Diablo Looks A Devilishly Good Each Way Bet In The Thyestes

The Thyestes Chase is the biggest race of the season at Gowran Park Racecourse. This 25f handicap chase has been won by some seriously good horses over the years. Hedgehunter, Djakadam and the great Arkle are on that exclusive list, and Mr Diablo could join the club on Thursday.

Mr Diablo looks a likely sort in the Thyestes.

I tipped up this fella for the Troytown Chase at Navan on the TXODDS blog a couple of months back and he ran a huge race. He belied his odds of 50/1 to finish a clear 2nd behind Tout Est Permis off a mark of 133. That horse franked the form at the weekend, winning a Grade 2 chase at Naas.

Mr Diablo ran well enough on his next start, again at Navan, but over 4f shorter. He just doesn’t have the toe for 20f now and he could only manage 5th that day. The step back up in trip here looks sure to suit, as will the underfoot conditions. 

The ground is currently yielding at Gowran and that won’t bother Mr Diablo. He has won on all sorts of ground, including yielding, but the better the ground is the bigger his chance will be. It was good ground in the Troytown and he has won twice on that sort of surface.

He is only 4lb higher than when beaten 4.5L by Tout Est Permis, who was running off 138. He is now rated in the mid 150s so it shows how unlucky Philip Dempsey’s charge was to bump into such a well handicapped horse. Magic Of Light was 6.5L behind Mr Diablo that day (off 136), and she is now rated 150 after wins at Listed and Grade 2 level in the past month.

Mr Diablo last won at Leopardstown off 133 and he is racing off 137 in this.  On the strength of his Troytown run he definitely looks well handicapped. The 10yo son of Presenting is lightly raced for his age and I think that there could be a bit more improvement in him at 3 miles plus over fences. 

This is usually a race that suits prominent racers, My Murphy and Champagne West being two recent winning examples. Mr Diablo looks way overpriced given his racing style and recent form. Once the ground isn't bottomless he is well worth chancing each way for the Thyestes Chase at odds of 20/1.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: 3.00 GOWRAN PARK - MR DIABLO E/W @ 20/1

New Trip Could Be The Road To Success For Side At Ayr

Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be for Marino Marvel at Fairyhouse earlier this week. I have no complaints either, as he was ridden how I hoped he would be. He just didn’t finish as well as I thought he would and he is best left alone until showing a bit more spark.

Beneficial's progeny usually like decent ground.

On Sunday I like the look of a mare at 20/1 at Ayr and I think the combination of decent ground and a slight step up in trip could work the oracle for Side Of The Road. This 7yo daughter of Beneficial has yet to trouble the judge after 9 starts, but it is early days and she has showed a modicum of ability on more than one occasion.

The fist time she caught the eye was at Ayr on heavy ground over 20.5f in a maiden hurdle back in November 2017. She was beaten 17L by the winner, but she stayed on stoutly from well back under a considerate ride. She has had four runs in handicaps since starting out off a mark of 99 and she is now rated just 82.

However, although her mark has plummeted she showed definite signs of life last time at Sedgefield. Dropped out in rear throughout, she made ground in the final half mile and only for being hampered she would have got a lot closer than a 28L 5th of 12. She jumped nicely and got outpaced, but she was doing all her best work in the closing stages over the 20f trip.

The step up to 21.5f should really suit Side Of The Road, as should the nicer ground. Beneficial’s progeny usually thrive on decent ground and on pedigree, this test should be right up her street. Stakes should be kept small, but at odds of 20/1 I think Side Of The Road is well worth chancing each way.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: 4.10 AYR-SIDE OF THE ROAD E/W @ 20/1

Step Back Up In Trip Could Suit Marino At Fairyhouse

Unfortunately, my last tip on this blog over a week ago was a massive disappointment. He Rock’s was always in rear and never looked like figuring. He will no doubt bounce back at some stage, but my money won’t be on. We get the rare treat of a Tuesday card at Fairyhouse on Tuesday and while the fare is mediocre at best, I do think there is one worth backing at nice odds in the 20f handicap hurdle at 3pm.

Marino Marvel (middle) was just beaten by Turasoir at Clonmel.

Marino Marvel remains a maiden after 29 starts in both codes and his recent form figures are far from awe inspiring. However, he has demonstrated he has sufficient ability to pick up a weak race at some stage on more than one occasion, and they don’t get much weaker than this low grade handicap hurdle.

His best run over timber so far came when Conor Maxwell was on board at Thurles off a mark of 87 (16f yld). He was beaten by a short head by 93 rated Turasoir who had a 7lb claimer on board. She is now rated 107 after winning easily off 98 since. Marino Marvel has now dropped to a mark of 85, and his last run at today’s trip was his best for some time.

He may only have finished 7th at Clonmel last month (20f yld) off a mark of 90 but he was only 2.5L behind the 4th home, All About Alfie, and he came out and won on his next start. He earned an RPR of 97 for that run, and on better ground I think he can improve on that effort.

His last two runs were poor but they can be excused, especially the last one at Punchestown over 16f. For a horse that likes to race in the first half of the field at the very least, it was strange to see him dropped out the back. He charted a very wide course too and it was no surprise that he didn’t feature at the finish.

I am hoping that he is ridden more prominently at Fairyhouse and it is interesting that the usual cheekpieces are discarded. Conor Maxwell rides regularly for McLoughlin (20 wins from 320 rides) and he is on Marino Marvel, with Robbie Colgan (1 win from 37 rides) taking the ride on his other runner, Glendaar’s Warrior, who is shorter in the betting.

Marino Marvel is now rated 5lb lower than when running well at Clonmel last month and 2lb lower than when beaten by Turasoir. Dermot McLoughlin had a couple run well in a handicap hurdle at Punchestown on Monday and Waitaki ran a cracker at Dundalk on Friday, so his string is still in decent shape. I think Marino Marvel has it in him to run a big race on Tuesday, if he is in the mood, and at 25/1 a small each way interest is advised.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: 3.00 FAIRYHOUSE-MARINO MARVEL E/W @ 25/1