St Stephens’ Day Selections

One of the highlights of the national hunt season every year is St Stephens’ Day (or Boxing Day for UK readers) and this year the racing looks as good as ever. The King George is the big race of the day and I have put a selection up for that contest, as well as two other tips, for Mybettingbonus. Click here to read them. I also fancy a couple at massive prices at Down Royal and I will outline why below.
 

Patrick Corbett comes back in for the ride on Urbanist. 

The first one I like the look of goes in the 2 mile maiden hurdle at 14.15 and I think Colwinston could outrun his price for Suzy Barkley and Adam Short. This 7yo son of Mustameet has yet to taste victory after 12 starts under rules, but he has run some decent races in defeat and this race is likely to have been his target for some time. Some of his best form has come here in bumpers and he ran well over timber here too last March.

He chased home lucky winner Geneva Barracks here that day and while he was some way behind the winner he did keep on well enough for 2nd (16.5f yld/sft) in a first time tongue tie. He followed that up with another solid effort at Fairyhouse (16f gd/yld) with no tongue tie, finishing 4th behind Tudor City. His overall form figures at Down Royal read 3525, his trainer has trained more winners there than at any other track and with the tongue tie reapplied for the first time since his 2nd here he looks worth chancing each way at 33/1.

In the following race, a 2 mile handicap hurdle, I think Urbanist could bounce back with a good run after a woeful effort last time out. I tipped him up for that race at Thurles but he was always in rear and wide and I am going to put a line through that effort and give him another chance. He ran a lot better previously at Fairyhouse and the form of that run has worked out well.

The winner of that race, Roja Dove, went on to win off 9lb higher next time out and she was 12L in front of Urbanist at Fairyhouse. The 4th home Glenabo Bridge was 5L in front of the selection and he went on to be 2nd on his next start before winning at Navan. The 5th home, Killahara Castle was just over 3L ahead of Urbanist and she went on to spring a massive shock in a Listed race on her last start at 200/1.

Urbanist is now 3lb lower and it is interesting that the usual hood is discarded and the cheekpieces go on for the first time. Patrick Corbett replaces Robbie Colgan in the plate and he was on board for that good Fairyhouse run. He has a good record overall when riding for Shane Nolan, winning three races and placing 7 times from just 21 rides. Nolan’s record at Down Royal is another cause for optimism.

The Clane based handler has a good record with his raiders up North, sending out two winners and 4 placed horses from just 12 runners for a frame hitting strike rate of 50%. Urbanist is bred to be a lot better than his current mark of 80, being by Black Sam Bellamy and out of a half sister to the very classy Commanche Court. He races off a feather weight here which should be a big help on the forecast testing ground and at odds of 33/1 he is worth chancing each way. A cheeky little each way double might be worth doing on them too. 

STEVOS’ SELECTIONS: 14.15 DOWN ROYAL-COLWINSTON E/W @ 33/1

                                              14.50 DOWN ROYAL-URBANIST E/W @ 33/1