Saturday 5 December
IRELAND'S EYE
It's Tingle Creek day at Sandown and we reluctantly pass over the Colm Murphy trained Big Zeb with a Paul Nicholls runner in the feature while there are also decent meetings at Chepstow and Wetherby – the latter meet offers a decent opportunity for an ex point winner – while in Ireland Navan stages a fine meeting where the novice chase offers the best bet of the day.
Yesterday was not one of our memorable days as our saver Rivaliste (2/1) was napped in the final strides at Sandow and our nap Bensalem (4/5 morn-4/6) got turned over in the fog at Exeter.
It's D-Day today for Big Zeb as Colm Murphys exciting 8yo hopes to land the feature Tingle Creek chase at Sandown over the minimum trip in the hands of Barry Geraghty. Geraghty is no stranger to success in this race having scored in the past with Moscow Flyer but in Big Zeb he has a mount of equal ability but the question has to be whether the son of Oscar can put his jumping frailties behind here on the biggest day of his chase career. Though the Murphy trained favourite has only once finished out of the first 2 during his career he has fallen in 4 of his eleven chase starts to date. However he has shown signs of late that he is improving in this department and he was most impressive in seeing off Made In Taipan (rec 5lbs) in a Grade 2 at Navan last time. Reluctantly we will take on the favourite with the 2007 winner Twist Magic who made a fine seasonal debut in finishing a decent third to Planet Of Sound (rec 15lbs) at Exeter over 2m 2f in a competitive Grade 2 handicap chase. The Ruby Walsh ridden 7yo was posing a major danger to his stable companion Master Minded when toppling two from home in last years renewal of this race and he just gets the nod as he boasts a fine record at the track and he is more consistent in the jumping department.
Victor Dartnalls Lodge Lane is a very useful horse on his day and though the 8yo has failed to add to his chase debut victory over subsequent Cheltenham festival winner Wichita Lineman over 3m at Exeter he has run well on a couple of occasions and should have collected in a Cheltenham 3m 2f novice earlier this year. Although he can sometimes be less than proficient in the jumping department he made a fine seasonal debut at Carlisle recently till fading late in finishing third to the useful Money Trix over 3m 1f. He gets the vote to land the 3m hc chase at Chepstow today at 2-35 under 7lb claimer Joshua Guerriero on his handicap debut on just his eight chase start against an average field with ground and trip to suit. Quickbeam from the Venetia Williams yard making his first start for over 8 months under William Biddick could pose the main danger.
Former point winner Babe Heffron can make a bold bid off a lowish weight to land the 2m hc chase at Wetherby today at 2-40 under Denis O’Regan for the Tom George yard where the veteran and last year winner Polar Gunner from the Malcolm Jefferson yard rates the main threat.
Andrew Lynch has been in fine form in recent weeks and he can combine with trainer Jim Dreaper to land the 3m novice chase at Navan at 3-00 with the 6yo Telenor. The son of Bob Back won his maiden hurdle here on demanding ground over course and distance back in January on just his third hurdle start and he was far from disgraced in finishing a modest third to Jered at Punchestown over 2m 4f three weeks ago. That experience should put him ‘spot on’ for this assignment and he can beat Dessie Hughes Lurgan – a dual hurdle winner who has run well in his two chase starts to date but the Roger Loughran ridden 7yo may not be as effective at the trip as the selection. The experienced Prince Roco is another to consider on his eight chase start having shown ability when placed on a few occasions.
1-25 SANDOWN 2m 1/2f novice hurdle
Former point winner MASTER OF THE HALL will be fancied to recoup losses incurred when failing to justify favouritism in a competitive bumper on his debut for the Henderson yard and he can make the most of the 8lbs he receives from the dual hurdle winner Sonowyouno here.
1-30 NAVAN - 2m maiden hurdle
Former point winner MAGNANIMITY just gets the nod to land the odds here on his third hurdle start and the Dessie Hughes trained 5yo can beat his main rival – the dual bumper winner Lucky William in what looks a virtual match.
ADVICE
BET 4pt win TWIST MAGIC 2-25 Sandown
BET 1pt win (saver) BIG ZEB 2-25 Sandown
BET 4pt win LODGE LANE 2-35 Chepstow
BET 1pt win (saver) QUICKBEAM 2-35 Chepstow
BET 3pt win BABE HEFFRON 2-40 Wetherby
BET 2pt win (saver) POLAR GUNNER 2-40 Wetherby
BET 5pt win (nap) TELENOR 3-00 Navan
BET 2pt win (saver) LURGAN 3-00 Navan
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.
Friday's Return was: LOSS 21 points
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