Clonmel – Thursday 3rd March

It feels like it’s been a long time since one of these daily articles was published and in that time, the Cheltenham weights have been published. However, it is back to the nitty gritty of the day by day racing and it’s a welcome relief to get Irish racing back on our screens this afternoon. Clonmel is the order of the day and there are a few selections that I will be hoping can start off our month in the best way possible. 

Starting with the opening race on the card and the 2.20 mares beginners chase over 2m4f looks like a winnable contest for those involved. Plenty of these have some okay form but it would be hard to say there are any stars in this field and it may be prudent to side with a horse arriving with some good recent form. The chase debutante in the line-up, Western Zara is the mare I have landed on and I know that connections will have been keen to send this PtP recruit over the big sticks for some time now. She paid her dues over hurdles and came good in handicap company last time out, when winning gamely under today’s pilot, Richie Deegan. This rider has built up a good rapport with this mare and it was his second time winning on her, and hopefully he can make it a third time this time around. If taking to the game well, she should have a great chance. At a best price of 9/4 with Bet365, I think she is a bet. 

If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again is the order of the day in the 3.51 as I will be going back to the well one last time on Shean Glory in the 2m handicap hurdle. This mare has done me in on occasions in the past and despite showing heaps of promise in plenty of her runs, that first win has still remained elusive. However, she was back to form last week at Thurles and one does feel that a win must be coming her way soon in this company. Sean O’Keeffe is a very eye-catching booking for this mare, who can be a bit fresh at times and returning to the minimum trip around a track like this will suit the horse very well. There will be no mad risks taken at my end, and a price of 5/1 with Bet365, who are offering 5 places – should be backed each way.

The 4.21 race is the 2m2f maiden hurdle and this looks like an open contest on the face of things. Plains Indian has knocked into a few good horses in his last two starts, while Whatsavailable is perhaps beginning to look a bit exposed. That leaves So Scottish, and I can’t quite get out of my head how well fancied this horse was to go and beat Facile Vega at Christmas time, when coming a distant third. He was also third when brought over for a lively bumper at Lingfield last time out, and he should be able to make his presence felt in this contest. With some of the other horses looking a little bit exposed at this stage – he could be the horse to spring from the pack. At a price of 3/1 with Paddy Power, he should be backed. 

The 5.21 race is the mares bumper over 2 miles, and this looks like another intriguing race to finish the card. I am prepared to give a chance to Grace Shelby, who has run a few decent races for her trainer this year and perhaps is a bit better than what she showed last time out. She finished third on debut, behind the impressive Sandor Clegane, before disappointing slightly at Limerick last time out. Although one would always have to be wary of a Gordon Elliot newcomer, this looks like a potentially winnable race and if turning up in the same form of her debut, she could be a good price in this race. At 9/1 with Paddy Power, she should be backed each way.