Friday 5 February
IRELAND'S EYE
With one afternoon all weather fixture at Lingfield and a twilight affair at Wolverhampton for the second day running there are plenty of betting opportunities on the level with BETDAQ again proving the major sponsors. Catterick has managed to pass an early morning inspection while National Hunt followers also have a fine card to peruse at Bangor where a couple of chasers can ensure we get into profit for the day.
We may have failed to get on the score sheet on Wednesday but it was business as usual yesterday when nap For Bill (7/4-5/4) once gain delivered the goods for us in the mares novice hurdle at Clonmel from our saver Killultagh Queen (2/1) and that was followed by success for former maiden pointer Johnny Mullen (9-6/1) in a novice hurdle at Wincanton from our next best Gifted Leader (2/1). Our selection in the hunter chase at Clonmel Theresathingwrong (9s morn-9/2) proved a market mover but he was soundly beaten in third behind Shamrock Hall.
Lucy Wadhams Emperor Concerto has proved a consistent and quite useful sort over hurdles (rated 125) and the Worcester 2m 4f maiden hurdle winner shaped fairly promisingly on his chase debut at Fakenham eighteen days ago when losing out eventually to the Nicholls trained Massasoit over three miles and one. Though that was ultimately disappointing as the 7yo travelled like the winner for most of the way and failed to find that much at ‘the business end’ that was his first attempt over the bigger obstacles and he jumped soundly throughout. He gets our vote to atone in the 3m 1/2f novice at Bangor at 1-50 today under Leighton Aspell and he could have most to fear from the Alan King trained Pennek whose chase debut was not that noteworthy but he is now fitted with cheek pieces for the first time and with his stable now hitting form the 138 rated hurdler could go close with improvement to come. Former dual point winner Fabalu is another to consider as the front running 8yo will appreciate testing ground and has run a few solid efforts when taking placed money over fences to date and he has also recorded one of his two Park victories at this track when making all over 3m on heavy in a novice hurdle a year ago.
Donald McCain and Jason Maguire can combine to land the 2m 4 1/2f hc chase at Bangor at 2-25 with course hurdle victor Khachaturian. The seven year old has only once finished out of the placings when completing in five efforts over fences and though he is far from the finished article over fences he has shown plenty of grit to land a Kempton novice over 3m and was just touched off by Seven Is My Number (gave 10lbs) in a novice event over 2m 5f at this track four months ago. Though he has to give 18lbs to the highly progressive mare Noun De La Thinte here the prominent running sort should be capable of giving the weight away here on ground which suits and a track where he boasts a fine record.
Former dual point and hunter chase scorer Truckers Hall should open his English account in the 2m 3f novice hurdle at Catterick today at 3-20 on his third start for the Tom George yard. Though the 7yo has won a point on soft ground the Saddlers’ Hall gelding is suited by better ground and he should be fine on the forecast good to soft surface here whilst the drop back in distance will not prove a drawback either as he is best at trips under three miles in any case. His two runs when taking fourth in a ‘hot’ Ludlow novice over 2m 5f and when failing to see out 3m 1f at Chepstown when beaten some way in the end by the useful Possol read well in a race of this nature and he can prove too strong for the improving but penalised Jennie Candish trained bumper and hurdle scorer Barafundle (must give selection 6lbs) who may be suited by astiffer test having landed a Hereford 2m 7f novice hurdle on soft over 2 months ago.
2-45 CATTERICK – 3m 1 1/2f hc hurdle
Former point winner Whats Up Woody snatched victory from certain defeat at Hexham last time and should go close here under 3lb claimer Ryan Mania but he may just have to give best to recent all weather scorer and subsequent Southwell hurdle winner DAN BUOY here.
ADVICE
BET 5pt win (nap) TRUCKERS HALL 1-20 Catterick
BET 2pt win (saver) BARAFUNDLE 1-20 Catterick
BET 4pt win EMPEROR CONCERTO 1-50 Bangor
BET 2pt win (saver) FABALU 1-50 Bangor
BET 4pt win KHACHATURIAN 2-25 Bangor
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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