Sean mc namara

A ladies' rider event. The banger Doyle, taking a big drop in class, sets the standard. But with these events anything can happen. I’ll side with Liam Burke's 'Happy Me'. This 6 y/o is still a maiden but has snippets of form that bring him right into the conversation. He finished 3rd in a maiden in Limerick LTO and the winner went on to boost the form and win again. He’s been placed four times in maiden company and might kick on now handicapping. No ground issues. This lady rider, while she hasn’t ridden a winner in quite some time, does train a few pointers herself, so no novice.

At the bottom of the handicap off 72 and in at 10st 1lb, Fortunate Outcome is worth another look, especially in this heavy going. He has had three runs this term and appears to be building run on run. LTO at Thurles he put his best foot forward this season with a 4th of 17, albeit he was beaten 20 lengths. That run was better than the 20 lengths suggests, as he was bang there turning for home, then faded and hit the last a wallop. Dropping back 3 furlongs might be what he’s asking for. The ground will pose no issue; the dam won her maiden hurdle here at Punchestown on the heavy. Interesting jockey booking in Williamson, claiming a valuable 5 lb... a lot to like.

Ed Buckley’s NEY is ticking all the boxes for me: trip, track, ground, and fitness. He won a beginners' and a novice chase last January and February, both on soft/heavy. Buckley said this time last year after the novice chase that he was a horse for next year and that he might be an Irish National type. Three more than satisfactory runs this term, including a second LTO, might have put him spot on for a crack at this £100k listed event. This marathon trip looks sure to suit. Solid play in my book.

Jacovec Cavern won a handicap chase here in Gowran over this trip on today’s heavy going in November. I think a chance can be taken on him to exploit this lower hurdle mark. The local trainer has his small string in great order, winning a controversial bumper in Limerick midweek under Paddy Mullins. He’s in good form, on a good mark, handles the heavy, and is a winner at the trip. That’s enough for me in a competitive little event.

Patrick Street might be worth another go after meeting all sorts of trouble in running over course and distance LTO. He had to check twice and would surely have been involved in the finish you'd expect. This 7 y/o is a winner on the Polytrack and is now 8 lbs below that last winning mark. Was beaten less than 2 lengths, and while he had lost his way a bit, this run suggested he's leaving some of that old form well behind. He'll need to back it up though. I'll take a chance.

Call me crazy. A friend of mine pointed this lad out to me this morning, and I’m now intrigued. The 66/1 rag here, Mister Rockefeller, maybe shouldn’t be completely written off. LTO off 80; he entered the handicapping world, and that wasn’t a bad run at all. Beat appropriately 15 lengths. He should improve somewhat from that. If first-time cheekpieces go on to aid him, he might make a mockery of this price. The booking of Josh Williamson (claiming 5 lbs), who made the switch to the professional ranks, is interesting. All that said, I’d struggle to ask anyone to back it ??" my luck is completely out at the moment. But I’ll have a small each-way poke nonetheless.

Like the look of 'Queen Nel' for a few reasons. Ed Delaney’s 7 y/o mare could improve and leave some of that old form behind now upped in trip. The handicapper is loosening his grip, dropping her another 3 lb ??" that's 15 lb down since her maiden. This mare's only concern is a slight drop in class for her. She won her maiden on heavy. I’ll have a small each-way poke and hide behind the couch.

The front two in the market were winners LTO and both have crushing penalties to carry. I’ll take a wild swing at Ian Donoghue’s bottom weight and 6 y/o “Walk in the Sea.” Off 82, this might be the spot where she shows us more. The first-time blinkers add hope, as does Caragh Monaghan’s 4 lb. They backed her into favour LTO in Down Royal but she disappointed. No excuse was offered, but maybe here, on a more galloping track, with first-time blinkers and off bottom weight, the improvement might come. Risky.

Martin Hassett marked our card for us today after he won the Grade 2 bumper on Moonverrin (fortunate enough, TBF). He told us that this lad, ‘Battle of Ridgeway’, was his yardstick and boasted he has a serious chance today in this Listed chase. To be fair, it’s all out there to see: 3rd in a €45k event in Listowel, 3rd at the November meeting at Cheltenham, and a winner LTO in Navan on today’s soft/heavy where the 3rd has gone on to win twice since. Ground and trip ideal. He’s in good form, but this is a big step up in class. Chucking a penny in the well.

They are probably working back from the Kim Muir, and today might be a stepping stone. But SA MAJESTE did find form this time last year, winning a rated chase on very heavy going off 137 at Fairyhouse ??" just a pound above that today.. He’s very lightly raced for an eight-year-old; all his three wins have come on heavy. It’s a very puzzling one to solve, and I’ll chuck a dart at this lad..

In a wide-open contest I’ll have a small each-way poke on Jessica Harrington’s lightly raced novice Aruntothequeen. She might be progressive, and she’ll need to be to feature in this listed contest, but she is a listed bumper winner. She has novice form with a cut underfoot. The heavy is a guessing game, but the dam did win her maiden hurdle on it. They’ve added first-time cheekpieces, and although it’s a wild swing, I do think it feels like one who might improve past this number.

Platino Bianco would arguably have finished a lot closer to Winemaker LTO but for meeting trouble at the furlong pole and staying on close home thereafter. So at 3x his price I think she’s worth a small each-way poke. Conor Maxwell recently acquired this 5 y/o mare off Chris Timmons and has gotten a bit of a tune out of her. He brought her to Newcastle for her first run and sailed in over 6f in 20s??"12s. The step up to 7f should pose no issue and hopefully bring about further improvement. Her polytrack form has left her turf form for miles behind, so it’s possible there’s more to come..