Sligo preview: Downtherefordancin can waltz to victory
Halka Du Tabert and Jamie Codd (right) win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Flat Race from Coole Cherry (left) at Naas last November.
A none-too-exciting card this evening in Sligo but Downtherefordancin caught the eye on his last two outings and makes most appeal in the Apex Controls Ltd Handicap Hurdle.
The Gavin Cromwell-trained four-year-old showed a degree of promise in early starts and there were definite signs of improvement when fifth behind Pidoyne on his handicap debut in Tramore. Off from that run, in April, until running last month at Roscommon, he again ran a nice race.
Fourth behind Presenting Lad that day, that was another small step forward and suggested his turn might not be far away. For that run, he is entitled to come forward with regard to fitness, and with victory today he can leave this 80-102 level behind.
Champagne Vacation, who finished third to Hand Over Fist at Bellewstown, can give the selection most to think about.
The form of that run received a nice boost when the winner followed up earlier this week in Roscommon and, as a lightly-raced eight-year-old, Champagne Vacation is open to a little improvement.
Arguably the most interesting runner on the card is Mount Sinai, who makes her debut in the finale, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Bumper. Bred and trained by Willie Mullins, she is a half-sister to the stable’s Seabank Bistro, who was an impressive winner on his bumper debut in January of last year and not beaten all that far when fourth to stablemate Facile Vega in the Champion Bumper at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival.
She won’t have to be at that level to win today but her performance will be interesting with regard to the future.
In the Martin Kelly Hyundai Mares’ Maiden Hurdle, Mullins also has leading claims with the thus-far frustrating Coole Cherry, whose career form to date totals four runner-up finishes in four outings in bumpers. Related to four winners over obstacles, she makes her hurdling debut today and doing so can eke out the necessary improvement to end that frustrating sequence with an overdue victory.
Glendars Mahler, Air Drop and Stormie Outlook have chances, but when Shane O’Callaghan’s 7lb claim is taken into account, Ta Na La is in receipt of 10lbs from the selection and she can reach the frame for the fourth consecutive outing.
5:05 Café Con Leche
5:35 Coole Cherry (nb)
6:05 Timourid
6:35 Downtherefordancin (nap)
7:05 Scott Lang 7:35 Emily In Paris
8:05 Mount Sinai
5:05 Conna Cottage
5:35 Ta Na La
6:05 Presenting Doyen
6:35 Champagne Vacation
7:05 Weseekherthere
7:35 The Four Sixes
8:05 Adela Icon
