18-1 DOUBLE UP FOR SHAMROCK: Shamrock gave a confident nap vote to Rose Bonheur (WON 11-4) at Fairyhouse yesterday and warned that Ruby Walsh was at Sligo to ride Sulwaan (next best, WON 4-1). That gave him a near-18-1 double but there were huge offers for both horses during each race.
21.0 and 30.0 WINNERS IN RUNNING: It was a superb ride that got Sulwaan home at Sligo after he seemed to have a near-impossible task going to the second last and drifted to 21.0 in running. Rose Bonheur couldn’t go the early pace and was struggling at 30.0 in running turning into the straight.
FOUR-DAY KILLARNEY FESTIVAL: Festivals for adventure films, gatherings, poker, the arts, summer and Christmas.. the four-day racing festival which starts today is just one of the many splendid excuses which has Killarney celebrating all year round. Shamrock looks into it.
Long live the king! Well done, Aidan O’Brien and all at Ballydoyle for a superb Man ’O War Stakes win with Cape Blanco at Belmont Park at the weekend.
And now they have found the way to ride Long Live The King (7.30), all the way winner at Tipperary, tonight’s draw in the one stall gives their Galileo colt every chance of a repeat performance, though raised in class.
It won’t be easy with some good handicap form represented here, and I’m particularly worried about Vastonea (saver), unexposed and with Kevin Prendergast on three winners in a row right now.
O’Brien and Prendergast clash in the opener, too, with Prendergast (Jimtown) 43% here in 2yo conditions races but again it should go to Ballydoyle, with Plutorius (6.00) badly hampered at Down Royal and Alkazim likely to be the danger tonight.
David Marnane is two out of two in the 6.30 and Aragorn Icon could go on from his Tipperary win, though has to shoulder a 9lb rise. Black N Brew and Blackwitch Woman have already been stopped by the handicapper with 5lb and 7lb rises after their recent success.
So I’m taking a punt here on Born To Excel. Born to excel he was not but he had a good run of win (at Gowran in August) and places last year, including being touched off a short-head over today’s course and distance.
Fran Berry rides today and he hasn’t had a top jockey aboard since struggling with a rating of 78 at the end of last year. He’s now dropped to 70 and 9.8 on Betdaq this morning makes him a fine each-way candidate in an eight-runner race (saver Aragorn Icon).
The chase looks unappetizing with just five runners, but it’s a cracker. Schelm, who won it last year, is 4lb worse with Echo Bob for a neck at Tipperary but you’ve got to expect Bahrain Storm to increase his chase rating. He’s 18lb lower than over hurdles.
He’s a winner and second in the Galway Hurdle so what they intend there at the end of the month is not yet clear but he’s already had a run back on the Flat so ought to be ready tonight.
SHAMROCK’S BETS
NAP: Long Live The King (7.30 Killarney)
NEXT BEST: Plutorius (6.00 Killarney)
SAVERS: Aragorn Icon (6.30 Killarney), Vastonea (7.30 Killarney)
OUTSIDER: Born To Excel (6.30 Killarney)
DAQ YANKEE: Plutorius (6.00 Killarney), Long Live The King (7.30 Killarney), Bahrain Storm (8.00 Killarney) and Laganbank (9.00 Killarney)
