FOUR NAPS UP LAST WEEK: Shamrock landed four naps last week and is in the mood to start a new sequence at Kilbeggan tonight.
MAKE BETDAQ BETTING COUNT: One of his answers to a trappy card is to find two against the field, where Betdaq offers allow more than one bet in open markets.
One of my favourite horses runs today. As readers of this column, and the battered bar rail at my local pub, bear witness, I missed backing one of my favourite mares at Ascot, Lolly For Dolly.
I made up for it with Banimpire and now I’m after playing up the winnings on Trendelenburg (8.50 Kilbeggan), though a bit nervous of his first chase.
There is also the little matter of his running out at the last at Perth. But Perth’s not my favourite place either and I would probably have swerved the last myself. So give the boy a chance, and note that he’s had a month or more off, so he’s probably forgotten what upset him that day.
The snag is that man-in-form Noel Meade, also the leading trainer at Kilbeggan, runs Eirland, who gets 7lb from Trendelenburg and won his last hurdle only three weeks ago.
I think this pair are strong enough, and good enough value on Betdaq, to be able to back both this morning. There are others in the race of interest so make sure you watch it, if you can.
I’ll have the same two-against-the-field bet in the handicap hurdle (6.20): Final Victory goes well fresh. ‘Goes well’? He absolutely bolted up first time at Navan in February.
There’s just a worry about the ground, if it remains firm, so I will side bet on Peccatorum, who has run well at Kilbeggan before and gets 26lb off Final Victory if the claimer uses his full allowance.
Like the beginners’ chase, the other novice chase (7.50) could also pay to watch for future reference, with three last-time winners of chases already.
St Devote was 22lb and 23lb in front of the two other recent winners – Dashing Ruby and Sorted – over hurdles but Casey Top and Kusadasi would be close behind him over the minor obstacles, and I’m particularly interested to see how the consistent Casey Top gets on.
I was disappointed in Presenting Nama (7.20) at Wexford, though it’s clear that the gelding didn’t have the pace on the firm behind Redera over the minimum trip, and had been all out to win over 2m 4f at Clonmel.
By Presenting out of a Deep Run mare, today’s 3m could see improvement, though I’d be worried about Sugar Bullet and more particularly Tom Horn, a Beneficial entire, trained by that man Meade.
Tom Horn took over the favourite’s spot from Loch Long in the Betdaq market early doors, is lightly raced and gets a strong ‘nudge nudge’ for this race.
SHAMROCK’S BETS
NAP: St Devote (7.50 Kilbeggan)
NEXT BEST: Tom Horn (7.20 Kilbeggan)
TWO AGAINST THE FIELD: Final Victory and Peccatorum (6.20 Kilbeggan), Eirland and Trendelenburg (8.50 Kilbeggan)
DAQ TRIO: Tom Horn (7.20 Kilbeggan), St Devote (7.50 Kilbeggan), Eirland (8.50 Kilbeggan)
