Clonmel tips: Sayce Gold can make winning debut over fences

In one way, Sayce Gold is being pitched in quite deep as this is a winners’ race, but it looks a good bit of placing by connections

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021 - 06:00

Tommy Lyons

Sayce Gold can make a winning debut over fences in the Clonmel Oil Chase Day November 11 Mares’ Chase.

In one way, she is being pitched in quite deep as this is a winners’ race, but it looks a good bit of placing by connections as the conditions of the race are such that she is extremely well treated relative to her hurdling rating.

She was disqualified after winning her bumper at Fairyhouse at the start of last season but made the perfect start over hurdles, winning at Thurles, and followed up with an even more impressive success in a Grade 3 novice hurdle on her next start. After that, she was off for almost three months before finishing a good third behind Darrens Hope and Ballyshannon Rose, both of which she was conceding weight to in another Grade 3.

The lightly raced eight-year-old now embarks on a chasing career and if she can jump a fence as well as she jumped a hurdle, she could take high rank amongst this year’s chasing mares. The fact she won a point to point adds encouragement and she can make the most of this opportunity.

Sapphire Lady and Make My Heart Fly, both of which have won twice over fences, are the most obvious dangers, but the selection earned a mark superior to both over hurdles and, in receipt of plenty of weight today, can get the job done. Sapphire Lady holds Make My Heart Fly on their Punchestown meeting and can confirm that form.

Mary Meehan can take the opener, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Maiden Hurdle, for Willie Mullins and Jack Foley. Her early outings in bumpers were little to write home about but she showed improved form on her third outing, at Killarney, and again on her most recent start, when runner-up to Top Bandit.

That form received a nice boost when the winner won a maiden at last week’s Cheltenham meeting and, starting off at two and a half miles over hurdles should help eke out a little further improvement from the selection. She’s no star in her surroundings but this isn’t the strongest of races and her rider is proving particularly good value for his 5lb claim.

Downtown Queen was well beaten on her only outing to date, in a bumper, but this half-sister to Puffin Billy, Tycoon Prince, and Zuzka is likely to be much better with obstacles in front of her. It will be interesting to see what the market makes of her chance.

CLONMEL

Tommy Lyons

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