Vegas Could Be Chucked In At Leopardstown

Caolaneoin ran a decent race earlier, travelling well under substitute jockey Mark Enright. However, Enright struggled to get him settled in the first couple of furlongs, and he seemed unbalanced for a good few of the early jumps. Nevertheless, Caolaneoin moved stylishly through the field as they turned for home, and he was bang there with every chance until being badly hampered at the last. He was under pressure at the time admittedly, and a place was probably the best he could hope for.

The best performance of the day came at Kempton, where Thistlecrack produced a stunning display to beat a small but select field in the King George. This fella has some engine and, bar one or two hairy moments, his jumping was spectacular.

The big one tomorrow is the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown, and on the forecast ground I think Dromnea might outrun his odds of 40/1 for Mouse Morris. I am convinced this fella has a big pot in him, and he is 2lb higher than when a decent 7th in this race last year, beaten just 3.5L by Gilgamboa for 3rd.

However, the bottomless ground that day was never going to suit this son of Presenting, and his very best form has come on soft or better. He would have needed his comeback run at Punchestown (25f gd) when a well beaten 4th in a Grade 3, but it was much more like it back in handicap company at Galway next time out off 130 (22f yld). He was just done for toe in the final furlong up the hill by Hash Brown, but he stayed on well for a clear 2nd, beaten just over 4L at the finish.

Dromnea looks overpriced in the Paddy Power. 

He was dropped back in trip and stepped up in class on his last start at Clonmel (20f yld) and he finished 4th in that Grade 2, beaten 10L for the win by Alechi Inois, but only half a length behind 148 rated Monksland, who he was conceding 4lb to. It really was a cracking effort over an inadequate trip, and at odds of 40/1 he looks worthy of a pound or two each way in a wide open looking renewal.

Another horse that looks criminally overpriced at Leopardstown tomorrow is the David Harry Kelly trained Lagostovegas. She gets in off a feather weight of just 9-12 in the 2.30, a 2m handicap hurdle, and on some of her form she looks absolutely chucked in off a mark of just 119.

This 4yo daughter of Footstepsinthesand has only missed out on a placing twice in seven starts over timber, winning once and placing on four other occasions. She also managed to win a 13f (sft) flat handicap here during the summer off a mark of 70, so she will definitely handle the track.

She was pulled up when last seen at Listowel, but she was likely over the top and she has been given a nice 3 month break to recharge her batteries. She ran a cracker at this meeting last year, finishing an excellent 3rd beaten 9L behind subsequent festival winner Ivanovich Gorbatov. Tocororo was 3.75L behind her in 4th and he has since won a grade 3. Ben Dundee, a further 3L back hacked up in a maiden by 7L next time out, so the form has plenty of substance.

The form of her previous maiden runs also stands up to scrutiny, 6L behind subsequent Grade 3 and Grade 2 winner Rashaan, She was the same distance behind Grade 1 winner Footpad at Gowran (16f soft) and the 3rd home that day (7L behind Lagostovegas) went close off 127 at Cork last month.

If she was to reproduce the form of any of those maiden runs tomorrow surely she has to have a huge chance, and Jonathan Moore is a good booking. Harry Kelly pulled off a massive coup with Moyle Park at Leopardstown a few years ago, and I think Lagostovegas is worth backing each way at odds of 33/1 tomorrow.

STEVOS' SELECTIONS: LEOPARDSTOWN: 2.30: LAGOSTOVEGAS E/W 33/1 NAP
                                                                  3.00: DROMNEA E/W 40/1