10-1 WINNER FOLLOWS 20-1 FOR SHAMROCK: After Thursday’s success with Global Recovery (WON 20-1), Shamrock tried two more Outsider bets yesterday, including MT Weather (WON 10-1).

ANOTHER OUTSIDER AT BELLEWSTOWN TODAY: Now Shamrock goes for an Outsiders hat-trick at the Bellewstown jumps meeting tonight. Just one bet this time.

It’s a wake-up call to Ruby. And it’s father Ted who’s pressing the bell. Ruby has twice ridden Royal Reveille – at Punchestown and Fairyhouse – to attempt Walsh-family gambles in handicaps from 2m to 3m.

On each occasion, Ruby and ‘Reveille’ were leading three out but didn’t last to the line. Today the pair drop back into maiden-hurdle company and the question is does Ruby ‘go on, go on, go on,’ for a third time, or will he ride the Old Vic gelding differently.

Well, Royal Reveille (6.20) really should see these off. The handicapper thinks that only four of the 15 deserve a rating, and top-spotted Windwood Lad’s yard hasn’t had a winner for 127 days, Mighty Snazy has been beaten at least 13 lengths the last twice and Zagman likes to lead. I take Zagman to give Royal Reveille the cover and Ruby to get it right this time.

It’s a similar situation for Mejd (5.50), with only four rated in the novice hurdle (5.50) and with the colt dropping back from a handicap. Paul Carberry rides for Gordon Elliott, the partnership showing 80% (four out of five) success on the course.

Paul’s sister, Nina, has a five-from-nine record at Bellewstown and she is taken to complete my Daq Trio on another Gordon Elliott runner, Incas Article (8.20) in the bumper.

I’ll make the trio a yankee by starting with So You Think (3.10) in the Eclipse at Sandown; this is the day we see what the champion Aussie emigre to Ballydoyle is really made of. Now for another Outsider.

Famous last words, but the featured Crockafotha Hurdle (6.50) is never won by an older horse – over seven – and I shall bet that Archie Boy’s run comes to an end.

Paul Carberry switches from the older Supercede, heavily penalized for his second at Cheltenham, but will have to settle Original Option, who has won from the front over shorter.

Like Original Option, Bacher Boy returns to hurdling after moderate jumping over fences but there’s a clear signal that Gordon Elliott is a worried man with this one: the blinkers go on for the first time. He will like the firm ground and he has won at Bellewstown.

So he’s still my saver to Hunting Tower, who loves this ground, won at Listowel over today’s trip and ran well at the Punchestown Festival in a Grade B. The horse immediately behind was a Grade-B winner who scored again afterwards so it was a solid race.

SHAMROCK’S BETS
NAP: Royal Reveille (6.20 Bellewstown)
NEXT BEST: Mejd (5.50 Bellewstown)
OUTSIDER: Hunting Tower (6.50 Bellewstown)
LAY: Archie Boy (6.50 Bellewstown)
DAQ YANKEE: So You Think (3.10 Sandown), Mejd (5.50 Bellewstown), Royal Reveille (6.20 Bellewstown), Incas Article (8.20 Bellewstown)