Kilbarry Saint looks hard to beat in Clonmel opener
A general view prior to racing at Clonmel Racecourse in Tipperary. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
The highly-tried, 125-rated Kilbarry Saint should prove tough to beat in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase which opens today’s action in Clonmel.
The seven-year-old, trained by Con O’Keeffe, managed to win one, from ten starts, over hurdles and, after nine attempts, is still seeking a chase breakthrough.
But the Saint Des Saints mare has faced a number of touch tasks and has acquitted herself well on a number of occasions, including a creditable second to Only By Night (second in the Mares Chase at Cheltenham recently) in a listed event in Exeter early last year.
This season, she ran a cracker to fill the runner-up berth behind the classy Spindleberry, at a similar level, in Clonmel back in November before failing to make an impression in Grade 2 events, won by Westport Cove and Kala Conti, at Punchestown and Cork, respectively.
Todays’ race looks a more realistic target for O’Keeffe’s mare and, if at her best, she should prove too strong for Fancy Girl and Gaoth Chuil.
The Liam Cusack-trained Brown Boots, a course winner late last month, whose winning sequence was interrupted in Naas last time., might return to winning ways in the Careys Castle Novice Handicap Chase.
This seven-year-old impressed when winning a handicap chase, off 84, in Navan back in mid-January and followed-up, back over hurdles, here last month, powering clear up the hill to beat Mullanour by ten lengths.
He attempted a hat-trick, under a mandatory penalty, at Naas less than a week later but, sent off 11/10 favourite, he had to settle for third spot, beaten less than a length, behind Let’s Go Mans.
A horse who normally races behind the bridle, he probably travelled too well on that occasion and will be helped by a stronger pace today as he returns to chasing, with Peter Fahey’s Live To Laugh, up 10lb. for a wide-margin success in Thurles, an obvious stumbling-block.
Gordon Elliott has prospects throughout the card and might land the bumper with Detroit Maverick,.
Winner of a ‘point’ in Ballyknock for Colin Bowe, Detroit Maverick lost out to subsequent Cheltenham Bumper seventh The Wager on his debut at Fairyhouse and, back at the same venue, chased home another Mullins-trained prospect in 4/9 favourite Look Me last time.
That form sets a decent standard, enough to land this prize, unless the Mullins newcomer Scarecrow is above average.
2.42 Kilbarry Saint (Nap)
3.12 Tell Us This
3.42 Brown Boots (n.b.)
4.12 Boedic
4.42 Sound Judgement
5.12 Courtbrack Boy
5.42 Market Ready
6.12 Detroit Maverick
2.42 Fancy Girl
3.12 Is Charlie Around
3.42 Live To Laugh
4.12 San Hilario
4.42 Chautuaqua
5.12 Uncle Gerhard
5.42 Spellacy’s Cross
6.12 Scarecrow
