Tea Rose can bloom in Bellewstown

Donnie Devito can get off the mark over fences at Clonmel

Thu, 02 Oct, 2025 - 06:55

Tommy Lyons

Irish preview

The regally bred Tea Rose can make it third time lucky when she contests the Bellewstown Inn Fillies’ Maiden, the second race on this afternoon’s Flat meeting in the Co Meath venue.

Aidan O’Brien’s daughter of Frankel and Group 1-winning sprinter Marsha made just one appearance as a juvenile, and it was a relatively modest start to her career as she finished sixth behind Falling Snow.

Off for more than a year from that outing until her recent return to action, she was quite well backed to make up for lost time. Sent off 13-8 favourite for a Navan maiden, she held every chance, but the lack of an outing appeared to take its toll as she faded late to finish fourth behind Katashuna.

She was beaten three and a half lengths, but the form looks better in light of the subsequent wins of the third and seventh-placed runners, Snapretend and Syzygy. She will be much better for that outing, should appreciate this track, particularly over this trip, and with Jack Cleary taking off a valuable 5lbs, she can get the job done.

Tswalu, with her rating of 80, ought to be up to winning a maiden but has had too many chances to make her a betting prospect. She’s likely to have to settle for the runner-up spot once again.

Jockeys’ championship leader Dylan Browne McMonagle has six rides this afternoon and Angelo Pio makes most appeal. Joseph O’Brien’s colt contests the five-runner Kilsaran Race and ought to take plenty of beating. Twice a winner already this season, he ran right up to his best on his most recent outing, when a close third to Daboya.

That was also his first try at today’s trip and while he wasn’t at his strongest right at the line, he got the trip well enough, and is entitled to find further improvement. He can lead the way home, with Sea Coral and stablemate Snapretend the ones to follow him.

There is a National Hunt card in Clonmel and Donnie Devito can get off the mark over fences by taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Captain Christy Rated Novice Chase.

On his most recent outing, Ross O’Sullivan’s horse contested the competitive Galway Blazers Handicap Chase and ran a superb race to finish third to Intense Approach. As that was just his third outing over fences, it was all the more meritorious and there is every reason to believe he can build on that here.

What’s Up Darling, who re-opposes off 4lbs worse terms, finished a place behind him that day but gave the form a boost by winning a beginners’ chase at Killarney. As a six-year-old, the selection ought to be on the up and can confirm Galway form with his old rival. What’s Up Darling may have improved for the step up to three miles at Killarney and is respected despite the 4lbs turnaround in the weights.

BELLEWSTOWN

Tommy Lyons

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