux should ensure the pace is strong and, as the more lightly race chaser, the former is feared most.

The listed T A Morris Memorial Irish EBF Mares’ Chase tops the bill on the undercard and Shattered Love can complete back-to-back wins in the race.

Gordon Elliott’s mare made her seasonal debut in the Champion Chase at Down Royal and ran a fine race to finish third behind The Storyteller. That three-mile trip stretches her stamina to its limit but, like last year, she comes here on the back of a prep run and can once again prove better for the outing.

Cabaret Queen can follow her home. The latter finished third in the Galway Plate and made all the running in the Kerry National. She has race fitness over former Grand National runner-up Magic Of Light and can use it to take second place.

Westerner Point can take the Clonmel Oil Service Station Handicap Hurdle for the second consecutive year. Eoghan O’Grady’s 11-year-old finished fourth in a chase on his return to action, at Wexford in late August, and followed up with a fine effort to finish third in the Munster National at Limerick.

His last outings over hurdles was in this race last year, beating Mary Frances and, while 9lbs higher, he is still 25lbs lower over hurdles than fences and can take full advantage.

SELECTIONS

Tommy Lyons

12.15 GELEE BLANCHEE

12.45 ENNEMI PUBLIC

1.15 THE PRIESTS LEAP

1.50 WESTERNER POINT (NB)

2.25 SHATTERED LOVE (NAP)

3.00 CILAOS EMERY

3.35 GETADAY

4.05 JUNGLE BOOGIE

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12.15 PALE BLUE DOT