Down Royal tips: Champagne Sparkles can shine in bumper
Trainer Gordon Elliott can enjoy another profitable trip to Down Royal. Picture: Inpho
Gordon Elliott tends to make his trips north profitable and Champagne Sparkles can ensure another winning return for the Co Meath trainer by taking the final race on this afternoon’s card in Down Royal, the Molson Coors Bumper.
The selection showed plenty of promise when third on debut in a bumper won by The Banger Doyle and, while he was outpaced when the pace quickened initially, he stayed on to really good effect. Among today’s runners, he isn’t alone in looking as though he will be better over a longer trip, but he can improve enough from his debut to get off the mark.
The opening race, the Molson Coors Maiden Hurdle, looks a good opportunity for Decimation to get off the mark. Henry de Bromhead’s horse was runner-up to Queens Brook on debut, filled the same place behind stablemate and subsequent Grade 1 runner-up Irascible, and once again had to settle for the runner-up spot behind Wide Receiver last time.
While those results are frustrating, all of those efforts are more than enough to suggest he should be up to winning a maiden and he won’t get too many better opportunities than this. Cavallino, who was unlucky in a Tramore maiden which has worked out quite well, and Irish Poseidon look the two most likely to trouble him.
On Eagles Wings can follow up his recent maiden hurdle success by taking the Molson Coors Rated Novice Hurdle for trainer Timmy Hyde and jockey Harry Swan. The lightly raced seven-year-old has bumper form which ties in with the best of last season, and his recent switch to jumping yielded an impressive success.
The form of that win is, as yet untested, but he jumped well, with just one exception, and ran out an easy winner under a confident ride by his seven-pound claimer. He looks quite well treated on the best of his bumper form and can make it two from two over timber.
Clondaw Secret is a smart sort but had a very tough race last time out, at Limerick, while Battle Of Actium was good last time when beating a subsequent winner, but his previous form doesn’t match up to that of the selection. Nevertheless, he could be on an upward curve and is feared most.
1:20 Decimation
1:50 Alice O’Byrne
2:20 On Eagles Wings (nb)
2:50 Itsalonglongroad
3:20 Greenway Machine
3:50 Envol Pierji
4:20 Champagne Sparkles (nap)
1:20 Cavallino
1:50 Moonlight Glory
2:20 Battle Of Actium
2:50 Dis Donc
3:20 Drummullagh Rocky
3:50 Askann
4:20 Fissa
