Justatan could prove tough to beat at Listowel
The Crowds decend on the Island for Ladies day at the Listowel Races. Pic: HEALY RACING
The final day of the Listowel Harvest Festival is one of three weekend meetings in Ireland and Justatan can make his second start over fences a winning one by coming out on top in the John & Terry Moriarty Memorial Handicap Chase.
Twice successful in point-to-points for Michael Goff, Justatan remains a maiden under rules for Emmet Mullins but got closer than ever to making the breakthrough when second, beaten just a neck by Brandt, at Galway earlier this month.
With the step up in trip likely to suit, the seven-year-old could prove a tough nut to crack.
Gordon Elliott can grab a first Listowel winner of the week in the Allman Contracts Novice Hurdle with Dad Sez, who bolted up at Kilbeggan last month, fancied to get the better of Roc Dino, a horse last seen finishing second at the Galway festival.
The other two Irish meetings this weekend come from the Curragh where Saturday’s feature is the Goffs Million.
A case could be made for several but the drop in trip may work the oracle for the Joseph O’Brien-trained Green Dreamer.
The Churchill colt was no match for the exciting Darkness Falls over nine furlongs in the Group 1 Golden Fleece Stakes at the Irish Champions Festival earlier this month but this assignment should be more to his liking.
Trean, Carry The Flag, and Ballinea Star are others who warrant consideration in a wide-open contest.
Team Ballydoyle may not be firing on all cylinders at present but Noble Exhibit is still very hard to oppose in the Group 2 Churchill Tyres Beresford Stakes, a race Aidan O’Brien has won an incredible 22 times.
Third to Monogram on debut at the Curragh last month, the Frankel colt bolted up at Punchestown second time out and further improvement from that run should make him very difficult to beat.
Another fiendishly tricky handicap is the headline act at the Curragh on Sunday where 14 of the 30 runners in the Friends Of The Curragh Irish Cesarewitch will be saddled by Joseph O’Brien.
However, he may be thwarted by The Reverend, one of four confirmed runners for Willie Mullins.
Previously trained by William Haggas, The Reverend made a winning start to life at Cloutton when scoring over hurdles at Cork in January before unseating his rider when pitched into Grade One company at the Dublin Racing Festival at the start of February.
On the back of a lengthy break, The Reverend returned on the Flat earlier this month where he ran a cracker to finish fourth in a 21-runner handicap at Leopardstown at the Irish Champions Festival.
The run should have him spot-on for this assignment and he ought to be in the mix.
Sky Captain looks Joseph O’Brien’s main contender but A Piece Of Heaven appeals as an each-way alternative to hit the frame.
The in-form Chipsrdown can send punters home happy by winning the finale to complete a hat-trick while Curracloe, a 22-1 winner on her debut at Gowran Park at the start of the month, can follow up in the Group 3 Darley Fillies Stakes.
The other Group 3 on the card, the Qatar Racing And Equestrian Club Renaissance Stakes, can go the way of Power Blue.
The selection found Group 1 company beyond him at York last month but a return to the form that saw him win the Group 2 Minstrel Stakes in July would give him every chance of getting back to winning ways.
Darren Norris
1.30 Benown
2.00 Killashee Warrior
2.35 Namiid
3.10 Noble Exhibit (NB)
3.45 Unique Journey
4.20 Green Dreamer
4.55 Come What May
5.25 Together Now
Next best
1.30 Controlla
2.00 Invincible Will
2.35 Keke
3.10 City of Dubai
3.45 Dmaniac
4.20 Trean
4.55 Leopold The First
5.25 Lookingforarainbow
Darren Norris
2.45 Je Suis Celebre
3.21 Dad Sez
3.55 Serienmond
4.30 Opposite Ends
5.05 A Penny A Hundred
5.35 Justatan (Nap)
6.05 Green Style
Next best
2.45 Blue Johnl
3.21 Roc Dino
3.55 Matt Connor
4.30 Ladiam
5.05 Pinot Gris
5.35 Illtakehimmyself
6.05 Iron Sword
Darren Norris
1.25 Hmas Perth
2.00 Breath Of Paradise
2.35 Power Blue
3.10 Valentino Eclipse
3.45 Curracloe (NB)
4.20 The Reverend
4.55 Romance
5.30 Chipsrdown (Nap)
Next best
1.25 Maximilien Luce
2.00 Greatest Knight
2.35 Royal Bay Cen
3.10 Otsana
3.45 Alpine Wedding
4.20 A Piece Of Heaven
4.55 Exchange Student
5.30 Dont Get Me Wrong
