Sunday 7 March
IRELAND'S EYE
Naas is the headline meeting today and the Kildare jumps card is backed up by two interesting English fixtures at Huntingdon and Sedgefield. A former promising staying chaser is taken to ‘hit the bulls eye’ after more than 3 years in a handicap chase at Naas while a debutant chaser can take the opener on the Sedgefield card for an in form yard.
Bygones Of Brid (3/1) and First Lieutenant (9/10-4/5) made it two from four yesterday for the column Benartic (15-7/4) and saver Dusty Doolan (11/2) proved second best in their respective races at Kempton and Gowran. Meanwhile in our back up service there was a clear cut success for Cass Bligh (6/4 morn-11/10) from our next best Better Times while our other selection (second best) King Of The Gypsies (2-13/8) also narrowly landed the odds.
Though You Never Said has not vindicated the promise shown on sole start in an Irish point (finished runner up to Kangaroo Court in competitive Lemonfield contest) the Charlie Egerton trained 6yo can finally deliver in the 2m 1/2f maiden hurdle at Huntingdon at 2-10. He has been quite keen on his three starts to date but the application of a tongue tie may prove the winning formula for the Dushyantor gelding and with Tony McCoy on board he can score at the third attempt over hurdles here over a trip which should suit (travels well) and he also handles a softer surface. His yard were on the mark during the week and the lightly tried sort can beat the fair ex flat racer Haarth Sovereign who shaped well to take second on his hurdling debut at Taunton over four weeks ago.
125 rated hurdler What A Buzz may be having his first outing in almost a year and is making his chase debut but the Donald McCain trained 8yo can prove the answer to the opening 2m 1/2f novice chase at Sedgefield this afternoon at 2-20. A winner of two hurdles on varying grounds up to 2m 4f the son of Zaha has performed well in defeat in Graded company and the admirably tough gelding should be cherry ripe for his seasonal bow for his in form yard and the Brian Harding ridden gelding can account for the more experienced Scale Bank whose sole success came at this track (over 2m 4f) and the Swinbank runner has run with some promise on his efforts to date over the larger obstacles. Eyre Square ran well to fill the runner up berth on his chasing bow behind the useful Gansey and the Reveley runner also comes into the reckoning.
Whodoyouthink and the unbeaten 7yo Silver Friend look set to dominate the betting in the opening 2m novice hurdle at Naas at 2-30 but we will be swerving the pair with a value alternative. The first named scored a wide margin victory on his third hurdle start last year over 2m 2f at Leopardstown before finishing an honourable fourth to the exciting Dunguib over CD four weeks ago. However Oliver McKiernans charge could be suited by further while the John Joe Walsh trained grey Silver Friend has scored comfortably in a Cork bumper and Fairyhouse maiden hurdle on his belated track career lately. His jumping was not entirely convincing despite his most recent success and he could be vulnerable to a more experienced sort in Hans Crescent. Victorious in a Wexford maiden over 4 months ago the 5yo stayed on late to take third to the useful Rigour Back Bob at Thurles and he showed his well being by landing favouritism in an all weather maiden at Dundalk recently. This stiffer track should suit the son of Dansili and with Adrian Heskin drawing a valuable 7lbs the Michael Hourigan trained gelding can beat the unbeaten Silver Friend.
Though Tom Taaffes yard are going through a quiet patch at present we will take a chance on his lightly raced runner Kings Advocate in the 3m hc chase at Naas today at 4-00.
Though the 10yo has just bagged a maiden hurdle (2m 6f) and a novice chase (2m 4f) during a 22 run career and the son of Saddlers’ Hall has only had only three runs since returned from a lengthy absence having finished a fair and well backed sixth in the 2006 Irish Grand National just over a year ago the veteran has shown promise in a few handicap chases over unsuitably shorter trips. Indeed he has only gone down by about five lengths or less in these races up to 2m 3f trips and now returned to a track which saw him finish third in a maiden hurdle and a handicap chase in the past with ground to suit and over a distance that he showed distinct promise over, including a few placings over hurdles with the talented 5lb claimer Chris O’Farrell on board he gets the vote to land his first win in almost three and a half years. Bottom weight Casey supreme rates a big danger if he can reproduce his second placing to the well handicapped Beroni in the Troytown chase over this trip over three months ago while the three time chase winner and top weight Rare Bob will have his supporters despite the steadier of 11-12.
2-50 SEDGEFIELD – 2m 4f novice hurdle
Dual bumper winner DOUBLE EXPRESSO made a satisfactory hurdle debut for the Howard Johnson yard over 5 weeks ago and though the 6yo will be short enough in the betting he can get back on the winning trail here under stable jockey Denis O’Regan. Former pointer Flaming Breeze couls be worth a placed wager at bigger odds for the Hogarth yard.
3-30 NAAS – 3m hc hurdle
Cork trainer Terence O’Brien has his string in fine order and the fledgling handler can add another victory to his seasonal tally with the consistent COOL QUEST tipped to step up on recent narrow defeats to land this competitive handicap off a bottom weight with drying ground likely to suit the daughter of Turtle Island. The Kevin Coleman ridden 6yo may provide the answer to this trappy handicap where Dancing Tornado and Fistoulig are others to consider.
ADVICE
BET 4pt win YOU NEVER SAID 2-10 Huntingdon
BET 4pt win WHAT A BUZZ 2-20 Sedgefield
BET 2pt win (saver) SCALE BANK 2-20 Sedgefield
BET 4pt win HANS CRESCENT 2-30 Naas
BET 2pt win (saver) SILVER FRIEND 2-30 Naas
BET 4pt win (nap) KINGS ADVOCATE 4-00 Naas
BET 2pt win (saver) CASEY SUPREME 4-00 Naas
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