Girl Worth Chancing On Handicap Debut At Downpatrick

Sizing Coal was run off his feet at Uttoxeter earlier and he just couldn't handle the scorching early pace set by the front runners. A bad mistake four out put paid to his chances and he was pulled up. It is too soon to write him off though and he has a nice staying handicap in him, it just wasn't meant to be today.

Things took a turn for the better later on though as When In Roam stormed to victory in the 5.20. The odds of 14/1 were snapped up pretty sharpish and she was sent off a well backed 8/1 shot. She tracked the Irish horse throughout, well ahead of the rest of the field, and in the final half mile her stamina kicked in and Davey Crosse drove her out for a comfortable victory. After a shocking run for us our luck has turned, and hopefully the good run can continue with Sunday's selection at Downpatrick.

Curraghmore Girl makes her handicap debut for shrewd County Meath handler Gillian Callaghan, and she has been handed a mark of just 87 after three moderate runs in beginner chases at trips ranging from 16f to 24f, all on bottomless ground. She caught my eye on her penultimate run at Thurles (24f heavy) far from knocked about in 3rd and jumping very nicely at her own pace. She has already won a point to point and this 6yo daughter of Darsi could be set for a much better run tomorrow.

Her sire has a 14% strike rate on good ground and her point win came on yielding, her only time to encounter ground better than soft. Her dam was a point to point winner and, most interestingly of all, her best run under rules came when she was a close second here over 22f on good ground. Robbie Power has ridden her on her last couple of outings and he keeps the ride tomorrow, and she will get good to yielding ground for the first time in her career. Waltz Legend beat her in a point on heavy ground by 8L, but that was off level weights and Curraghmore Girl gets 7lb from her tomorrow.

She should get a lot closer to Waltz Legend on the figures, and on decent ground she could well turn the form around completely. She is 4 years younger than that rival too, so she has a lot more scope for improvement in comparison to that 10yo mare. I think she looks overpriced at 12/1 and hopefully she can reward each way support in a race that looks there for the taking.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 4.35 DOWNPATRICK-CURRAGHMORE GIRL E/W 12/1