Morricone can show his winning credentials at Sligo
Pictures Of Home is returning from a 95-day break. Picture: Healy Racing
A run-of-the-mill National Hunt programme in Sligo, but Morricone makes some appeal in the Francie ‘Banger’ Burns Handicap Hurdle.
Last time out, in a competitive race at the Galway festival, Ray Hackett’s seven-year-old was quite well backed at big prices and justified the each-way support with a third-place finish behind Neveradullmoment.
As that was his first run since April, he is entitled to step forward for it, and the return to this softer ground is also a positive. Quite lightly raced for his age, there is scope for further improvement, and he can take this at the expense of Luminous Light.
Pictures Of Home, who contests the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle, is returning from a 95-day break but he has leading claims.
A relatively lightly-raced eight-year-old, on his last four outings he raced over fences, but it didn’t really work out for him.
On his most recent outing over hurdles, which was back in December, he ran out a narrow winner of a competitive handicap at Punchestown. He is 5lbs higher this time but most of that is offset by Tom Harney’s claim, and he has a little scope for improvement. Conditions will suit, and he can make the return to hurdling a successful one.
My Great Mate is likely to be the shortest-priced runner on the card when he contests the Hankook Pearse Rd Tyres Maiden Hurdle and while he makes little appeal as a betting medium, he really ought to get the job done this time.
Winner of a bumper at the Galway festival in 2023, he struggled in better company for the remainder of his time in bumpers.
Sent over hurdles for the first time in early June at Punchestown, he was probably a shade unlucky to be picked up close home. Sent off favourite to make amends at the Galway festival, he had to settle for third place behind Lightkeeper. While that doesn’t look like particularly strong form, relative to this race it probably is, and he should make no mistake this time.
5:08 Gers Gigi
5:38 Kilbride Hill
6:10 My Great Mate
6:40 Bella Be Good
7:10 Morricone (nap)
7:40 Pictures Of Home (nb)
8:10 Cool Brise
5:08 Blacksmiths Forge
5:38 Grand Cru Chatho
6:10 Nemo
6:40 Shesabreeze
7:10 Luminous Light
7:40 Saffron Et Bleu
8:10 High Court Cave
