Thurles tips: Crosshill the right type to make winning debut over fences

The opening race on this afternoon’s card in Thurles, the BetVictor Beginners’ Chase, is the most interesting race on the programme

Thu, 25 Nov, 2021 - 00:00

Tommy Lyons

The opening race on this afternoon’s card in Thurles, the BetVictor Beginners’ Chase, is the most interesting race on the programme and Crosshill looks the right type to make a winning debut over fences.

Always quite highly regarded, Jessica Harrington’s runner hasn’t quite scaled the heights expected, but he is still just a six-year-old and has plenty of time to fulfil his potential. He reached a decent level over hurdles, earning a mark just a few pounds shy of that achieved by one of today’s rivals, Ciel De Neige, but he appeals as the type to do much better over the larger obstacles.

Dropping back to two and a quarter miles for his first start over fences, he is likely to be ridden positively and can see off all of his rivals.

Ciel De Neige’s trainer, Willie Mullins, has an interesting history in this race. He won the last two runnings of the race with one horse who went on to win a Grade 1 novice chase and another which won the Galway Plate. He has won five of the last ten runnings, four of them at odds-on, but this is also the race in which his Un De Sceaux fell when sent off at odds of 1-8, Bachasson suffered a similar fate at odds of 8-15 and likewise Montalbano, at 11-10. His runner today is unlikely to be that short as some of those, but has a fitness advantage over the selection and thus must be respected. Peter Fahey’s Soviet Pimpernel is another talented sort but it hasn’t happened for him in four runs to date over fences, and he is difficult to face until showing a greater aptitude for this discipline.

Gold Creek can gain that long overdue breakthrough victory over fences in the Racing TV Black Friday Offer Tomorrow Only Handicap Chase. Aengus King’s seven-year-old mare earned her first winning bracket just two runs ago, in a handicap hurdle, and on the back of that she was well backed to win a competitive handicap chase at Naas.

Unfortunately, she unseated before that race unfolded, but a look back at some of her earlier form over fences gives her leading claims in today’s company. She has run well at this track and if she can put in a clear round of jumping, she will have a big say in the outcome. Pretty Little Liar, who is seeking a hat-trick following a win over hurdles at Fairyhouse and over fences over today’s course and distance, is also a leading candidate.

THURLES

Tommy Lyons

12:05 Crosshill (nap)

12:35 Gold Creek (nb)

1:05 Cilaos Emery

1:35 Vina Ardanza

2:10 Monas Melody

2:40 Clifton Warrior

3:10 Lesssaidthebetter

Next best

12:05 Ciel De Neige

12:35 Pretty Little Liar