Horse Racing Preview – Navan and Warwick – 24th April 2017
Our horse racing preview comes from Navan and Warwick today, with 2 selections from each meeting. Not always enterprising to weigh in on a Sunday, small national hunt fields along with big handicap fields in Ireland does not usually make it a profitable day. Another double though, one coming from across the Irish Sea with Jessica Harrington’s Torcedor who landed the Vintage Crop Stakes quiet comfortably I thought and Viserion getting home when beating Blue Hussar. was also a little unlucky not to have all three previews win when Deise Vu was just not strong enough to fend off the fav at Stratford, but cannot complain 2/3.
17.25 Navan – Woodland Stakes (Listed) (5f)
As shrewd as Aidan O’Brien maybe, his purchase of Easton Angel from Michael Dods yard could be very interesting. Easton Angel is still only a four-year-old and equipped herself in this company last year very well winning the Listed Westow Stakes & Listed Scurry Stakes. She also ran a blinder in the Listed City of Walls Stakes when overturning Muthmir who got his career back on track when winning a conditions race recently at Bath. Her resume also shows fourth in the Group 2 King George Stakes when only a quarter of a length behind now stablemate Washington DC.
She will get another 1lb from Washington DC this afternoon, it makes you wonder though if there will be relevant tactics here, as O’Brien will by now know her abilities and would have worked with her over the winter to bring her on, she does not have too much to find with her stablemate.,She had excuses when finishing a long way down the field in the Nunthorpe and she reversed the form with Washington DC that day when getting a pound at the weights.
Primo Uomo has started as he left last season behind with wins at Dundalk and landed a valuable handicap at Cork last week in comfortable style. He is definitely on the upgrade and deserves to take his chances here stepping into Listed company for the first time, but you have to realize he is taking on proven top class sprinters here who have competed at pattern level, he just might find this a little tough on his first upgrade attempt.
Willie McCreery drops Downforce back to the optimum trip for only the second time in his career, his only run around this index saw him finish fifth at The Curragh, in third that day was Primo Uomo by three parts of a length, that was actually a good run when giving 9lb to him. Seen last time winning the Listed Cork Stakes by a massive twelve lengths which saw Spirit Quartz fifteen lengths in his wake. All of his best runs have come over 6f-7f with ground dependency soft to heavy which I doubt he will get close to this afternoon.
Washington DC comes from a seventh place finish in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint at the Dubai festival, You could have said that drawn in stall 10 did him no favours at all, also finished seventh in the Group 1 Breeders Cup Sprint and again did not have the best of draws out in stall 7, but his home soil form reads 21221122 never finishing out of the top two. I am in two minds here to really get stuck into him, he has the quality and even though drawn ten of ten, he does have that bit of quality about him to be thereabouts back on home soil.
WASHINGTON DC : 2pt Win @ 7/2 (BOG)
18.25 Navan – Kilberry (C & G) Maiden
Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning notched up another combination double yesterday here at Navan and I cannot see why the buck will stop here. The yard’s entry here is Chronicles who ran fourth on debut at Leopardstown on what I thought was unfavourable ground. Quicker ground this afternoon should see this son of Street Cry go very close. The third Venice Beach has already franked the form by winning at Tipperary four days ago by five lengths.
Ballydoyle saddle Homesman who was second of twelve at Dundalk as a juvenile on only his sole career run. The winner War Secretary also trained by Ballydoyle went on to win again on the all-weather, but looked very poor when only beating himself home in the Greenham Stakes on Saturday. The sixth has also come on landing his maiden at Tipperary two weeks ago. With an entry in the Irish Derby probably as a pacemaker, somewhere along the lines he will have to step up I think to be the selection this afternoon.
One of the interesting ones right at the bottom of the card is Hamden Al Maktoum’s Zihaam, with already being gelded, the son of Dutch Art out of 8f winning mare Hymnsheet would have to be dismissed with caution, trained by Kevin Prendergast whose yard have been among the winners over the past couple of weeks.
CHRONICLES : 1pt each way @ 11/2 (BOG)
14.20 Warwick – PJ & KR Smith Maxwell Horse Ambulances Handicap Hurdle (19f) (0-120)
It might not be significant, but the fact that the past two renewals of this race has seen claiming amateurs landing the spoils, we have one claimer here on The Tailgater. Now I would have already been drawn to him before this stat as he is the son of Oscar who I tend to follow in these low graded events. There is not really a lot of miles on the clock for a six-year-old and even his form does not look over exposed. He has looked a hard one to fathom out, usually goes well very fresh, proved this when runner up after a two month layoff at Doncaster over 19.1f when behind now rated 128 Mia’s Storm, that form got a boost today when Cousin Khee who was back in fifth was just denied on the highlighted race at Wincanton yesterday.
There was no interest at Doncaster on his last run when stepped up to 24f, never jumped and looked non-interested of even getting involved for Aidan Coleman. Dropping back to 19f this afternoon I think will see him go extremely close off his current mark of 119. Young Harry Skelton has attracted some bad publicity on twitter recently being ridiculed for some lacklustre rides, it is beyond me why with a stat of 10-40 over the past two weeks. He rides for his brother here on Atlantic Storm who got off the mark at the fourth attempt at Bangor last month, he did the job well that afternoon by five lengths. They step him up in trip this afternoon which will only benefit him more in hindsight and is the danger to all on paper.
THE TAILGATOR : 1pt each way @ 7/1 (BOG)
15.25 Warwick – UBS Wealth Management Novices Handicap Chase (16.3f)
Personally, I think Paul Henderson’s entry here Doitforthevillage is the best bet on the card this afternoon. Was seen winning a 0-120 chase around 20f here last year when beating Queen Spud by two lengths who has gone on to win off 112 last year. Returning to Warwick this year he took on higher level opposition in a 0-150 handicap chase when only half a length behind No Buts and Dresden who commands a rating of 145. Should have won at Newbury on his follow up when second to Philip Hobbs Imperial Presence who was actually well handicapped to win the race.
Looking all over the winner at Aintree in the Grade 3 Red Rum Handicap Chase when making eye catching headway under Tom O’Brien. Paddy Brennan back in the saddle grows the confidence even more that he can get compensation here for the Aintree fall.
Interesting one at a price could be Mr Cardle for Steve Flook, who is 0-5 since diverting to the larger obstacles, and overall is 0-17 in his career, but his string of thirds over further distances are not that bad considering the field are mostly exposed, could run well at a price.
DOITFORTHEVILLAGE : 2pt Win @ 3/1 (BOG)
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