Thurles tips: Kemboy can make winning start
Ferny Hollow ridden by Paul Roche on far side of Kemboy and Rutch Dudfield
A maximum of five will line up for the listed boomerang.ie Chase at Thurles, but it is a terrific race for a midweek meeting, and Kemboy can make a winning start to his season.
He didn’t manage to get his head in front in three runs last season but his season began quite late and, to be fair, all three runs were in Grade 1 events and he didn’t run badly on any occasion, particularly when seventh, beaten only eight lengths, in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Back earlier this term, he gets a chance to start off at a lower level and, while Monalee finished in front of him twice last season, Kemboy is likely to be more forward for this assignment.
Monalee was well beaten on last season’s debut and improved hugely for that run. He finished up the season being beaten less than two lengths in the Gold Cup and this race will be a stepping-stone towards the King George and then a return to Cheltenham.
Presenting Percy has the advantage of race fitness, but the shorter trip will not play to his strengths.
The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners’ Chase which opens the card is another classy race, contested by some real prospects for the season ahead, and Lord Royal gets the nod to get off the mark at the first time of asking. Runner-up on his only outing in a Flat maiden in France, he made a winning hurdling debut in extremely testing conditions at Clonmel in January, beating a smart sort, Farmix, by 33 lengths.
He came up short in a Grade 3 on his next outing, finding Run Wild Fred too good, but he is just a five-year-old with plenty of scope for improvement.
He is preferred to Choungaya, though that one’s experience over fences is an asset. He ran Tornado Flyer to three parts of a length on his chasing debut and wasn’t unfancied when contesting the Thyestes Chase, in which he unseated his rider at the first.
He has earned a mark of 137 over fences, which sets a decent but not insurmountable standard.
12.50 Lord Royal (NB)
1.20 Kemboy (Nap)
1.55 Jacksons Gold
2.25 Sayce Gold
2.55 Tikkanen Express
3.25 Gondor
3.55 El Barra
12.50 Chounaya
1.20 Monalee
1.55 Frontal Assault
2.25 Sovereign Gold
2.55 Erins Benefit
3.25 Satin Sun
3.55 Stranger Danger
