Rooney Could Hit The Target At Leopardstown

Uno Momento was backed early this morning but drifted back out before the off to 25s. He was ridden with restraint by Wayne Lordan and as they entered the final couple of furlongs he was left with plenty to do. He had to mount his challenge widest of all and though he made up ground hoof over fist in the final furlong he just failed to get up for 3rd by a head. Luck hasn’t been on our side in recent weeks, so hopefully the tide turns soon and we get back into the winner’s enclosure.

Niall McCullagh is a vastly experienced pilot.

I like the look of one at tasty odds in the mile handicap at 20.00 at Leopardstown tomorrow, and I think Rooney O’Mara looks a crazy price for Willie Roper and Niall McCullagh. With 20 horses going to post stakes should be kept to a minimum, but I think this beautifully bred filly is potentially better than her current mark of 57 and she is entitled to come on leaps and bounds with her seasonal reappearance behind her.

She was well beaten at Bellewstown last time, but she was likely in need of the run and she would have finished closer only for interference inside the final furlong. She showed promise on two of her three maiden runs, and she first caught my eye on debut at Navan (6f yld). She was last as they entered the final couple of furlongs but she stayed on well under hands and heels and ended up 9th of 16, beaten just 4L by the winner.

She was sent off at 14/1 next time out at Limerick and she was ridden a lot more aggressively by McCullagh on that occasion. She bumped into a quality horse in Making Light, a subsequent Group 3 winner, but she kept on really well for 3rd and displayed a good attitude. She was given a speculative run in Listed company over a mile at Leopardstown next time out, but she was out of her depth and finished well beaten.

She was handed a mark of 58 after those three runs, and after her comeback run at Bellewstown she has been dropped to 57. She is bred to be better than that and she is related to plenty of winners. She is a half sister to Group 3 winner Soraaya, Listed winner Declaration Of War and 85 rated 4 time winner Freak Occurence. Her sire Dragon Pulse has made a good start at stud and any rain that falls overnight will enhance her chance.

Veteran jockey Niall McCullagh has ridden this filly on her last three starts and he keeps the ride on Thursday. He has had 17 rides for Roper, placing on 6 of them. Rooney O’Mara has been handed a decent draw in stall 4 and I am hoping that she breaks well and is ridden positively, just like she was when placed at Limerick. Once there is no firm in the ground description I think she can outrun her massive odds and at 33/1 she is worth chancing each way for small stakes in a wide open looking contest.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: 20.00 LEOPARDSTOWN-ROONEY O’MARA E/W @ 33/1