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| Anibale Could Fly In Drinmore. |
Joseph O'Brien has had a strong start to his first proper season as a National Hunt trainer, and it is hardly surprising given the ammunition he has at his disposal. Landofhopeandglory is one of the many high class flat recruits he has acquired from his Dad, and this fella was beaten just 2L in a Group 2 on the level (rated 103). He has looked a serious tool over timber, and he couldn't have been more impressive on his last two starts, winning both under hands and heels. He is a best price of 5/4 and I think he could be hard to beat.
Gordon Elliott trains his main market rival in Mega Fortune, and he was 3rd in a flat handicap off a rating of 80. He hosed up at Downpatrick last time out, but he could be up against a different class of animal in O'Brien's charge. My suggestion for the forecast is Elliott's other runner, the Gigginstown owned Dakota Moirette. This fella was beaten a nose in France by a horse that has since won a 3yo hurdle race by 10L. This gelding got no further than the first on his Irish debut at Gowran, but with a clear round tomorrow he could run well at odds of 25/1.
STEVOS' SELECTION: 1. LANDOFHOPEANDGLORY 5/4 2. DAKOTA MOIRETTE 25/1
RACE 2
The one I like for this high quality Grade 1 hurdle is Gordon Elliott's grey son of Montmarte, Labaik. This French recruit didn't pull up any trees during his flat career, but he has looked a different proposition over timber. He won in the style of a good horse when winning his maiden on good ground at Punchestown, travelling beautifully and showing a smart turn of foot to put the race to bed.
He was stepped up to Grade 3 company in a Novice Hurdle at Navan next time out, and half a mile from home he looked in big trouble under Ruby Walsh. However, once Walsh got stuck into him he closed the gap to the leaders between the last two fences, and in the end he won going away, The De Bromhead horse was also impressive when winning at Cork, but at 11/2 I would rather be with Labaik in what looks a very competitive renewal of the Royal Bond.
STEVOS' SELECTION: LABAIK 11/2
RACE 3
This year's Hatton Grace is all about Willie Mullins' super mare Vroum Vroum Mag. This 7yo remains unbeaten after 10 starts under Mullins, and her wins include Grade 1 successes at the Aintree and Punchestown festivals. The yielding ground will be fine for her, she won easy first time out last year and she will have plenty of supporters at odds of 5/6.
One that could run well at huge odds is another Mullins mare in Whiteout. This 5yo daughter of Samum broke her Grade 1 duck when accounting for Limini at Punchestown (18f gd/yld) and she will love the nice ground at Fairyhouse tomorrow. She ran a cracker after a break at Cheltenham last March, and she could outrun her current odds of 33/1.
STEVOS' SELECTION: WHITEOUT E/W 33/1
RACE 4
This Grade A handicap hurdle looks a devilishly difficult puzzle to decipher, and matters aren't helped by JP McManus owning 7 of the 20 runners. You would imagine that at least one or two of them will run well, and if the market and jockey bookings are to be believed then Campeador is the one. However, odds of 7/2 in a race like this for a horse returning from a layoff, that fell last time out (admittedly when running a huge race at Cheltenham) look just a tad skinny to me.
A very tentative each way suggestion is Macnicholson for Jessie Harrington and Robbie Power. He fell on his last hurdle run at Punchestown back in April, and he was given a few months to get over that mishap before reappearing at Dundalk last month. He ran a couple of moderate races, over 12f and 16f, but he should have come on a lot for those two outings. He is racing off a mark of 138 here, just 3lb above the rating off which he was a close 2nd to Some Article at Punchestown on ground similar to today's. A return to form wouldn't come as a big surprise, and he is the each way suggestion at odds of 33/1 in a wide open race.
STEVOS' SELECTION: MACNICHOLSON E/W 33/1
RACE 5
This year's Drinmore is a fascinating renewal and 5 of the 7 participants won last time out. In fact, the top three have won their last 2 races. The one I am going to side with is the Tony Martin trained Anibale Fly. This useful hurdler won off 135 at Punchestown last April off 135, and he was put away after that before making his reappearance in a quality Beginners Chase at Navan (17f yld/sft). He won cosily under hands and heels from Martello Tower, and that gelding franked the form here on Saturday.
The 3rd home at Navan, Gurteen, is also very highly thought of and it was a visually impressive display. He is versatile trip wise, and he showed at Punchestown that today's trip of 20f holds no fears. He has gears, he will like the decent ground and Barry Geraghty is back on board. The 6yo son of Assessor is an exciting prospect, and he could take the beating at odds of 4/1.
STEVOS' SELECTION: ANIBALE FLY 4/1
RACE 6
The one I am interested in here at a price is a horse that has run two absolute stinkers for his new trainer Robbie McNamara. Kilgefen Star was formerly trained by Michael Smith in the UK, and he won 3 races for him, including a 23.5f chase (soft) at Kelso off a mark of 129. His other two wins came over timber (22.5f gd/sft and 18f gd) so he is versatile regarding ground and he should have no problems with conditions at Fairyhouse.
That win last November was the last time that this 8yo son of Saddler's Hall produced his best, and he was beaten by a combined total of 59L on his final two starts for Smith. He reappeared over timber at Galway in a first time hood in October and he ran no sort of race.
The hood was kept on when he returned to chasing at Punchestown last month, but again Kilgefen Star was below par and he was pulled up. Obviously he needs to be better than that, but on the plus side he has been dropped to a mark of just 123. He hacked up by 9L off 6lb higher nearly a year ago, and the way he stayed on that day suggested today's trip of 3m5f could be within reach. O'Regan has been booked, the hood is off and hopefully the handbrake is too. At odds of 28/1 he is a tentative each way selection for small stakes.
STEVOS' SELECTION: KILGEFEN STAR E/W 28/1
RACE 7
All the usual suspects are represented in the finale, and this race has produced some classy winners. Identity Thief and Al Ferof are among the previous victors, and it will be interesting to see if there is anything of that calibre this year. The one I am going to chance at a huge price, purely on pedigree, is the Shane Nolan trained filly Simone, who can currently be backed at odds of 100/1. This filly is bred to be very useful, and if a horse with a pedigree like hers was trained by Elliott, Mullins or O'Brien she would be single figure odds.
She is by top class national hunt sire Presenting, and she is out of a dual bumper winning dam. Simone's ill fated half brother Simonsig needs no introduction, and he won his bumper at Fairyhouse (18f gd) before going on to much bigger things. Her other half brother, Drumcliff, also won his bumper easily first time up, and she is also a half sister to another bumper winner. On paper she makes lots of appeal, her trainer has had two 2nds from his last two runners, and this filly has to be worth a pound or two each way at absolutely massive odds.
STEVOS' SELECTION: SIMONE E/W 100/1
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