Wednesday 3 March
IRELAND'S EYE
Its National day at Downpatrick in Ireland and at Folkestone where the Ulster National and the Kent National take place while Bangor makes it a hat trick of jump fixtures on a busy Wednesday. Meanwhile on the all weather Wolverhampton and the twilight card at Kempton give flat enthusiasts plenty of betting opportunities on the DAQ. We have a big priced fancy for the feature event up North while a former Irish pointer/hunter chaser can make a winning impact in a hunter chase at Folkestone.
Though we failed to get our lay of the day Good Old Thyme (5/6) turned over yesterday we did nevertheless record a brace of winners courtesy of Blazing Bailey (evens-5/6) in the novice chase at Leicester while later in that card our two savers My Old Piano (4-5/2) and William Somers (7/2-10/3) finished 1-2 in the hunters chase . In our supplemental service Brimham Boy (5-7/2) finished runner up to easy scorer Ray Mond in a handicap chase while at Catterick Dauntsey Bay (7/2) finished runner up in a staying handicap hurdle.
Local trainer Colin McBratney looks to have decent prospects of landing the opening extended 2m 2f maiden hurdle at Downpatrick today at 2-15 with Ballywooden King. The Marignan gelding has been running well in bumpers and the 6yo made a lot of the running before going down by just over a length in a lady riders bumper over course and distance last June on fast ground. The Eddie O’Connell ridden gelding stepped up markedly on his hurdling bow when keeping on to take a modest third to the useful Cadeceus in a Naas 2m 3f maiden hurdle on heavy ground almost four weeks ago. Better ground combined with course experience can see the lightly tried sort beat the favourite Marys Little Vic who has finished in the frame in a couple of heavy ground maiden hurdles over the minimum trip at Thurles and more recently Fairyhouse where the Dessie Hughes trained mare was ‘mugged’ on the line by Shuil Aris.
Ian Ferguson is one of the stalwarts on the Northern Ireland point to point scene and the Antrim trainer boasts a decent record at the unique Downpatrick circuit and he could be celebrating following the running of the Ulster National over 3m 4f today at 3-45. It must be said that his representative here Bally Wall has hardly fulfilled the promise shown in taking six points in the hunter chase sphere the twin benefit if better ground and course form can see the 7yo spring a surprise here under Robbie Colgan off a low weight. Though most of his point wins were achieved on easy ground the Moscow Society gelding has run well here on better ground in hunter events, losing out by the minimum margin to Chief Oscar over 2m 6f and more recently failing by a neck to give 7lbs to the fair hunter chaser Kircassock Vic on yielding to soft last December. He could have most to fear from the exposed Michael Cunningham runner Rock Diplomat who has been placed in four of his 11 starts over fences and was runner up to Ballytrim over this trip at Punchestown last May and though the 10yo has not shown much form on better ground the application of blinkers could bring about progression in the Paul Townend ridden gelding. Likely favourite Sigma Lifestyle in first time blinkers is one who looks unexposed over fences while one of the top weights Hume River should not be far away either.
Penny Doc proved a consistent pointer cum hunter chaser when trained by Gerard O’Keeffe in Ireland and he can finally open his account in the hunter chase arena by landing the 2m 5f hunter chase at Folkestone at 4-40. Victorious in 4 of his eleven tries ‘between the flags’ the Dr Massini gelding displayed decent form when just touched off by subsequent champion hunter chase winner Rudi Trucker in the prestigious Tetratema Cup at Gowran last year and though he could only finish a reasonable fourth in a Haydock hunter chase on his debut for the Hill yard 11 days ago he should strip fitter for this easier assignment and the drop back in distance must be rated a positive and an ability to handle testing ground is another plus.
2-45 DOWNPATRICK – 2m 1f 172yds mares novice hurdle
Former point and hurdle winners Maryiver and Miss Mary Mac look two of the likely winners here but with the latter making her seasonal debut it could pay to side with the Tommy Cooper trained ROSSDARA and the Kerry trainer can make the long trek a profitable one with success for the 5yo bumper and hurdle scorer who should handle this better ground and this represents a drop in grade on her latest efforts.
4-10 FOLKESTONE – 3m 7f hc chase
A real slog in the mud here faces the 10 runners and though the former Irish point winner Ya I Know has gone up 5lbs for his one and a half success over Tarquinius and he is now ‘wrong’ by that poundage to the last named the bottom weight (races of 10-0) can confirm the placings with the Charlie Mann trained 7yo.
4-50 BANGOR – 2m 4f 110yds novice hc chase
An open contest and though Andy Turnells French bred Qualypso D’Allier recent record of UUU does not make appetising reading the former point winner is given the vote to complete on this occasion and there was enough promise in those efforts to indicate that a handicap of this nature would be within the remit of the 6yo off a low weight. Top weight King Fontaine and seasonal debutant Our Jim look the main dangers.
ADVICE
BET 4pt win BALLYWOODEN KING 2-15 Downpatrick
BET 2pt win (saver) MARYS LITTLE VIC 2-15 Downpatrick
BET 3pt win ROSSDAR 2-45 Downpatrick
BET 4pt win (nap) BALLY WALL 3-45 Downpatrick
BET 2pt win (saver) ROCK DIPLOMAT 3-45 Downpatrick
BET 3pt win YA I KNOW 4-10 Folkestone
BET 2pt win (saver) TARQUINIUS 4-10 Folkestone
BET 4pt win PENNY DOC 4-40 Folkestone
BET 3pt win QUALYPSO D’ALLIER 4-50 Bangor
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