Thursday 4 February
IRELAND'S EYE
Towcester today with testing ground should sort out the ‘men from the boys’ over jumps in the UK today while there is an interesting and competitive card also at Wincanton. Meanwhile in Ireland Clonmel run a 7 race card where a three time point winner can land the hunter chase whilst we will be siding with two bigger priced former Irish pointers in Wincanton and Towcester events.
Unfortunately we failed to deliver a winner yesterday for the first time in yonks but we were robbed of certain success in the closing novice hurdle at Exeter when the sweet travelling Court In Motion (3morn-11/4) managed to inexplicably come down a couple of strides after the last. In contrast however we were fortunate to deliver the second and third finishers in Chasing Cars (9/4-2/1) and Del Rio (9/2) in the novice chase at Down Royal as the likely scorer Corskeagh Royale came down at the second last when looking the likely winner.
Michael Winters For Bill has done us numerous favours to date and as the old saying goes ‘follow a mare in form till she meets defeat’ and his For Bill looks to have decent prospects of extending her unbeaten record under all codes in the 2m 1/2f mares novice hurdle at Clonmel at 2-15 today. Paul Townend get the leg up today on the 7yo who is unbeaten in two points, three bumpers and a hurdle and the daughter of Presenting can follow up her debut success over hurdles achieved over 2m 4f here seven weeks ago. Though she does not win by wide margins on most occasions the useful mare usually delivers at the ‘business end’ and though this trip is probably her bare minimum the soft to heavy ground will suit and she can confirm the form of her Navan bumper win over main danger Killultagh Queen (finished some fifteen lengths adrift in 6th) who opened her hurdle account when seeing off the dual bumper winner Golden Sunbird in a Limerick 2m 3f hurdle over five weeks ago. One at a bigger price as a back to lay option may be the Jimmy Mangan trained point and chase winner Go Sandy Go who will be suited by the underfoot conditions and the 8yo could make a bold bid from the front but as with a few in this race the trip could prove somewhat on the short side.
Johnny Mullen failed to deliver for Robert Tyner ‘between the flags’ in Ireland but the Bishop Of Cashel 7yo may provide the answer to the 2m novice hurdle at Wincanton at 2-20 today under his 7lb claimer. Now with Paul Henderson he has shown decent form in bumpers on a softish surface culminating in a gritty success in such a contest over this trip on this course some six weeks ago at generous odds. With the experience gained in points to draw on he could land this contest at the expense of the improving but penalised Gifted Leader who opened his account over flights at the third time of asking by taking a Southwell novice over the minimum trip earlier this month. However the Victor Dartnall trained 5yo has to give 13lbs to the selection and the Henderson runner also gets 7lbs from the likely favourite Henry King who has to put a last time out fall behind but would have strong claims on his slightly flattering runner up placing to the useful Pepo Simo on his hurdle debut.
The 2m 3 1/2f mares maiden hurdle over the demanding Towcester circuit at 3-40 can play to the strengths of the former Kilfeacle point winner Sordid Secret on just her third start for the Evan Williams yard. Though the lightly raced 7yo has not shown much in a bumper (firm) and hurdle start to date the daughter of Flemensfirth should appreciate this test (won on demanding track on heavy in point) with ground/trip to suit and the Paul Moloney ridden mare can land the spoils here at attractive odds with the former flat racer Lady Sorcerer looking the main danger. Though she disappointed latterly on the level the Alan Jarvis trained 5yo dual flat winner did show a little on easier ground on occasions during her career and she shaped reasonably well in taking fourth on her hurdle debut at Kempton over 2m on good ground over three months ago.
The trip of 2m 4f is the most important factor when analysing the hunter chase at Clonmel at 4-15 and with that in mind the two that we will take against the field are the front runner Theresathingwrong and Ballyverane Oscar. The former is a two time point scorer and though he does not boast the most impressive jumping record and that led ultimately to his recent defeat in an Aghabullogue point to one of todays rivals Castleview Mills the trip could suit the trail blazing sort who hails from the in form Liam Burke yard. However the vote goes to Ballyverane Oscar to give the Winters team a double as the lightly raced 9yo has made a telling and winning impact ‘between the flags’ on his return to this sphere last year, racking up a three timer and he just found the more experienced ex David Pipe trained Kilty Storm more match fit when going down by half a dozen lengths to that rival in a keenly contested Aghabullogue recently. It should not be forgotten that the son of Oscar was beaten less than a length in two soft ground bumpers in 2007 and one of those winners was the Gold Cup hopeful Cooldine. In what looks an open affair Mikey O’Connor can pick off the front running Theresathingwrong while George Travis ‘caught the eye’ on his seasonal debut at Nenagh recently and the experienced Ted Gunther is another who could be suited by this test.
1-40 TOWCESTER – 2m novice hurdle
Nick Giffords ASHLEYS LAD and Henry Dalys Pearlysteps should dominate the finish here and a narrow vote goes to the former despite the trip arguably being on the short side but the uphill finish may cancel out that drawback.
2-45 CLONMEL – 2m 6f novice hurdle
Glenstal Abbey looks set to head the market here but Willie Mullins useful bumper scorer QUADRILLION should be forgiven a shocker last time on his second start over hurdles and he can put the record straight here at the expense of The Book Thief who could be suited by an even sterner test.
ADVICE
BET 5pt win (nap) FOR BILL 2-15 Clonmel
BET 2pt win (saver) KILLULTAGH QUEEN 2-15 Clonmel
BET 4pt win JOHNNY MULLEN 2-20 Wincanton
BET 2pt win (saver) GIFTED LEADER 2-20 Wincanton
BET 4pt win SORDID SECRET 3-40 Towcester
BET 1pt win (saver) LADY SORCERER 3-40 Towcester
BET 4pt win BALLYVERANE OSCAR 4-15 Clonmel
BET 2pt win (saver) THERESATHINGWRONG
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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