Category: Ireland's Eye

IRELAND’S EYE on Wednesday

Wednesday 10 March IRELAND’S EYE This weekend we will cast our eye over some of the value races at the Cheltenham Festival on the DAQ especially the more competitive handicaps and the more open contests. Though we are unlikely to see to many stars in action today there are three fairly decent and interesting meetings at Catterick and Fontwell while there are some large fields in Ireland where Naas provides the jumping action. All weather enthusiasts are catered for at Lingfield in the afternoon and later in the day by Wolverhampton.

Mar 10, 2010 | 1 comment | View Post

IRELAND’S EYE on Tuesday

Tuesday 9 March IRELAND’S EYE There was no prizes for nominating yesterdays winning nap Black Jack Blues (4/7 morn-1/4) at Ffos Las – a record low SP for this column but a winner is a winner neverthless. In addition our saver Souter Point (11/10) did finish runner up in the opening contest at Stratford while Flexi Time (13/2-4/1) just finished out of the frame in a handicap hurdle at the Welsh track whilst our two choices in the bumper at that track Oursininlaw (8/1) and Sir Bere (7/4) both filled the frame. Newcastle and Exeter provide the action in the jumping sphere today while Southwell on the all weather make up Tuesdays racing action. Our main fancies at the Northern fixture at Newcastle where a once raced Blueprint gelding can land the bumper while a bottom weight can put a couple of modest efforts behind to land an open handicap chase for Kate Walton. The Devon National over 3m 6 1/2f is the feature on the Exeter card today at 3-30 and in a race where favourites don’t boast a decent record in recent years we will attempt to ‘buck the trend’ by siding with one of the market leaders here.

Mar 09, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

IRELAND’S EYE on Monday

Monday 8 March IRELAND’S EYE With two competitive jumping cards at Stratford and Ffos Las today it wont be a doddle for punters but we do have high hopes of success with a long priced ex German runner in the opening contest at Stratford while drying ground can see an Allison Thorpe trained runner land a competitive handicap hurdle at the Welsh track. Sunday was a day to forget as we failed to hit the score sheet for the first time in ages. Admittedly we were arguably unfortunate to collect with What A Buzz (7/2-3/1) who looked likely to collect till toppling two from home on his chase debut at Sedgefield while You Never Said (4/1) did finish in the frame in the opener at Huntingdon. However we did register a winner in our supplemental service when Double Expresso (8/11-4/6) obliged and our second best Dancing Tornado (12/1) landed a competitive handicap hurdle at Naas. With plenty of question marks against the leaders in the betting in the 2m 1/2f maiden hurdle at Stratford at 2-00 today it can pay to side with one of the longer priced runners in the line up. The vote falls on the Harris trained ex German flat racer The Lemonpie who pulled too hard for his own good on his hurdle debut for his current yard in a decent Newbury contest over three weeks ago. In the hope that he settles better here odds of 36.0 on the DAQ represents decent odds and the former three time flat winner (up to 12f) can spring a surprise here at the expense of likely warm favourite Souter Point – an 85 rated flat winning 4yo (all weather) who ran reasonably well in taking fourth in a fair Sandown contest on his hurdling bow 17 days ago. Tony McCoy is leading rider at Ffos Las by some way since the Welsh track opened its gates last year and the champion rider can add to that tally by landing the 2m novice hurdle at 2-20 with the Rebecca Curtis trained Black Jack Blues

Mar 08, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

IRELAND’S EYE on Sunday

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.

Mar 07, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

IRELAND’S EYE on Saturday

Saturday 6 March IRELAND’S EYE It’s a busy day on the jumps scene today with 3 fine meetings in England and Scotland while Gowran gives Irish racing supporters a fine opportunity to grab some of the pre-Cheltenham expenses. With Doncaster and Newbury winding up their two days cards and Kelso on the borders we are spoilt for choice today on the DAQ but our main hopes will rest on the Irish front where a well regarded sort looks a sound bet in a bumper while in the UK a Nicky Henderson staying type is taken to make it a double over hurdles at Kempton. Gentle George (5/2-9/4) and saver Salut Flo (13/2-11/2) gave us two winners on the board yesterday and Molostiep (10/1) – a saver proved next best to the former in the closing hunter chase at Newbury. In addition we landed our sole lay when the free going Flemmingsbond (9/2) departed when seemingly held late in the opening contest at Doncaster whilst our saver The Big Orse (6-9/2) was just touched off in a novice hurdle at Newbury. Nicky Henderson has suffered a couple of Cheltenham setbacks in recent days but the ace trainer can land the 2m 5f novice hurdle at Kempton today at 2-15 with the 6yo Benarctic. Though the Beneficial gelding had to work hard to land short priced odds in a Southwell bumper he seemed to appreciate the step up in distance when landing a Ludlow 2m 5f maiden hurdle over three weeks ago in battling fashion.

Mar 06, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

IRELAND’S EYE on Friday

Friday 5 March IRELAND’S EYE There are two interesting jumping cards at Newbury and Doncaster today while Lingfield and Wolverhampton on the all weather makes it a full day for punters. A recent hunter chase scorer is taken to make it a quick double in that sphere at Newbury while a recent Irish point winner can spring a mild surprise in an open looking novice hurdle at the same venue. Templer (15/8) proved our sole winner yesterday in a Ludlow hunter chase whilst in another hunter chase at Taunton Sheriff Roscoe (11/2-4/1) and Mustangsallyrally (5/4-11/10) could only finish a modest second and third behind a clear cut winner in Rash Move. However we did manage to land a well backed and short priced winner in the closing bumper at Ludlow with the facile scorer and former pointer Carribs Leap (evens -1/2) in our back up service. Former flat scorer Gifted Leader has made the transition to hurdling a relatively smooth one and Ian Williams charge can land the opening 2m 1/2f novice hurdle at 2-00 on the Doncaster card. Winner of a Southwell novice on his third start the 5yo has since finished runner up (beaten less than three lengths) in a couple of better class novices at Wincanton and Exeter on softer ground. With the likely favourite and smooth Ludlow bumper Flemmingsbond making his debut over hurdles following an absence (and an injury) he could be worth opposing and the Trevor Whelan (claims 8lbs) gelding can record his second hurdle success at the expense of another former flat racer in the 9yo Dundry who showed promise on his third hurdle start at Kempton a year ago when finishing a modest third in a fair 2m 5f novice hurdle

Mar 05, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

IRELAND’S EYE on Thursday

Thursday 4 March IRELAND’S EYE Taunton and Ludlow provide our main dish today on the jump scene while Southwell this afternoon and Wolverhampton later this evening supplies the action for the all weather supporters. The hunter chases on both cards provide our main bets today while we will be taking on the likely favourite in the opener at Taunton. Though or nap Bally Wall (14s morn-10/1) just went down to the ill fated Chief Oscar in the featured Ulster National chase at Downpatrick we did nevertheless bag a brace of winners through Rossdari (6/4-9/10) at the Northern Ireland venue whilst the former Irish trained Penny Doc (evens-8/13) scored in the hunter chase at Folkestone. In addition the well backed mare Marys Little Vic (5/2-2/1) finished in the runner up berth in the opener at Downpatrick . Dover’s Hill must rate himself unlucky to retain his maiden ‘tag’ over fences having toppled at the last at Kempton over 2m 5f on his third start and though the 8yo just failed to make all over the same course and distance in a decent contest three weeks ago he may have to settle once again for the runner up honours in the opener at Taunton today – a 2m 7 1/2f novice chase at 2-20

Mar 04, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

IRELAND’S EYE on Wednesday

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.

Mar 03, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

IRELAND’S EYE on Tuesday

Tuesday 2 March IRELAND’S EYE There is an inspections planned later for Leicester but hopes are relatively high of racing going ahead ?while there are no such doubts at Catterick over jumps. Meanwhile Lingfield hold the sole all weather card today. We will be taking on a short priced ex Irish favourite in a Catterick novice hurdle today with a former bumper scorer while Dave Mansell can visit the winners enclosure following the hunter chase at Leicester. Action Impact (10/11-4/5) kept up our decent winning run of naps going yesterday at Plumpton while we also made it a double when former pointer Portrait Royale (9/4-2/1) ran out a somewhat fortunate victor in a handicap chase at Hereford. Saver El Distintivo (7-13/2) also finished in the frame and Edgevine (10/1) was another to finish in the money in our back up service.

Mar 02, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

IRELAND’S EYE on Monday

Monday 1 March IRELAND’S EYE Starting next week we will be setting our sights on the Festival (Cheltenham that is) and we will be looking at where the value lies on the DAQ where we hop eo unearth a few longer priced winners. Hereford and Plumpton are the two National Hunt fixtures for punters to ‘chew over’ today while the all weather action is at Wolverhampton. A former Tom Mullins trained runner is given the nod to score at the second opo for his new trainer in a Hereford handicap hurdle today while a former winning point mare can land a Plumpton handicap chase off bottom weight. Saver Tooman Lane (8/1) victory in the handicap chase at Clonmel yesterday proved our sole success on the day with another saver King Of The Refs (11/8-11/10) taking third spot in the Leopardstown opener. Nevertheless we did record two from 2 in our back up service when Won In The Dark (5/6) landed a hurdle in style and Quartetto (5/2-9/4) took a novice chase at Leopardstown and Clonmel respectively.? Six time flat scorer Action Impact may not be an original selection but the likely favourite should make it third time lucky over hurdles in the opener at Plumpton today at 2-20. Rated 80 on the flat the Philip Hide ridden 6yo showed that he can handle a soft surface by taking the placed money behind the useful Quantitativeeasing in a Class 3 hurdle at Newbury before failing to justify favouritism by a couple of lengths in a Huntingdon 2m 1f novice almost five weeks ago. With those runs ‘under his belt’ the Moore runner can account for the former Susan Finn trained Owner Occupier. The latter displayed some ability in bumpers and on the flat and though he showed little on a spin on the all weather on latest he does have the advantage of run over hurdles and the Chris Gordon trained 5yo could be open to progression for his new yard

Mar 01, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post
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