Tuesday 2 February
IRELAND'S EYE
On a quiet day yesterday saver Riviera Chic (5/2-15/8) kept our flow of winners going with our first choice and nap Tuscan King (11/2-5/1) taking third berth in a BETDAQ sponsored handicap at Wolverhampton.
Taunton is the only jumps meet to survive this afternoon with Folkestone called off earlier this morning due to frost. Paul Nicholls ‘home’ track should see the champion trainer visit the winners enclosure on a couple of occasions at least and one of his veterans can oblige in a handicap chase later in the card while two former Irish point to pointers can land a handicap hurdle and novice chase earlier in the day.
French Ties left plenty of money in the ‘bookmakers satchels’ when supported in handicap chases when trained by Robert Tyner in Ireland but the 8yo point winner seems to have found his niche for his present yard over the minor obstacles. This son of John French seemed to appreciate the transition to hurdles on his debut over flights and first time cheek pieces on his second start for the Jennie Candish yard when scoring with authority at Sedgefield a week ago under Alan O’Keeffe over three and a half miles. Though he has never been the most reliable sorts it could pay to row in with the Wiliam Biddick ridden gelding to shake off a six pound penalty and land the opening 3m 1/2f hc hurdle at Taunton at 1-40 ground and trip looking ideal for the former Kilmallock point victor. Another former point winner Oamaru Stone could pose the main threat despite the fact that the 7yo has shown just fair form since joining the Paul Nicholls yard but he could be on a fair mark here on his handicap debut with Nick Scholfield taking off 3lbs and trip looking likely to suit despite the fact that he has to give 5lbs to the selection.
Former Irish pointer King’s Forest came up against two useful sorts in Micheal Flips and Pandorama in a point and bumper on initial efforts but the Emma Lavelle trained 6yo has made a good impression in England in the interim – landing a brace of hurdles at 2m 1f and 2m 5f in the last couple of years. The Celtic Swing 135 rated hurdler shaped well on his chase debut at Bangor over 2m 5f when taking third to Ogee at Bangor having taken a keen hold but failed badly in better class a month later. Returning from a four month absence the Jack Doyle ridden gelding can make amends by landing the 2m 3f novice chase on the Taunton card at 2-40 if he settles better on his third start over the major obstacles but he does have the benefit of a course win in a novice over 2m 1f here 13 months ago. In addition he should be at home on the forecast good to soft surface. In a race where solid cases can be made for several including Quartz De Thaix and the exasperating Vodka Brook the main threat may come from the 129 rated hurdler Son Of Flicka who has been showing steady improvement in his two starts in chases to date.
The 2m 3f hc chase at Taunton at 4-10 looks an open affair but our vote goes to the Paul Nicholls trained Oracle Des Mottes despite the fact that the now 11yo ran out with victory in sight in a 2m 1f novice hurdle here as a 4yo back in 2003. Although the French bred can hardly be described as ‘mr reliable’ the dual chase and three time point scorer may provide the answer here under Ruby Walsh on ground/trip which suits and he can be produced late to beat the front running ex Irish point winner Babe Heffron from the Tom George yard whose penultimate second placing was boosted by a surprise win of the winner there Suntini over former Arkle favourite Tataniano last week.
3-40 TAUNTON – 3m 1/2f novice hurdle
Valentine Vic looked a promising sort when scoring twice ‘between the flags’ for Liam Burke and he made a winning hurdles debut over course and distance less than a fortnight ago but he may find the concession of 7lbs to last years Foxhunters Chase winner Cappa Bleu (hurdle debut) just beyond him here though the latter has not found his best form to date over fences.
ADVICE
BET 4pt win FRENCH TIES 1-40 Taunton
BET 3pt win (saver) OAMARU STONE 1-40 Taunton
BET 5pt win (nap) KING’S FOREST 2-40 Taunton
BET 2pt win (saver) SON OF FLICKA 2-40 Taunton
BET 3pt win ORACLE DES MOTTES 4-10 Taunton
BET 2pt win (saver) BABE HEFFRON 4-10 Taunton
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
Comments