Step Up In Trip Could Be The Making Of Magic At Leopardstown

Trans Express gave us a great run for our money in the handicap hurdle at Cheltenham on Friday. My heart was racing as they approached the third last as he was travelling very well and I thought he had a great chance of winning, let alone placing. However, he just lacked the turn of foot possessed by some of his rivals after jumping the last and he could only manage 7th.

Julia's Magic looks a lively outsider at Leopardstown.

I have previewed all the live ITV Saturday races for Bettingtools tomorrow and you can check out my fancies by clicking here. However, with quick ground looking likely at Leopardstown I can’t resist having a small each way bet on Julia’s Magic in the 7f Listed contest at 3.05pm.

This daughter of underrated sire Dandy Man has not run well on her last two starts in Listed and handicap company but the easy ground was not in her favour on either occasion. However, she is of big interest here on the form of her close 4th in a Listed heat at Naas three starts back and the way she finished that day suggested that 7f would really suit.

I think this filly is more than capable of picking up some black type for Denise Foster, just like her sister Lily’s Rainbow. Her wins all came at a mile so not only does Julia’s Magic’s last run suggest that 7f will suit, her pedigree does too. Quick ground is another important requirement for Julia's Magic and she looks sure to get that at Leopardstown.

On the figures she has a lot to find with some of the principals with an official rating of 93 but she was just a head and a neck behind Naas runner up Could It Be Love who was rated 112 on the day (104 now). Imaging, rated 105, is the current favourite at 3/1 but he has yet to run on quick ground. Smash Williams and Flight Risk might prefer a bit of cut and I think the biggest dangers on paper are Psychedelic Funk and North Face, who will appreciate dropping back in trip.

However, I think the step up in trip could eke out more improvement from Julia’s Magic and the return to quick ground is firmly in her favour too. If the assessor is correct she will probably finish down the field, but in my opinion her run at Naas was better than that of a 93 rated filly and at odds of 40/1 I think she has a fighting chance of picking up some precious black type for connections.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: 3.05 LEOPARDSTOWN-JULIA’S MAGIC  E/W @ 40/1