Sunday 5 June 2016

Sunday's Selection

Blithe Spirit was the only selection to run respectably for the blog yesterday on a bitterly disappointing day. Harzand was heavily backed in the hours before the Derby and he stayed on well to land the spoils for Dermot Weld, showing great guts to hold off the challenge of US Army Ranger. It may well have been a different story on better ground but Weld is a master trainer and it was great to see him win the race that has eluded him for so long.

The French Derby is run today but I have no strong fancy in the race. I am sticking closer to home for today's selection and I think Tears In my Eyes is worth a second look in the 3.05 7f handicap at Listowel. This 3yo daughter of Lilbourne Lad has been disappointing since going very close in a decent maiden at Yarmouth last September (7f gd/fm). She ran respectably on her next start in a valuable 2yo race at Newmarket, again on quick ground, but she was bitterly disappointing on a trio of a/w starts before being sold and ending up with Evanna McCutcheon.

She reappeared at Dundalk with a poor effort and it was a similar story at Cork (8.5f hy) next time out. However, she has shown signs of returning to life on her last couple of runs and her penultimate effort at Leopardstown (7f hy) was a lot better than the distance she was beaten or her finishing position suggests. She fell out of the stalls that day but she made up the ground and was bang there entering the final furlong. Considering that the heavy ground was also against her it was a cracking run and she was dropped 4lb for it to a mark of 61.

She was kept to heavy ground again last time out at Sligo and she again ran a nice race without really threatening to get involved. She was a bit short of room coming around the tight turn at the top of the straight but she kept on well for 6th. I think she can take a big step forward at Listowel today with her mark down to 59 and young Leonard taking off another 7lbs. It will be her first run on decent ground since that good effort in that class 2 heat at Newmarket and if she can get away on terms from stall 5 she could run a big race at a big price.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 3.05 LISTOWEL TEARS IN MY EYES E/W 25/1

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