Ireland's Eye on Sunday

Sunday 12 July

IRELAND'S EYE 

There is a feast of National Hunt action today with meetings at Perth, Southwell and Stratford to whet our appetite while in Ireland there is flat action on the all weather at Dundalk while the ‘girls’ take centre stage at the Curragh with the Oaks which sees another head to head between the first two home in the English equivalent. With the ground something of a question mark against the top two we will swerve the feature and pin our hopes on a Galway Hurdle winner at 5-6 on the DAQ in a handicap instead while at Southwell a dual point winner can do us a favour at decent odds in a chase at current BETDAQ odds of 17.0.
 
Another brace of winners on Saturday with Famous Name (2/5) landing prohibitive odds and our saver Three Rocks (8/1) landing the feature at the Curragh while Bipasha (8-7/1) finished runner up in a 6f handicap.

The recent pursuit by Irish trainers of English prize money in the National Hunt sphere shows little signs of abating and the raiding party could be tasting another success in the second part of the 3m 2f novice chase at Southwell this afternoon at 3-20. Northern Ireland handler Ian Duncan has introduced the 6yo Stormfield to the chase scene three weeks ago in a Sedgefield 2m 5f novice – a test which proved inadequate for the son of Glacial Storm – though he was far from disgraced in finishing a modest sixth to subsequent winner Flemross. This fellow scored twice ‘between the flags’ on good and yielding ground at Maralin and Loughanmore and indeed he was not beaten that far by subsequent decent Park winners in Zemsky and According To Dick in that sphere while his third to recent narrow Roscommon handicap hurdle winner Media Queen at Taylorstown on good ground on his last point start reads well in the context of a race of this nature. Additionally he will be suited by a stiffer test of stamina and is suited by good ground and the Brian Harding ridden gelding can account for former English point winner Scholar king and the more experienced Keene Spirit who did finish 2 placings and some nine lengths in front of the selection last time.
 
The Last Hurrah and Indian Pace finished second and third respectively in last years renewal of the Ladies Derby handicap at the Curragh at 4-15 over 12f with just a short head separating the pair. The first named is now 2lbs worse off and though the 9yo seems flexible regarding ground and is in good form following a hard earned success in a Roscommon 1m 4f hc on his penultimate outing he may have to give way to the John Kiely trained Indian Pace on this occasion. Though the 2008 Galway Hurdle winners course record is just reasonable with just his placing in this event last year to show in 6 attempts the ease in the ground will play to his strengths and he opened his season with a promising fifth to Truckers Delight over 2m miles here a fortnight ago. Katie Walsh should guide the 8yo to his fifth flat success here where the James Leavy trained Sophocles towards the head of the handicap should not be dismissed lightly and rates a small win/place bet as the grey is talented on his day.
 
Flemross has done us a couple of favours in the past and the former Irish point winner is clearly on the upgrade over fences having made all to land a brace of Hexham 2m 4f novice chases and the 6yo was impressive in carrying a penalty in beating the well backed Armenian Boy three weeks ago. However he does face stiff task in conceding 22lbs and more to his rivals in his first venture in handicap company in the 2m 4 1/2f hc chase at Perth today at 4-20. The other Irish challengers here include the previously useful Huncheon Paddy but he is now 12 and is making his first appearance for nearly a year while the Gordon Elliott trained dual point winner He’s A Hotshot does have prospects on his last effort when finishing a close second over course and distance. However the 7yo has yet to score in 18 attempts under Rules and he may have to play the supporting role here again though he is obviously suited by track/trip and ground. It may pay dividends to side with the former dual point winner Thunder Hawk from the Coltherd yard off 10-4 with Graham Lee doing the steering. A winner of a hunter chase at Hexham last year he boasts placed form over fences over the course and distance and though his fencing is not without blemish and the fitting of first time visors is somewhat disconcerting he is still taken to beat He’s A Hotshot and Flemross.
 
Ruby Walsh teams up with one of his main retainers Paul Nicholls at Stratford today and the dynamic duo could ‘hit the bullseye’ with the somewhat disappointing Now Listen To Me on his chase debut in the extended 2m 5f novice at 4-40. A lightly raced 6yo he certainly is not one of the stable stars but he did show some ability when just losing out in a close finish in a Wincanton 2m 5f novice hurdle on penultimate start before seemingly failing to stay three miles on final outing when fancied ‘at the books’. Despite the claims of the Nicholls runner the vote here goes to the O’Neill 7yo Donaldson who created a good impression on his chase debut at Towcester over two and a half miles has not had that much fortune in two subsequent starts but the German bred looked to be going well when departing four from home over this course (2m 4f) on penultimate start and Noel Fehily can get him back to winning ways here where Listen To Me and the front running Gleann An Saggart whose only visit here saw him score over course and distance look the main dangers.
 
Johnjo O’Neill and Tony McCoy are ‘making hay’ at present and there are sound reasons that the combination will be on the mark today at Southwell in the 2m 5 1/2f handicap hurdle at 5-00 with the 9yo Englishtown. A dual winner on the flat in Ireland for John Oxx he has been mixing hurdling and chasing to good effect for his present yard, landing two chases and three hurdles from 2m 1f to 3m 1f and though he has been raised 7lbs for a snug win in a 3m Worcester handicap hurdle last time that should not stop him here. In a tight handicap cases can be made for the Irish challenger Tubber Gael Holly on her return to hurdles following her recent Stratford chase success and the somewhat disappointing King Ar Aghaidh. Other dangers include the improving dual hurdle winner Dais Return on his handicap debut and top weight Come Out Firing who is having a fine season though the handicapper may just have got the ‘whip hand’ at this stage.
 
Colin McBratney will have high hopes of landing the finale at Perth at 5-20 – a 2m 1/2f bumper with the once raced Bachelor Lad. This Bach 5yo was quietly fancied on his debut in a similar competitive Down Royal and he made no mistake in making all and showing fine battling qualities to account for the 4yo Benefit Evening by half a length with the favourite Sutherland Star four lengths back in third. The form of that contest was boosted by an easy win for the last named at Bellewstown recently and the Denis O’Regan ridden gelding should follow here under his 7lb penalty where the Lucinda Russell trained and once raced Battle Group could show the necessary improvement to step up on his fourth placing (ran green) at Uttoxeter a month ago in a similar contest.
 
Dundalk on the all weather houses an interesting 2m 1f handicap on its last last race of the day at 5-55 for qualified rider where the Willie/Patrick Mullins combination will be expected to follow up on a Navan 1m 5f apprentice handicap success with the versatile Deutchland. The form of that contest has been boosted by the subsequent success of Rajik (trained by Charlie Swan) but the winner did go up 7lbs nevertheless. Though the likely favourite should go close here there looks to be value in siding with another versatile sort in Oodachee off a low weight with a capable 5lb claimer on board. A four time winner on the flat (all over 2 miles) he gets 22lbs from the ‘jolly’ and he may have needed the outing when finishing down the field at Gowran three weeks ago and he is ideally suited by a sound surface and with stable in form he is taken to account for the market leader and the consistent all weather performer Azabu Juban.
 
ADVICE
5pt win (nap) STORMFIELD 3-20 Southwell
1pt win (saver) SCHOLAR KING 3-20 Southwell
4pt win INDIAN PACE 4-15 Curragh
1pt win/place SOPHOCLES 4-15 Curragh
3pt win THUNDER HAWK 4-20 Perth
1pt (saver) HE’S A HOTSHOT 4-20 Perth
3pt win DONALDSON 4-40 Stratford
2pt win (saver) NOW LISTEN TO ME 4-40 Stratford
5pt win BACHELOR LAD 5-20 Perth
4pt win ENGLISHTOWN 5-00 Southwell
3pt win (saver) KING AR AGHAIDH 5-00 Southwell
4pt win OODACHEE 5-55 Dundalk
lay to win 6pts DEUTCHLAND 5-55 Dundalk
BETDAQ MULTIBET 1pt 3 by 1 doubles/reble STORMFIELD, BACKSTAGE and BACHELOR LAD
 
We are now recording the daily profit and loss of Ireland's Eye to help readers gauge the current form of the service. We will provide the profit / loss on the previous day to a £1 level stake on each selection (eg: a 5 point bet = a £5 stake). In the interests of consistency the profit / loss will be recorded at SP prices, however BETDAQ users can reasonably expect to beat SP in the majority of races.

Saturday's Return was: PROFIT 3 points