Weekend racing tips: Downthecellar can continue his winning run

Fri, 03 Sep, 2021 - 00:00

Tommy Lyons

After four consecutive wins over fences, Downthecellar can continue his winning run when he drops back to hurdling for the Support Local Stay Local Handicap, the second race on Saturday's card in Wexford. Edward O’Grady’s seven-year-old has been in brilliant form this summer, winning three in a row at Tramore to add to his breakthrough success at Limerick in May.

All that good work over fences has seen him rise from a mark of 88 to 122, but he starts back over hurdles on a mark of 87. He hasn’t run over hurdles since 2019 and it is often the case that improvement over fences is not reflected back over hurdles.

However, there are reasons to be positive about this fellow. His four runs over hurdles were all over a minimum of two and a half miles and in the last couple of those runs he travelled strongly but didn’t seem to get home. He was off for a long time after those runs and wasn’t suited by testing ground on his first three starts over fences.

He has just been much better since encountering good ground and dropping back to two miles – he didn’t get home over two miles and three furlongs in a chase at Downpatrick in May. With everything in his favour, he can complete his nap hand Top weight Heliers Bay remains capable at this level, while last-time-out winner Berliet Express can also improve and must be respected.

Henry De Bromhead can take the opening race, the Adare Manor Opportunity Maiden Hurdle, with Trebizond. He ran quite well on his hurdling debut, in a maiden won by French Aseel, and wasn’t beaten that far on testing ground at Punchestown on his second start. On his recent return, after a seven-month break, he found only Brides Hill too good, and that earned him a mark of 112. He is open to further improvement and can get off the mark this time.

In Navan, Chestnutter ought to get off the mark in the opener, the Irish EBF Auction Series Fillies’ Maiden. Noel Meade’s filly was beaten little more than two lengths behind subsequent listed and Group 3 winner Sacred Bridge in the Ballyhane Stakes and has been found a great opportunity to claim her own winning bracket.

Alnofoor is interesting despite having to carry top weight in the Treo Eile, Retraining Ireland’s Racehorses Handicap. Unraced at two, the colt showed real promise on his first three starts this term, and again when returning from a near three-month absence for his most recent outing. The stiff finish at this track will help offset the drop back to five furlongs and he is just preferred to Dragons Call and Stanhope.

NAVAN

Tommy Lyons

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1:50 Alnofoor

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4:10 Gift Of Kings

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