Thursday 30 July
IRELAND'S EYE
It's Galway Hurdle day at the Festival today and in a highly competitive renewal there could be another day of joy for the Mullins clan while there could be success for a hurdler who scored here on Monday in a flat handicap off an appealing weight.
Three winners on DAY 3 of Galway and it is clear profit to date with Steig (7-6/1) taking a handicap while we got back on the winning trail in the NAPS department when Blackstairmountain (15/8 morn-5/4) landed the maiden in style. In addition Tawaag (4/5) took the opener and our saver Izagonawin (7-6/1) was just beaten by the minimum margin in another flat handicap while two of our three choices in the featured Galway Plate – Knock On The Head (20s morn-9/1) and Washington Lad (11/1) took second and third behind cosy winner Ballyholland.
PERFECT PINT BEGINNERS CHASE 2m 6f
If Tony Martins Corrick Bridge takes his chance here following his defection from the 2m 4f handicap hurdle yesterday he will start a fairly short priced favourite. Undoubtedly the 7yo grey course winner of a two mile maiden hurdle here in 2007 could go close if none the worse for two falls on his first couple of starts over fences in Killarney on good to yielding over similar trips where he looked likely to go close when departing at the latter stages. However soft ground could prove his undoing and the vote goes to Paul Nolans German bred Maucaillou who won on the flat in his native country and also a two mile maiden hurdle and the 6yo has indicated a fair level of form to date over the larger obstacles. The 6yo is rated 116 over hurdles and boasts form on a soft surface, including a second on soft at Cheltenham and he has shaped well in all four starts to date and was going well when departing about a mile from home at Killarney later last year and his most recent close second at Wexford over 3m 1f has been boosted by further success for the progressive winner Montero. Others to consider are the Dermot Weld trained Noble Crusader who should handle the ground but the trip is an imponderable and the former point to point winner Janeylad who has finished runner up in two novice chases from 3 to date on firm but does have form on soft. However the next best could be the Dessie Hughes trained Shakey Scaffold who will be suited by the trip and though he ‘came a cropper’ last time at Down Royal he has shown enough on demanding ground to merit consideration.
GUINNESS TIME HANDICAP 1m 100yds
Local trainer Daniel Marnanes Separate Ways has gone up a total of 18lbs for two facile successes within two days at the recent Killarney Festival meeting on soft recently but the 4yo rates the one to beat under Colm O’Donoghue here. He is undoubtedly suited by a good ‘cut’ in the ground and there is every chance he will make it a treble her where the John Hayden trained mare Harriers Call under her 3lb claimer could prove the main danger. The form of her second behind Marias Dream at the Curragh on soft in June has been advertised by wins for a couple of those that finished behind which included Rose Hip (dual scorer) and Izagonawin (just touched off here last night) whilst she herself accounted for the consistent Toufan Express on good ground subsequently.
ST. JAME’S GATE NOVICE CHASE 2m 1f
An interesting novice chase with the trip likely to prove far from ideal for a couple of the main protagonists. The obvious starting point is the progressive Montero, a former point winner who has landed both chases to date at 3m 1f and on latest over 2m 6f at Limerick on good to yielding. However Dessie Hughes charge has scored on soft ground over hurdles and though the trip is definitely on the short side the 7yo is the one to beat here. Former maiden pointer Aoife Costa (showed consistent form and was unlucky on a couple of occasions) looks an interesting alternative however as the daughter of Blueprint has scored on her chase debut at Kilbeggan on yielding to soft and she has shaped subsequently as if the drop back in trip will suit the Paul Gilligan trained 6yo. Better ground would be to the benefit of the penalised pair of Farinelli and Quintana whilst the other main danger to the favourite is the Tony Martin trained Another Ambition who might have collected on his chase debut but for tipping up at the last at Clonmel and the Ruby Walsh ridden gelding has scored his sole win on soft ground.
GUINNESS 250th ANNIVERSARY EBF HANDICAP 7f
Joanna Morgans bottom weight Beauthea has proved popular ‘at the books’ on her last couple of starts on yielding and softer ground and though that money remained in the ‘bookies satchels’ the 3yo could be on the verge of repaying her followers here under David Moran. Though she went up 2lbs for finishing a close enough third to Ballivor at the Curragh in a mile handicap on soft she did have the subsequent scorer Snap well behind and the drop back in distance could just prove the deciding factor here – despite the fact that she is racing 3lbs out of the handicap. The Weld runner Anywaysmile will prove popular with punters here but the Naas maiden winner is untried on the surface and looks short enough in the betting. Dual course and distance winner Miranda’s Girl proved somewhat disappointing when going off favourite for a more competitive handicap here on Tuesday where the extra furlong may have found out the 4yo and though suited by the ground the handicapper she may just prove vulnerable to a better handicapped rival. Another danger to the selection may come from the Cork all the way winner Drombeg Dawn though the Andrew McNamara trained 3yo is unproven on ground this soft.
SIGNATURE NOVICE HURDLE 2m 4f
Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh got off the mark for the meeting when taking the opening race yesterday and there are sound reasons that they will add to that victory by landing this novice hurdle with the dual hurdle scorer Dual Gales. Though the lightly raced 8yo three career victories have come on yielding or better ground he did finish a fair third to the very useful Venalmar in a Punchestown 2m 4f maiden hurdle on heavy ground at the end of 2007. Though he failed to land the hat trick over hurdles when staying on well to finish a close third to Pires (rec 12lbs) at Killarney a fortnight ago he should return to winning ways here at the expense of the former point winner Onzo Mor who made a winning debut over hurdles in a Roscommon heavy ground maiden from subsequent scorer Be Definite and the step up in trip is hardly likely to prove a stumbling block to the Caroline Hutchinson trained 5yo.
ARTHUR GUINNESS GALWAY HURDLE HANDICAP 2m
On what could be a profitable day for leading trainer Willie Mullins his versatile Deutchland looks the solution to this years typically open looking renewal of the Galway Hurdle. Though the eight time scorer will start favourite to land the second biggest ‘pot’ of the week he showed his well being with a smooth success in a flat handicap on the all weather at Dundalk on latest. However the former flat and chase scorer handles all types of grounds, including heavy and off bottom weight and with Ruby Walsh on board the 6yo looks difficult to oppose. With two previous winners of the race in the line up in the shape of Cuan Na Gra (2007) and last years first/second Indian Pace and Eagle’s Pass this looks a competitive affair but that trio look to have ‘enough on their plate’ at the weights with Cuan Na Gra probably suited by better ground despite scoring on softer while Indian Pace ran disappointingly in admittedly a muddling contest here in the feature flat handicap here on Monday night. There are plenty of last time out winners in the line up and amongst them are the progressive Kevin O’Brien trained Fingers who is on a four timer while Paul Nolan is also represented by See U Bob. The main dangers to the selection are the Dermot Weld trained Vital Plot who showed his well in a couple of flat contests of late at the Curragh and Leopardstown. The ‘Shark’ Hanlons Truckers Delight was another not to run to ‘up to scratch’ on the opening evening on the flat and the 8yo has gone up almost a stone for his facile Punchestown hc hurdle win in April he still looks competitive at a course where he sampled success last year.
ARTHUR’S LEGACY HANDICAP 1m 4f
It is always boring to go with the ‘bleedin obvious’ but it is difficult to oppose Jessica Harringtons No One Tells Me in her fourth flat start and her first on her favoured easy ground. A winner of a 2m handicap hurdle here on Monday the 4yo’s chances are underlined by the fact that she finished a fair saying on fourth in a mile maiden here on just her second career start on good to firm as a 2yo and as she is unexposed in this discipline her modest mark of 60 gives the Declan McDonagh ridden filly a fine opportunity to open her account here – though the odds could prove somewhat cramped. The main danger may come from the Dermot Weld trained top weight Gratified who flattered to deceive here on Monday night also when outgunned late by the younger mare Moonlight Sapphire in a two mile novice hurdle. Harrington is also represented by the consistent maiden Sandymount Lady who cannot be left out of calculations but probably the best place vale could be in siding with the unexposed Joseph Murphy trained filly Belle Watling who has been showing signs of promise in her recent starts.
GUINNESS STOREHOUSE FLAT RACE 2m 2f
Bumpers by there very nature can be quite tricky but this finale event looks extremely open with sound cases readily made for half a dozen of the runners. The likely favourite Buoy George could be suited by the step up in distance but he is hardly a star in the Willie Mullins camp while the ground and distance will be in favour of the game Killaloe point winner (fast time on soft/heavy) and the Margaret Flynn trained 6yo has been running creditably in a couple of bumpers and a maiden hurdle on yielding and better ground in the interim. With the promising Declan Queally on board he must be considered seriously. However there are quite a few more unexposed rivals in the line up and these include the ‘Mags’ Mullins trained and Brian O’Connell ridden Threadneedle Gun who could be suited by the ease in the ground while of more interest is the Dessie Hughes trained and twice tried Tonto Kacy who though beaten some way in his bumper and hurdle start to date on softish ground the son of Old Vic was far from disgraced in a competitive maiden hurdle at Navan when last seen some 8 months ago. With Paddy Kennedy taking off a useful 7lbs and the step up in trip looking likely to suit he may get the better of the once raced mare Daneva who ran well when taking a fair fourth spot behind the easy winner Huckle Buck Shoe at Kilbeggan over 2m 3f (bumper) recently and the subsequent facile success for the runner up there Miss Mary Mac adds credibility to the prospects of the Paul Gilligan trained 5yo who will be suited by the ease in the ground (by Turtle Island) and has the assistance of crack point to point rider Mikey O’Connor. Others to consider are the once raced Paul Roche trained Island Oscar and luckless point to pointer Bay Central.
ADVICE
BET 3pt win MAUCAILLOU 2-00 Galway
BET 2pt win (saver) CORRICK BRIDGE 2-00 Galway
BET 3pt win HARRIERS CALL 2-35 Galway
BET 2pt win (saver) SEPARATE WAYS 2-35 Galway
BET 4pt win AOIFE COSTA 3-10 Galway
BET 2pt win (saver) ANOTHER AMBITION 3-10 Galway
BET 4pt win BEAUTHEA 3-45 Galway
BET 2pt win (saver) MIRANDAS GIRL 3-45 Galway
BET 6pt win (nap) DUAL GALES 4-20 Galway
BET 5pt win DEUTCHLAND 5-00 Galway
BET 2pt win (saver) VITAL PLOT 5-00 Galway
BET 5pt win NO ONE TELLS ME 5-40 Galway
BET 1pt win 1pt place BELLE WATLING 5-40 Galway
BET 3pt win TONTO KACY 6-15 Galway
BET 2pt win (savers) BALLYVOILE and DANEVA 6-15 Galway
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.
Wednesday's Return was: PROFIT 9.85 points
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