Murray's Mare Could Go Well At Thurles

It is a pleasure to be writing this blog today after a superb win for Balnagon Boy at Fairyhouse earlier. When I awoke this morning and peeked out from behind the curtains you can imagine my excitement when I saw it was absolutely pissing it down outside. With bottomless ground a certainty my confidence in Balnagon Boy was enhanced, and I decided to head to the track to shout him home. He was sent off at 5/1, a more accurate price than the crazy 10/1 that was available last night, and he did it well, producing a fast jump at the last and putting the race to bed.

Balnagon Boy In The Parade Ring At Fairyhouse

All the credit has to go to his trainer Tom Gibney, who is no stranger to success around Fairyhouse. This horse was out for almost 2 years having shown plenty of promise as a 5yo. To get him back to his best (if not even better) on just his second run back after such a long layoff was a marvellous training performance, and it was great to see his big white face coming home in front. Hopefully there is more to come from this handsome son of Hernando.

Tomorrow sees more decent national hunt action in Thurles, and the horse that catches my eye is the Adrian Murray trained mare Princess Lir. This daughter of Presenting has shaped with real promise on her last two runs, and her penultimate effort was particularly pleasing. It came over 20f at Ballinrobe on bad ground and she ran a cracker to be beaten less than 2L, herself and the winner finishing well clear of the 3rd. Ma Garrett was miles back and won her next two starts, although the ground was a likely factor in that one's performance.

Next time up over the same trip at Clonmel she was no match for the promising winner, but she was just 3L behind Blazing Tempo who she conceded 5lb to. That form was franked when Blazing Tempo won a maiden next time out, and what looked a pretty moderate effort at the time looks a lot better now. The Mullins horse will be a short priced fav, and he had a double at Fairyhouse earlier today. However, Princess Lir is fit, is guaranteed to like the ground  and she is bred to get the trip (her half bro Master Neo won over 24f soft). I think 11/1 is a huge price and Murray had one placed at 100/1 in the opener at Fairyhouse earlier. She is a confident each way selection in what looks a pretty poor race.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 1.55 THURLES-PRINCESS LIR 11/1