13.0 ON BETDAQ? BITE THEIR HANDS OFF, SAYS SHAMROCK: Still on fire after his near miss with Tactician (2nd 9-1) in the Ebor, Shamrock finds another long shot, this time at home in Ireland, at 13.0 offers on Betdaq. ‘Bite their hands off,’ he says!
Get on the money at Ballinrobe. Punters are the winners of the Water Towers Chase (4.25). In its six-year history, favourite or second favourite has won it every single time.
Free World and Gracchus head the market this morning, too tight to dutch them, so I’m going to have to choose one and back the other to cover my stakes.
My verdict is that the firm ground should suit Gracchus best. All three of the quirky Free World’s wins have come on the soft and Gracchus was travelling like a winner at Tipperary (Free World unseated rider) when he fell two out.
Another stats pattern today is in the handicap hurdle (3.50): all seven winners since its inception in 2003 have carried between 11st and 11st 5lb. so, theoretically, you can top and tail the race.
If you do that, you leave in my two fancies, Claragh Native and Five Jembs who, in fact, has a boy’s allowance which takes him below the 11st mark. But 13.0 on Betdaq this morning? Bite their hands off!
After a long, lean spell, trainer Ado McGuinness suddenly hit form between 15th and 18th August with a run of 1320101, the last two winners very well backed, and putting the blinkers first time on Five Jembs says: ‘Go, go, go!’
After Gala Dancer’s Galway romp over Corrick Bridge, he must be napped to follow up under Paul Carberry in the last (5.25). Rare for me to have my best bet in a beginners’ chase but ‘Gala’ improved dramatically last time and Paul’s your man to get them jumping in a rhythm.
SHAMROCK’S BETS
NAP: Gala Dancer (5.25 Ballinrobe)
NEXT BEST: Gracchus (4.25 Ballinrobe)
OUTSIDER: Five Jembs (3.50 Ballinbrobe)
DAQ TRIO: Five Jembs (3.50 Ballinbrobe), Gracchus (4.25 Ballinrobe) and Gracchus (4.25 Ballinrobe)
