Friday 29 January
IRELAND'S EYE
On another busy day there are three competitive meetings at Doncaster, Newbury and Chepstow whilst the former fixture presents us with a couple of decent priced ex pointers who are taken to land a competitive handicap novice chase and keenly contested novice hurdles at attractive odds (9.8 and 7.8 on the DAQ at present).
Though our nap Inistioge (8s morn-6/1) could only finish runner up in the mares novice chase at Thurles we did manage a winner from our only other selection at this meeting when Rudi Trucker (7/4) just got home in the hunter chase while at Ffos Las the David Pipe trained Chartreux (5/2) romped home in a maiden hurdle. In the same contest we also managed to land our sole lay of the day when Lady Roberta (4/1) was well turned over in fourth in the same race. Additionally two of our savers Roman Conquest (10-6/1) and Tullintain (9/4-2/1) managed to finish in the money.
Racing opens at Chepstow today with a 2m 1/2f novice hurdle where the former Irish trained Good Old Thyme looks set to go off favourite to land his second career win and follow up his Leicester win for the Dr Newland yard in a 2m 5f hurdle over two months ago. Though the 6yo seemed not to get home over the same course and trip on heavy ground seven weeks ago and the drop in trip could prove beneficial here he may have to play ‘second fiddle’ to the former Irish trained ex Richard Brabazon Nobunaga who scored over 10f on heavy in a flat handicap at Navan and the 77 rated 5yo could prove up to this task on his first start for the Venetia Williams yard.
Novice handicap chases may not always be the way to a profit making day but the Class 3 event at Doncaster today at 2-30 could buck that trend when a former point scorer can land his second victory over the larger obstacles at the third attempt. The lightly raced Charlie Longsdon 7yo beat the subsequent Park winner Flemross to take his point on what was effectively his debut in that sphere at Maralin in 2007 and he has since taken a maiden hurdle on just his second start over flights before continuing that trend with a hard earned and narrow success on second pop over fences over the decent yardstick Ernest Blofeld over 2m 7f on heavy at Uttoxeter over two months ago. That performance proved that the son of Oscar Schindler would get todays trip (won point on fast ground) as the surface was deep last time and though the Richie McGrath ridden gelding has had problems with his wind in the past he should prove capable of passing this test off what looks a reasonable mark. His main dangers look to be two other former Irish point winners in the progressive Iconoclast who is 9lbs higher for landing a similar Kempton contest less than a fortnight ago over todays trip while the expensive Howard Johnson purchase Presenting Forever is open to plenty of improvement having scored a relatively bloodless victory in a Sedgefield over 2m 7f over seven weeks ago.
Ex Timmy Hyde trained Adams Island opened his point account at the fourth time of asking when narrowly scoring at Ballybunion on heavy but now with Rebecca Curtis the 6yo made a fine debut for the yard when beating another former point winner and rival today Crannaghmore Boy with an all the way success at Ffos Las over five weeks ago in a bumper. The Beneficial gelding is clearly on the upgrade and he can land the 3m 1/2f maiden hurdle at Newbury today under Tony McCoy with the step up in distance and softer ground looking likely to prove an asset. Paul Nicholls former English point winner Aiteen Thirtythree looks likely to go off favourite but he ahs questions to answer after a disappointing effort on his hurdle debut and the main danger could come from another former pointer in Back Exit who finished third to Door Boy in his second point start in 2008 and the Phillip Hobbs trained 7yo shaped well when taking third to Possol in a competitive Ascot novice hurdle over 2m 6f over two months ago on his second start over flights.
The closing 2m 3 1/2f novice hurdle at Doncaster at 4-15 pitches together a handful of promising sorts with five former scorers in the line up. The useful dual Southwell bumper winner Double Expresso looks the obvious starting point as the Howard Johnson trained 6yo should be suited by the step up from 2m whilst softer ground should not prove a drawback either. Jessica Harringtons Bostons Angel has scored twice from four starts over flights at 2m on heavy ground and the penalised 6yo now sports blinkers for the first time but he could struggle to give the weight away here on his fifth hurdle start. However the two that we will side with are the Nicky Henderson trained Lord Ragnar who showed decent form in novice events before readily landing a Cheltenham 2m 5f hurdle on his handicap debut almost three months ago and the 118 rated hurdler looks the one to beat here under 3lb claimer Richard Killoran. Nevertheless we will just give the vote to the former Conor O’Donnell trained Ravethebrave who beat a subsequent bumper winner by a wide margin when landing a Donore point on his second point start and the Alan King trained 6yo ran creditably when taking fourth in a Hereford 2m 4f novice hurdle on his debut for the yard almost three months ago. With his stable now striking form the son of of Rashar can beat some more fancied rivals here under Wayne Hutchinson with Lord Ragnar looking the obvious threat.
2-20 CHEPSTOW – 3m novice chase
The Alner trained CONNAK has shaped quite well over fences since returned from a ‘break’ and the course scorer can finally deliver here under Robert Walford with the former pointer Giles Cross looking the obvious danger if none the worse for his last time out fall.
2-40 NEWBURY – 2m 3f hc hurdle
Paul Nicholls SPECIAL OCCASION looks a tricky ride but Ruby Walsh conjured a win from the 6yo last time and the duo can strike again here with blinkers applied for the first time at the expense of the dual course scorer Majaales.
ADVICE
BET 3pt NOBUNAGA 1-10 Chepstow
BET 4pt win OUR HERO 2-30 Doncaster
BET 1pt win (savers) ICONOCLAST and PRESENTING FOREVER
BET 4pt win ADAMS ISLAND 3-15 Newbury
BET 1pt win AIM FOR THE STARS 3-15 Newbury
BET 4pt win (nap) RAVETHEBRAVE 4-15 Doncaster
BET 2pt win (saver) LORD RAGNAR 4-15 Doncaster
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: LOSS 14.68 points
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