Weekend tips: Hurricane Cliff can get off the mark over hurdles
Hurricane Cliff can take the maiden hurdle at Naas. Picture: Healy Racing
Should this afternoon’s card in Naas pass a morning inspection, Hurricane Cliff can get off the mark over hurdles in the first division of the Naas Business Club Members Maiden Hurdle.
Henry De Bromhead’s horse won a Flat maiden in June and began his hurdling career by finishing runner-up to Indiana Jones.
He was a touch below that level second time, when fifth behind Get My Drift, but back to form when a good second behind Frere Tuck last time out.
He looks as though he will stay further and in a race which looks to have the least depth of those he has thus far contested over timber, he can get the better of Captain Kangaroo.
The latter is the only horse thus far to finish in front of Champion Bumper favourite Kicruit, which he did when winning a Clonmel bumper in March. In three runs to date over timber, his jumping has lacked fluency, but he was certainly better last time, behind On Eagles Wings.
That form has been boosted by third-placed Limestone Rock and fourth-placed Grand Paradis, both of which have since won their maidens.
On tomorrow’s card in Punchestown, Thedevilscoachman can take the listed INH Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle for Noel Meade and Mark Walsh.
Winner of his only bumper and impressive on his first start over hurdles, he wasn’t disgraced in a Grade 1 on his next start, and duly made the most of a drop in grade when winning a novice hurdle last time.
He was an easy winner on the latter occasion, is open to further improvement and is preferred to Fire Attack, who has plenty of talent but is yet to figure out how to put it all together over hurdles. Receiving six pounds from the selection will aid his cause, but he needs to conserve his energy through the early stages of the race to be a factor late on. The first-time application of a hood may aide his cause in that regard.
Lifetime Ambition has been a touch frustrating thus far, and the current form of the Jessica Harington team is a concern, but he won’t get many better opportunities to get off the mark than in the first division of the Happy Birthday Sarah Ann Madden Maiden Hurdle.
All of his runs this season read well in the context of this race and it will be disappointing if he fails to make this his turn.
That said, Gold Cup Bailly could be an above-average rival. Stuart Crawford’s runner won on his only point to point outing and was a reserve earlier this week at Fairyhouse. He didn’t get into that race, but it was noticeable that there was early money for him. It will be interesting to see if there is a repeat this time.
12:35 Hurricane Cliff (nap)
1:05 Gentleman De Mee
1:40 Elimay
2:15 Sovereign Gold
2:50 Druid’s Altar (nb)
3:25 Rock Chica
4:00 Petitbonome
4:35 Agape
12:35 Captain Kangaroo
1:05 Dreamingandhoping
1:40 Yukon Lil
2:15 Ask Nile
2:50 Autumn Evening
3:25 Don’t Go Yet
4:00 You Raised Me Up
4:35 Eyewitness
1:30 Shady Operator
2:00 Thedevilscoachman (nap)
2:30 Lifetime Ambition (nb)
3:00 Jungle Boogie
3:30 Pictures Of Home
4:00 Farmix
4:30 Tokyo Getaway
5:00 Starman
1:30 Ballyboker Bridge
2:00 Fire Attack
2:30 Gold Cup Bailly
3:00 Broomfields Kan
3:30 Smiths Girl
4:00 Dinny Lacey
4:30 Out Sam
5:00 Gigolo’ Dai Dai
