Weekend racing preview: Deluca Chop can complete treble at Limerick
Deluca Chop and Paddy Harnett (left) win for trainer Shane Duffy at Down Royal. Pic: Healy Racing)
On another busy weekend of Irish racing, Deluca Chop can defy a 6lb rise to complete a hat-trick when he runs in the Panoramic Restaurant At Limerick Racecourse Apprentice Handicap at Limerick on Saturday.
The Shane Duffy-trained gelding had been knocking on the door a while before earning a fourth career win when successful at Navan earlier last month and quickly backed up that success by coming out on top in a three-way battle at Down Royal 13 days later.
A revised mark of 52 will demand more of the seven-year-old but he’s clearly on great terms with himself at present so another bold showing looks assured. Recent Bellewstown second Without Love will likely prove the biggest threat to the selection.
Stellar Moment can get off the mark in the Conference & Banqueting Facilities @ Limerick Median Auction Fillies Maiden.
A distant sixth on debut at the Curragh in April, the John O’Donoghue-trained Ulysses filly took a big step forward on her second start, outrunning odds of 50-1 to finish a close third at Leopardstown last month.
Both of those runs came over 10 furlongs but the way Stellar Moment stayed on at Leopardstown suggested she’d benefit from a step up in trip.
Stellar Moment gets that in this 12-furlong trip and she may be able to get the better of the Joseph O’Brien-trained Nellcote, a Sottsass filly who is also stepping up in trip having finished fourth on debut over a mile at Gowran Park in May.
Just One Show can build on a promising debut second when he runs in the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden, the first of seven contests on Navan’s seven-race card.
A 25-1 shot at Fairyhouse last month, the Jack Foley-trained Showcasing colt only went down by a neck to Switching Sides and might well have won had he not found trouble in the final furlong.
Granted better luck in running, he may be able to get the job done this time.
Elsewhere at Navan, the Ardboyne Hotel Maiden looks a good opportunity for the Aidan O’Brien-trained Institute to finally get off the mark.
A Frankel colt out of Acapulco, Institute is bred to be good but she has yet to live up to her lofty pedigree.
However, she ran well for a long way before fading late on to finish sixth at the Curragh last time out so dropping back to six furlongs here looks a smart move.
There’s jumps action at Sligo on Sunday where the Gordon Elliott-trained Kenisa Sport, who made a winning debut over flights at Kilbeggan this day last year, can make light of a 290-day absence.
The most appealing bet on Sunday’s Dundalk card comes in the Anglo Printers - Award Winning Print And Packaging Maiden where Krasimir, who has frustratingly always found one or two too good in six career starts, can make it seventh time lucky.
LIMERICK (Saturday)
Darren Norris
5.25 Dancing Saxon
6.00 Monastere
6.30 Glen Breeze
7.00 Al Haarith
7.30 Stellar Moment (NB)
8.00 Deluca Chop (Nap)
8.30 Themis
Next best
5.25 Send Harry
6.00 El Fontenaro
6.30 He's Holding Court
7.00 Nottooshabby
7.30 Nellcote
8.00 Without Love
8.30 Maxminelli
NAVAN
(Saturday)
Darren Norris
1.48 Just One Show
2.23 Institute
2.57 Poweracclaim
3.30 Cashel Blue
4.07 Confused
4.40 Genoah
5.15 Cleopatra's Needle
Next best
1.48 Annie Batt
2.23 Hasita
2.57 Thurso
3.30 Boston Max
4.07 Summer Is Tomorrow
4.40 Cala Bonita
5.15 Arch Enemy
DUNDALK (Sunday)
Darren Norris
2.00 The Highway Rat
2.35 Kc Bear
3.10 Krasimir (NB)
3.45 Micasso
4.20 Baila Conmigo
4.55 Reynir
5.30 Forthill
Next best
2.00 Ipanema Queen
2.35 Iff In Doubt
3.10 Karrygrant
3.45 Famous Enough
4.20 Mystic Rose
4.55 Let's Smash It
5.30 Duvessa
SLIGO (Sunday)
Darren Norris
1.10 Whats New
1.40 Boo Radley
2.15 Kenisa Sport (Nap)
2.50 Wolf Prince
3.25 Pourquoi Poi
4.00 Larkins Lane
4.35 Smallcraftwarning
5.10 Circus Hill
Next best
1.10 Pebble Island
1.40 Returning Officer
2.15 Splashing Out
2.50 Tell Us This
3.25 The Eggler
4.00 Go To Town
4.35 Evans Secret
5.10 Churchfield Annie
