Hi all,
On the eve of the Punchestown Festival there’s plenty of racing today. This afternoon Ayr provides the turf action and there are two all-weather cards at Lingfield and Southwell. There are also three evening fixtures at Thirsk, Windsor, and Naas.
For those who like your Irish racing, I think there are few decent betting opportunities on eight race Naas card. The feature race is the Listed Woodlands Stakes (6:15) but there are also several competitive handicaps, including the Naas Racecourse Business Club Blackwater Handicap (7:15). This Premier Handicap has €26,550 on offer to the winner and has attracted some potentially well handicapped 3-year-olds.
I wasn’t going to have a bet until tomorrow but I found several I fancy today at Thirsk, Windsor, and Naas.
Thirsk
The best race on the Thirsk card is the 6f Class 3 handicap (7:05). Run This Way is sure to be popular, in this tricky 6f handicap, after her C&D (soft) success 16-days ago. However, the ground was softer that day and this is a better race. I think the likely favourite is worth taking on, as there are some well handicapped horses among her nine rivals. Golden Apollo made a satisfactory return to action when a 4 ¾ length 3rd of 9 at Ripon 11-days ago. The ground would have been plenty soft enough for him at Ripon and he will be sharper with that run under his belt. He’s on a losing run that goes back to September 2019 but he’s dropped down to a good mark. Ghathanfar is a solid enough handicapper in the right grade. He wasn’t seen to best effect and didn’t get the best of passages when stepped back up 7f at Catterick 5-days ago. Best on a quick surface and the 6-year-old is on a handy mark when all the cards fall right. Tinto makes his debut for the Michael Dods stable. A useful handicap sprinter, albeit not the most reliable, when trained by Amanda Perrett. It’s the 6-year-old’s first start for 206-days so he may be better for the run but he did win off a 111-day layoff in 2020 so he can go well fresh. The top-weight is on a good mark and can now race in (0-90) company.
Windsor
The 1m 3 ½ f Cazoo Handicap (6:25) looks the best raceon a seven race Windsor card. Eve Johnson Houghton saddles two of the 8 runners. Looking at the betting Noble Masquerade is the better fancied of the pair. The 5-year-old won over C&D (good to firm) last August and shaped like he remains on competitive mark when a neck 2nd of 10 at Kempton on his penultimate start of 2021. No issues with underfoot conditions and if he’s ready to roll after 166-day lay off won’t be far away. The second of the yards runners is Hyanna. A formerly useful handicapper,the mare wasn’t really at her best last season, but wasn’t disgraced when a 1 ½ length 2nd of 5 at Kempton last August. She can now race off 6lb lower mark and her last win came over C&D (good to firm) off 8lb higher in June 2020. Like her stablemate she’s suited to a sound surface in turf and is down to a very good mark if she was bounce back to form on her return to action.
Naas
I will be disappointed if the race fit Mooneista can’t win the Listed Woodlands Stakes (6:15). Runner-up at Cork on her seasonal reappearance the 4-year-old won this race 12 months ago and will like the good ground. Her biggest rival could be the 3-year-old Geocentric who makes her seasonal reappearance but she did go close here on her racecourse debut last year. Both career wins have come over 5f and she proved well suited to quick turf last season.
Thirteen are set to go to post for the 6f Best Of Luck To Our Neighbours Punchestown Ahead Of The 2022 Festival Handicap (5:15). Nordic Passage, Carlton Bank and Blairmayne were 2nd, 6th & 12th respectively in a 6f handicap at the Curragh 15-days ago. Nordic Passage isn’t the most consistent and is 4lb higher than last time but remains on a decent handicap mark. Stablemate Carlton Banks won a back-end maiden on heavy ground over C&D last autumn. He came in for good support on his seasonal reappearance. Slowly away he came from behind in a race where it paid to race prominently. He looks on a workable mark, is open further progress and is the one to beat with Colin Keane booked. Blairmayne might have needed the run at the Curragh and he should be sharper today. He would have each way claims if reproducing the form of his C&D win last August, off 1lb lower. Half Nutz has three C&D wins to his name and shaped with encouragement when a 2 ¾ lengths 4th of 11 on his first start for Johnny Murtagh here last month. He will be sharper for that run and is on a competitive mark but may prefer more juice in the ground.
The 1m Naas Racecourse Business Club Blackwater Handicap (7:15) has attracted twelve 3-year-olds and you can make some sort of case for most of them. Mister Wilson has arguably the best form albeit he’s more exposed than most of the field. A double nursery winner for his previous yard he shaped with plenty of promise on his first start for Gavin Cromwell when a 1 ½ length 2nd of 10 to Markaz Paname in the valuable Madrid Handicap here over 7f last month. The winner has gone onto success in a Group 3 and the front pair did pull nicely clear of the rest. He’s only been raised 2lb for last time which looks fair but he maybe better with more ease in the ground. Ivy League hails from the inform Aidan O’Brien yard. The colt got off the mark at the second attempt at Dundalk 17-days ago. He’s a big strong colt with plenty of scope for more improvement and could be well treated for his handicap debut. Brasil Power a winner of a nursery when trained by George Boughey, made a highly promising debut for Joseph O’Brien when a 2 ½ length 5th of 10 at Leopardstown last time. He travelled well for a long way that day but probably found 1m 2f stretching his stamina. The drop back to a mile will suit and he’s a major player.
Betting Advice:
Thirsk
7:05 – 1pt win – Ginto – 9/1 – Gen
Windsor
6:25 – 1pt win – Hyanna – 8/1 @ Bet365
Naas
5:15 – 1pt each way – Blairmayne – 16/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes (both paying 4 places 1/5 odds)
7:15 – 1pt win – Ivy League – 7/2 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
Cheers
John