20-1 WINNER FOR SHAMROCK: After 10 winning naps in 16 days, it was the turn of Shamrock’s Outsider bet yesterday: he landed Global Recovery (WON 20-1).
BELLEWSTOWN AND WEXFORD TODAY: In fact, he named two horses in the same race at Leopardstown and they finished first and second, a massive forecast. Tonight there is Flat racing at Bellewstown and jumping at Wexford.
It’s tempted to search for more outsiders. Wexford looks trappy with maidens, beginners and big-field handicaps but I fancy one or two at Bellewstown.
Curragh trainer ‘Smiling’ Jim Gorman doesn’t get many winners but a glance at the Bellewstown trainers’ list has him down as 40% successful there with two-year-olds: in fact, it’s all down to one race.
Winning the Irish Stallion Farms maiden (7.55) is getting to be an obsession: it’s certainly perfection at this stage, with two runners, two winners. So it was that Burnell had to go into my Outsiders list.
Gorman has also won the mile handicap on this card at a big price but needs one or two to come out to get a run for handicap debutant Rock Of Fire (8.55). This race threw up a sequence of 12-1 (three times) and 14-1 (four) in the seven years up to 2008.
After deleting the five highest in the draw, I also opposed – on the grounds of poor current trainer form – Ado McGuinness’s Silly Dancer, John McConnell’s Parc Aux Boules, Paul Roche’s Goldarover and Maria Kelly’s Nomadic Diamond.
Appletreemagic has only ever won on Polytrack, and the same with Captain Henry for a couple of years now; three-year-olds (Music Pearl) don’t win it, and Tres Froide is up in the weights and prefers some cut.
So I ended up choosing between CD-winner Lily’s Star and the runner-up in this race last year, Thistimesforgood, who is almost always thereabouts at this track but is an each-way bet rather than an outsider.
Declan McDonough is leading rider here and I’d sussed out the chance of MT Weather (6.25) earlier in the week; that didn’t take much doing, since he’s been first, second and third in the race in the last three seasons.
But then I stalled when I looked at the card this morning. However, he always starts well, so his wide draw may not inconvenience him. He was beaten only a neck last year from the nine box, and is still worth an old punt.
I’m relying on Ruby Walsh to land my nap at Wexford; who better. Winston Churchill (6.10) drops to a very weak maiden after an excellent second at Tramore, giving weight to a consistent winner, placed both before and after that race.
With Truckers Delight (7.10) presumably warming up for Galway, I fancy Salesin can get back in the winning groove after a break; has won twice on the course.
SHAMROCK’S BETS
NAP: Winston Churchill (6.10 Wexford)
NEXT BEST: Salesin (7.10 Wexford)
EACH-WAY: Thistimesforgood (8.55 Bellewstown )
OUTSIDER: MT Weather (6.25 Bellewstown), Burnell (7.55 Bellewstown)
DAQ TRIO: Winston Churchill (6.10 Wexford), Salesin (7.10 Wexford), Thistimesforgood (8.55 Bellewstown )
