GAVIN CROMWELL: With runners at Leicester, Downpatrick and Limerick it’s set to be a busy weekend for Brand Ambassador Gavin Cromwell. He previews their chances and shares sad news about Lady Kaya.
Last weekend was pretty quiet with just one meeting in Ireland, but things are much busier this week with 13 runners at Leicester, Limerick, Downpatrick and Gowran Park combined. It’s great to have so many horses declared, so hopefully the majority can run well and we can get ourselves in the winners’ enclosure.
Saturday
Leicester
Providing the meeting passes its inspection, Wavepoint would have a very good chance in the claiming stakes (7.35pm). He blew the cobwebs away the last day at Gowran, having been off the track for a while and that should see him spot on for this. It looks a good opportunity for him ahead of being sold.
Downpatrick
The mares maiden hurdle (2.30pm) doesn’t look the deepest of races, so we’ve decided to take our chance with Walking In Memphis. I don’t think she’s far off having the ability to win a race like this, so we’d like to think she’s got solid claims, particularly on the back of her second over course and distance two starts ago.
A Place Apart runs over hurdles (3.05pm) again having ran okay last time. He’s obviously got a much higher chase mark than he does over hurdles, but we’re not entirely sure if he’s well-handicapped over the smaller obstacles or not.
Conor McNamara takes 7lbs which makes life easier and we think stepping back to 2m3f will suit as well, so hopefully he can run well again.
We’re using Conor’s claim again when Global Racing takes his chance in the handicap hurdle (3.40pm). He’s in good form at home and though he’s won over further than this 2m5f trip, we think this is optimum distance.
The 5.25pm looks a good opportunity for Allduckornodinner. He ran a stinker the last day, but prior to that he’d been very consistent over hurdles and we’d like to think that back over hurdles, he’s got a good chance of getting his head in front.
We’ve got plenty of solid-enough chances over the next couple of days, but I’d say he would be our best chance of a winner.
Limerick
We’re pretty confident that Princess Mayson is better than her first debut at the Curragh. It wasn’t a bad race that day, but she just did too much early on and got tired towards the finish. She runs in the seven furlong maiden on Saturday (2.20pm) and we’re expecting a much better performance this time.
Nisior Donn wouldn’t want the ground to get too testing in the 5.10pm. We’re trying her over a mile and she’s creeping up the weights meaning she’s in a better race this time.
She’s entitled to give this kind of race a go, so it will give us a good idea of where we are with her.
Sunday
Downpatrick
We’d like to think Deburrafield would have a strong chance in the novice hurdle (4.00pm).
He put in a career best at Ballinrobe last time and that should have put him spot on for this. He does carry top-weight which is a slight negative, but a repeat of that run would surely seem go close again.
Lady Kaya
It was such sad news to hear that Lady Kaya had suffered a fatal injury earlier in the week. It’s heart-breaking for a small yard like Sheila Lavery’s to lose a horse of a lifetime like Lady Kaya just a few days ahead of big meeting like Royal Ascot.
