LISTOWEL Sat: While many eyes will be on the action at Epsom, there’s an excellent seven-race card on the Flat from picturesque Listowel to look forward to this Saturday.
⭕ A maiden (2:25pm) over 6½f gets things underway. While there are a few newcomers of note here, with Jim Bolger’s Parish Record perhaps the pick, several of these have already shown a high level of ability. Blame Thechampagne was far from disgraced in a Group 3 on her last start, when beaten only six lengths. She should go close now dropping back to maiden company, but there may be more value to be had in siding with Bruce Lightning. The Patrick Martin yard is not known for winning two-year-olds, so for this horse to run a close third on debut over 5f was a huge effort. That form has been franked by the runner-up placing in a Group 3 – ahead of Blame Thechampagne – last time, and there could be plenty more to come over 6f.
⭕ Race two is the Pat Smullen Handicap (3:00pm) over 6½f, run in memory of the great nine-time Irish Champion Jockey. Joseph O’Brien’s Karaoke was an eye-catcher on handicap debut when finishing fifth over 7f on soft ground at Cork. This daughter of Acclamation travelled strongly that day only for her run to peter out in the final furlong. It’s possible she needed that reappearance run, so better is to be expected with that behind her and now dropping slightly back in trip.
⭕ The 3:35pm is a handicap over 7f. It could be worth taking a chance on the Noel Meade-trained Chestnutter here. While this four-year-old is still a maiden after 11 starts, she has dropped to a good mark having run respectably off 11lbs higher in handicap company last season. She finished well down the field on her recent reappearance at Cork, but was only beaten less than five lengths, and could be up to making the shake-up in this weak-looking contest.
⭕ Next up is a fillies’ & mares’ maiden (4:10pm) over a mile. Perfect Poise finished well for fifth in a competitive Naas maiden when last seen, form that has been franked with the runner-up going on to win since. This looks weaker, and if sharper for her reappearance, then Ger Lyon’s daughter of Kodiac should go close.
⭕ Only five runners are set to line up in the EBF Median Auction Race (4:45pm) over a mile, but it looks an intriguing contest nonetheless. Lightly-raced Grey Leader is likely to be popular after impressing when winning a maiden in April, but it’s Dermot Weld’s Tiverton who gets the vote. He was highly impressive in his first three runs last season, including when winning at Listowel over 7f. He hasn’t been so good since, but he’s now been gelded and that could bring about significant improvement.
⭕ The mile handicap (5:15pm) doesn’t look the strongest of events, so while Jessica Harrington’s Sunday Evening has shown very little so far in three maidens, it wouldn’t be a surprise were she to take a significant step forward off a lowly opening mark of 58. A daughter of Fastnet Rock, she is related to Listed winners, so is bred to be much better than this level and the application of first-time cheekpieces could spark a good performance.
⭕ The day’s action concludes with a maiden (5:50pm) over a mile. Trainer Willie McCreery has a fairly good strike rate at Listowel, sending out 11 winners from 94 runners, and he could add to that tally here with the twice-raced Fernao. This Frankel colt finished second over a mile at Killarney when last seen. He looked to get a bit outpaced there, and may again find things happening too quickly over a mile around here, but if he is well positioned from the start, he should take a bit of beating.
