August, 2010:

Thursday 26 August

IRELAND’S EYE

It’s the second day of a two day fixture at Ffos Las this afternoon but the difference is that the flat takes over today with a 6 race card. There is also afternoon racing at Ayr and Lingfield featuring grass and AW and later in the day it is the turn of Goodwood to take over. The unique Cartmel supplies the only National Hunt fare in England whilst there is a double header in Ireland with Day 2 of the Bellewstown meting providing an all jumps card and down further down South Tipperary stage a decent flat card featuring a Listed fillies race. A Bolger trained maiden can land a competitive 9f contest against winners at Tipperary while a last time out chase winner is tipped to revert to hurdles with victory in a keenly contested Bellewstown handicap hurdle.

Nap Zaralabad (2-7/4) made amends for last weeks loss by taking the closing contest at Bellewstown yesterday evening and we doubled up 15 minutes later when saver What A Scientist (5/2) took the last race on the Bangor card – a handicap hurdle for the in form Twiston Davies yard. It was that yard who proved our nemesis in the feature race at Ffos Las when our two selections Sea Wall (16/1) and Midnight Gold (16/1) both finished third and second respectively behind the facile Paddy Brennan ridden Nigel Twiston-Davies trained Grand Slam Hero in the feature hc chase. Additionally two of our other selections Councilofconstance (11/2) and Solo Performer (12/1) were not beaten far in their respective contests at Bellewstown.

King High has proved a consistent and successful type for the in form Eoin Doyle yard and the 6yo can land his fourth hurdle victory by taking the 2m 4f hc hurdle at 5-30. Though the King’s Theatre gelding has been mixing hurdles with chasing this year and registered his second (both at Tramore) chase at the seaside venue 11 days ago over 2m 6f he has won twice at this distance, including when narrowly landing a Down Royal handicap over todays trip when last successful over flights some two months ago. With a useful claimer taking off 5lbs here and with ground/trip ideal he can take the main honours here off a low weight where another bottom weight Waterloo Chaeau representing the Noel Meade/Paul Carberry alliance can pose the main danger while recent Kilbeggan 2m maiden hurdle winner Imperial Shabra boasts plenty of experience in handicaps having finally opened his account after 17 attempts.

With the Tony Mullins yard in top form at present it could pay to side with seasonal debutant and thrice raced Mulgrave Street to land the first division of the 3m maiden hurdle at Bellewstown this evening at 6-05. Admittedly this lightly raced 6yo has only shown modest form on his initial starts he did hint at better when keeping on to take a fair sixth placing in a Kilbeggan 2m 4f maiden hurdle on his first start on a sound surface when last seen some 14 weeks ago. David Caseys mount is just given the nod over To The Left from another in form yard (Tom Hogan) and the daughter of Presenting who has been placed in a bumper and on penultimate start over flights in a Cork handicap over 2m 2f could be helped by this step up in trip under 7lb claimer Robert Jones. Sirius Bay must rate a big danger if he gets the trip having shown promise in most starts to date while his closer third to Hamalka over 2m 1f at this venue last time represents the best tangible form in the race.

The 9f contest at Tipperary this evening (6-50) looks an open contest and though it does not make sense as a rule to side with maidens there are compelling reasons to give the vote here to Jim Bolgers 3yo Rock Medley. A son of Rock Of Gibraltar he has run fairly well on mainly easy ground from 6f up to 10f, including a fair second placing at the Curragh over six furlongs on soft he did show a decent level of form in his first handicap last time at Gowran over a mile on good ground when beaten a length and a half by the useful Separate Ways. Though the 80 rated colt is drawn 8 here he can account for the 4yo Northern Rocked who has been running consistently well though he has not enjoyed the best of the draw while Richard Brabazons 3yo filly Skyway deserves plenty of respect as the lightly raced daughter of Trans Island has shown consistent and progressive form in her four starts.

4-25 BELLEWSTOWN – 2m 1f hurdle

Pires looks likely to be popular here under Ruby Walsh but Tony Martins 6yo has never really convinced in the stamina department despite succeeding over this trip at Killarney last year and he looks opposable here where the Andrew Heffernan trained HASARATAN is just given the nod to beat the habitual runner up (3 times round here) Auenschutze.

5-55 CARTMEL – 3m 6f hc chase

Three course winners, including course and distance winner Shulmin line up in this open staying chase and though Irish raider Volcanic Rock could have his followers having opened his track account here over 3m 2f it is the ex hunter and somewhat unreliable chaser THUNDER HAWK who gets our tentative vote to beat Volcanic Rock who will be suited by this step up in trip.

6-35 BELLEWSTOWN – 3m hc hurdle

Though the Andrew Lynch trained AHORSECALLEDMOLLY ran out a good if somewhat surprise winner of a Roscommon 3m handicap hurdle earlier this month the lightly raced 9yo could defy a 7lb penalty here where Manger Hanagment lower down the weights can pose the main threat.

ADVICE
BET 3pt win HASARATAN 4-25 Bellewstown
BET 1pt win (saver) AUENSCHUTZE 4-25 Bellewstown
BET 4pt win (nap) KING HIGH 5-30 Bellewstown
BET 2pt/1pt win (savers) WATERLOO CHATEAU and IMPERIAL SHABRA 5-30 Bellewstown
BET 3pt win THUNDER HAWK 5-55 Cartmel
BET 2pt win (saver) VOLCANIC ROCK 5-55 Cartmel
BET 4pt win MULGRAVE STREET 6-05 Bellewstown
BET 2pt wins (savers) TO THE LEFT and SIRIUS BAY 6-05 Bellewstown
BET 4pt win AHORSECALLEDMOLLY 6-35 Bellewstown
BET 1pt win (saver) MANGER HANAGMENT 6-35 Bellewstown
BET 4pt win ROCK MEDLEY 6-50 Tipperary
BET 2pt win/1pt win (savers) NORTHERN ROCKED and SKYWAY 6-50 Tipperary
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