Friday 12 March IRELAND’S EYE There is full line up of meetings today both on the flat and over jumps with Dundalk and Wolverhampton under the floodlights tonight providing the all weather action in Ireland and the UK backed up by four jump cards at Ayr, Wincanton, Sandown and Leicester. The hunter chases will provide the backbone of our betting strategy today and there are sound reasons for siding with a course and distance winner at Leicester despite a poor effort last time while a Victor Dartnall trained handicap hurdler can score at generous odds at Sandown Bene Lad (3-9/4) was our sole winner yesterday but we did have plenty of placed selections headed by Ag Dul Suas (13/2) in the opener at Clonmel while two of our selections in the handicap hurdle Shorecliffe King (11/4-5/2) and Jacks Island (12/1) went down narrowly to the top weight at the same venue. Coscorrig (5/4) was a disappointing third in the mares novice chase at the Tipperary venue while our supplemental choice Noble Concorde (16/1) finished runner up to the ‘jolly’ in another novice chase. The opening mares novice hurdle at Wincanton today at 2-00 over 2m 6f can give Alan King a pre Cheltenham winner with the 5yo Call At Midnight. Although the daughter of Midnight Legend – a bumper winner at Bangor on her debut has not shown progression on her second start over sticks and has had a rear view of the decent mare Banjaxed Girl now on three occasions the Robert Thornton ridden mare can make it third time lucky here and account for the Hughie Morrison trained Yonder a two time flat winner who should appreciate better ground here on her third start over hurdles. Likely favourite Far From Blonde finished a modest third in this race last year but Paul Nicholls lightly raced 6yo does not look bomb proof and though she could also improve for a better surface she is taken on here. Dual point winner Oopsmylord may have ‘bombed out’ last time on heavy ground at Haydock but the 8yo has proved himself on better ground and he can return to winning ways in the extended 2m 7f hunter chase at Leicester at 3-40. A winner over course and distance on his chase debut last year where he accounted for the useful and subsequent dual hunter chase scorer Gentle George (gave 7lbs)one of the leaders in the betting for the Christies Foxhunters next week the son of Rock Hopper was not disgraced on his seasonal debut when finishing runner up to the useful Bob Hall at Ludlow
