Hotelier Handicapped To Go Well At Gowran

Bob Tucker ran well for quite a long way at Newbury on Friday but a bad mistake about a mile out checked his momentum and unfortunately he faded badly out of contention. The search for a badly needed winner goes on, and there is a horse that tickles my fancy at Gowran that looks handicapped to go well on his first run back since the summer.

Colm Murphy is a trainer that used to have a much higher profile a few years back, and he is no stranger to success on the big stage. He sent the likes of Brave Inca and Big Zeb across the water to plunder big races at Cheltenham, and it was great to see him back in the winners enclosure on a big day with Empire of Dirt at Leopardstown. He was at it again a couple of weeks ago with his promising chaser Marlbrook at Naas, and his horses are obviously in fine fettle at the moment.

He heads to Gowran with just one runner on Saturday, Mister Hotelier, who goes in the feature at 3.55, a 2m2f handicap chase. This 9yo son of Beneficial has had 14 chase starts, winning two and placing four times, and on his day he is a pretty useful performer. He didn't have a great year last year, failing to win, but plenty of Murphy's horses were struggling at that time and it would be no surprise to see a much better horse today.

This fella has won on ground ranging from heavy to good and those victories have come at trips between 16f and 20f. Today's 18f trip and heavy ground hold no fears, and though he has yet to run at Gowran his four career wins to date have come at testing, undulating, right handed tracks, and Gowran fits that description perfectly.

He has been off the track 216 days and his last run came at Galway last August when he was 7th of 17 in a competitive handicap off 128. He last win came after a 73 day break so he has the ability to run well fresh, and hopefully he is fit and ready to go. He was a close 2nd off  that same mark of 128 at Punchestown (16 good) last May, beaten less than a length, and his last win came at Fairyhouse (17f soft) back in November 2014 off 126.

He is back down to that mark for today's race and Murphy has booked the services of Shane Shortall for the ride, who takes off a valuable 5lb. Shortall will be brimming with confidence after steering Shrewd to victory at Kelso on Friday and hopefully he can do a similar job on Mister Hotelier at Gowran in this 30k race. He will be carrying just 9st 11lbs and on desperate ground he could run a big race off his feather weight. His well being has to be taken on trust, so stakes should be kept low, but at odds of 16/1 he looks worth chancing each way in an open looking handicap for his in form trainer.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 3.55 GOWRAN MISTER HOTELIER E/W 16/1