Thurles 13th Janurary 2009

cson · 13-01-2009 2:29am #1

Might be heading to this tomorrow so I've gone throught the card for what its worth;

Thurles - Going: Soft

12:40 A tricky little race to start with, a handicap chase. It would seem to be a shoot out between My Lord Oscar and Paddy Joe. However both are going to be shortish prices and don't appeal in a race like this. Definitely in my opinion My Lord Oscar will take all the beating as the trip and ground both suit and the horse is in great form but I'm tentative to get involved at the current betfair price of 7/4. Of much more intriguing interest is Jim Cullotys Knockanglass a solid point-to-pointer who I think has solid e/w claims at the current betfair price of 15/1 (9/5 to be placed)

Back Knockanglass 0.5pt e/w

1.10 Race of the day here is the Phil Sweeny Memorial Grade 3 Chase and its a pilly of a dickle to nail who's gonna be in the first two home here and theres only 5 runners! Finger Onthe Pulse was very disappointing in Leopardstown on Sunday and I fear this race might come too quick for a horse that looked somewhat out of sorts on Sunday. Holly Tree is a useful sort but this is better company than he usually races in although he will love the ground. Carrigeen King could spring a surprise having course form and stepping down to a shorter trip. Garrai Ard has a lot to prove in this company. The one to stay the right side of in my opinion is the Willie Mullins trained Irish Invader. A winner at Leopardstown over the Xmas period I definitely fancy him to double up on his success and see value in his 15/8 Betfair price

Back Irish Invader 1pt win

1.40 A pretty poor handicap hurdle. A few horses here are graduating to the jumps from the flat with Mazaris and Gordon Elliots Wikala two that are prominent on the card. It would seem that should Flag of Honour put in a clear round of jumping, it will be a straight shootout between him and Air Chief. I do fancy the Dessie Hughes runner (Flag of Honour) but the current betfair price of 13/10 is ver skinny and I'd prefer to be on the Jessie Harrington trained No One Tells Me at 9/2 who is an improving sort and is in receipt of 12lbs from Flag of Honour

Back No One Tells Me 1pt win

2.15 Without a doubt the most competitive race on the card and because of this there is definite each way value to be had. This novice hurdle has quite a few runners from stables reknowned for hoovering up this type of race. Mouse Morris' Browns Bailey would appear to have the course form having won here earlier but drops down to 2m from 2m2f that day. I'd be very tentative to get involved especially with that mong Slippers Madden on board. Oscar Dan Dan's 5th behind that incredible Hurrican Fly performance looks good but again he's a touch short. I have doubts about whether Wright Flyer will get the trip and do think he's best watched thought the O'Grady yard is in flying form. Tom Deely, Prince Rudi and Bit Of A Devil will have their followers but I think the two to keep the right side of are Well Covered and Glenquest. Well Covered won over this trip in Limerick and is unexposed appeals at 6/1 on betfair while Glenquest drops to 2m6f here and I think the trip should suit and warrants attention at 10/1 (betfair)

Back Well Covered 1pt Win NAP
Back Glenquest 0.5pt e/w

2.45 The obvious draw for punters here will be towards the Mullins-Walsh partnership on the in form Uimhiraceathair. However I'm leaning away from this maiden hurdle being such a foregone conclusion. In putting forward first of all Gonebeyondrecall and secondly Fosters Cross, both I believe will cause the favourite trouble. Gonebeyondrecall was just touched off last time out and I think the minor step down to 2m2f can see him win over hurdles. Russell is a jockey who I would like to see on him too. Fosters Cross is 13lbs better (inc Emmet Mullin's claim) off than most of what will be favoured in this race and as such while tentative to give two selections again, I simply must keep the right side of this horse on the form shown. The minor step up should be interesting.

Back Gonebeyondrecall 1pt win
Back Fosters Cross 0.5pt e/w

3.15 A claimers race that is very poor quality but par for the course for a Tuesday Thurles meeting. None of the horses on show appeal here on a serious level. Perhaps the pick of the bunch are Arkmore Radar who has course and distance form and should in theory make the most of his 6lbs (Inc claimer) from Betabob. On an e/w level one of note is Dusty Sheehy's Rudi's Elegence who seems an improving sort and has won over this distance in the past. Sheehy's son takes the ride and an important 4lbs off leaving the horse a good few pounds the right side of a number of rivals. At 9/1 I'm willing to take a small e/w chance.

Back Rudi's Elegence 0.5pt e/w

3.45 A Halleys Comet of an Irish Bumper in that (should the market go to form) Willie Mullins won't have the out and out favourite. One in twenty races it happens going by the comet analogy :P. On a serious level, there is one horse that stands out to me here and I'd have a feeling that the McNamara trained Now Which One has what it takes to get around everything else in this bumper. Definite chances at 4/1ish.

Back Now Which One 1pt win

Now, time hit the leaba and look forward to a days jumping