STRONG NAP AT WEXFORD: Shamrock reckons Ruby Walsh’s ride on Redera gives him a good price about his ‘strong nap’ in the same race at Wexford tonight. The form was franked on Wednesday.
‘HEARTS’ IS TRUMP ON NAVAN CARD: Six Of Hearts landed Shamrock a 7-1 winner on Monday yet is being ignored again at similar odds at Navan.
NAVAN Ger Lyons is having his usual good season at Navan and has booked Johnny Murtagh for tonight, including the ride on recent CD winner Casbah Rock (8.25), who revels in the firm ground.
Citizenship, fourth that day, his first run for over three months, should improve, getting another 3lb, but will probably need some rain. Star Links and King Of Aran have needed the Dundalk AW surface to log some winning form, so it’s to the unexposed pair that I look for danger, Darwins Theory and Alghanem.
‘Darwins’ was promising behind Recital last autumn, so was well backed for a reappearance maiden at Leopardstown a month or so back but there was even more money for the Ballydoyle candidate, Admiral Of The Red, who went right away.
They said top weight would stop Six Of Hearts (6.20) at Naas on Monday but he gamely landed me a nice winner at 7-1, so owes me nothing; he’s in great heart and at similar offers this morning.
WEXFORD After his flop on the Flat at Leopardstown yesterday, Ruby Walsh has two or three chances tonight but Cootamundra (5.40) is not a strong finisher and seems to need some cut in the ground.
Redera (6.40) showed his liking for top of the ground at Limerick with a facile win, of which the handicapper took a dim view: he’s lofted him 13lb., so Redera seems stuck with completing his novice programme, as handicaps look tough.
Even so, Redera is still rated 10lb behind Presenting Nama and Davy Condon. Davy was on board when ‘Nama’ broke his maiden at Clonmel on firm at the end of last month.
The fifth horse, Ordinary Man, is the only one in contention that day who has run since, and he slammed a similarly big Clonmel field by five-and-a-half lengths on Wednesday.
Echo Bob looks sure to be thereabouts but is, officially, a 19lb better animal over fences and, as his five seconds and no wins suggest, is a bit too one paced for hurdles, particularly in the prevailing conditions. ‘Nama’ looks strong.
SHAMROCK’S BETS
NAP: Presenting Nama (6.40 Wexford)
NEXT BEST: Maunsells Duke (6.50 Navan)
EACH-WAY: Six Of Hearts (6.20 Navan), Darwin’s Theory (8.25 Navan)
DAQ TRIO: Presenting Nama (6.40 Wexford), Maunsells Duke (6.50 Navan), Casbah Rock (8.25 Navan)
