Tumbling In and Kilkee Bay can make Roscommon a successful trip for Eric McNamara
Kilkee Bay and Joey Dunne win for trainer Eric McNamara. Pic: Healy Racing.
Eric McNamara sends eight horses to Roscommon for Tuesday evening’s seven-race jumps cards and Tumbling In and Kilkee Bay can ensure it proves a successful road trip for the Limerick trainer.
Tumbling In runs in the opening race, the Curragh To Curragh Charity Cycle on Saturday, August 29th Maiden Hurdle, and may be able to make it third time lucky over hurdles having finished third at both Listowel and Killarney in recent months.
The Walk In The Park mare perhaps raced a little too keenly before tiring late on over a near three-mile trip at Killarney last month so the three-furlong drop in trip for this latest assignment looks a good move.
A further positive for her prospects is the fact that Mysilverriverfeale, who finished fourth, 18 lengths behind Tumbling In, has since won at Kilbeggan.
Tumbling In may be able to give the Killarney race a further form boost by delivering here.
In-form stablemate Kilkee Bay has leading claims in the penultimate race, the Campbell's Bar Ballinlough Handicap Chase.
The seven-year-old sprang a 20-1 surprise when scoring in a handicap chase at Tuesday’s venue in June and proved that win to be no fluke when second, admittedly beaten 15 lengths, to Cullenwaine at Killarney last month.
A similar performance here would give him a big chance of getting back to winning ways, for all that last year’s winner, the Martin Brassil-trained Il Silenzio, is feared after an encouraging comeback run when fourth at Punchestown in June.
The J.F. Hanley Groundscare Beginners Chase looks a good opportunity for Hashtag Pretender to get off the mark over the bigger obstacles.
The Barry Connell-owned and trained nine-year-old finished second five times in nine starts over hurdles, a position he again had to settle for when no match for Downmexicoway on his chasing debut at Killarney last August.
He again ran well in a losing cause when third at Listowel on his final start last year.
Hashtag Pretender returned to action at Punchestown in early June but exited the scene prematurely after a fall – the first of his career - at the third fence.
That obviously wasn’t ideal but he has been given plenty of time to recover after the mishap and if he runs to the level he ran in his first two starts over fences, he might enjoy a welcome change of luck.
5.25 Tumbling In (NB)
6.00 Minella Hollow
6.30 Sound Judgement
7.00 Hashtag Pretender (Nap)
7.30 Ladies Well
8.00 Kilkee Bay
8.30 Lola O C
5.25 Cool Native
6.00 Clay Pigeons
6.30 Knocknagoran Lady
7.00 Impero
7.30 King's Son
8.00 Il Silenzio
8.30 Inishtearaght.
