Cleary Could Carry Roche’s Charge Home At The Curragh

I think that overall, Chester wasn’t too bad for us with Another Batt scoring at 10/1 and loads more placing, or at least running well. Fun Mac and Above The Rest both hit the frame for us on Friday, but unfortunately we had to go without a winner. There are some serious handicaps to get stuck into on Saturday, and I fancy one in the 6f contest at 2.45 at the Curragh.
 

Rory Cleary is riding with confidence at the moment. 

Way Back Home sneaks in off a low weight at the foot of the handicap and I think this son of Power is overpriced on some of his maiden form, particularly his only previous run over today’s course and distance on yielding/soft. That was a cracking effort given that he was dropped out the back early on by Gary Carroll and he showed a nice enough turn of foot in the last couple of furlongs. He may only have finished 8th but he was only 4L behind the winner.

The winner of that race hasn’t run since but the runner up Kion has and he won two races on the all weather in England since, earning a rating of 84. Powersville was 3rd (3L ahead of Way Back Home getting 5lb) and he has won twice since and is re-opposing here 13lb worse off in the weights with the selection. Castrogiovanni finished a head in front of Roche’s charge and he is now rated 85. I think that is pretty decent form and he races off a mark of just 71 on his return to the Curragh for the first time since.

Way Back Home is by Power and out of a Hawk Wing mare so he doesn’t exactly jump off the page as an obvious heavy ground horse. However, he was 2L too good for Vinnie’s Wish over 7f when they clashed on heavy at Limerick behind Imaging last season off level weights and he is now 6lb better off with that rival who is priced up at just 10/1.

Way Back home went well for a long way before fading at Cork on his seasonal reappearance, and in my opinion it was stamina and fitness rather than the ground that beat him. He pulled very hard early on too and the drop in trip will help in that regard. He should strip a lot fitter with that run under his belt and the booking of Rory Cleary is a massive plus in my book. He has won more races at the Curragh (33) than at any other turf track in Ireland during his career and hopefully he makes it 34 tomorrow. At odds of 33/1 I think Way Back Home is worth chancing each way.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: 2.45 CURRAGH-WAY BACK HOME E/W @ 33/1