Limerick – Tuesday 1st February

There is always an air of excitement going into a new month and trying to better the figures of the previous month. Luckily enough, after a rocky road in January – we hit the line strong in the last week to record a solid profit. Let’s keep the fingers crossed we can do similar going forward and we have a meeting at Limerick today to start the month. It is not vintage racing but there are a couple in this card that I quite like at big enough each way prices – so hopefully they can run well.

Starting with the 1.10 race, which is a 2m5f claiming hurdle, plenty of runners come into this contest in indifferent form and will need this step down in class to revive them. The one that appeals to me the most is Prospectus – who is taking a massive downward step in class of race, and despite some average performances of late – might be able to run well in these sorts of conditions. Since joining his current outfit, he ran well at Ballinrobe before underperforming for the guts of a year, but his trainer has done well with similarly aging types, and this horse is suited by the weights given his rating. The ground should be of no issue for this horse and if returning to the form that he showed for Gavin Cromwell a few years ago, he would be a shoo-in in this contest. At a price of 15/2 with SkyBet – who are offering 4 places, he is an each way player. 

The 1.40 race is the first division of the handicap hurdle over 2m5f and this ordinary contest is for horses rated 80-102. I am going to take a chance on Harry Do Brasil, who put in a much improved effort around this course last time out when finishing fourth in a maiden hurdle at a big price. He had not shown much before then, but a switch to positive tactics stood to him, and he ran a big race. The winner, Paddy’s Planet went on to win again, so the form has small bits of substance. Going into his first handicap, off a mark of 92, which seems fair – he could run a big race on handicap debut and most importantly, we know he can handle the demands that Limerick poses. At a price of 22/1 with Bet365, who are offering 4 places – he is another each way bet. 

The 2.10 race is the second division of the same handicap hurdle and it seems a little bit remiss of me to be taking on Feyan, a mare who won so well for us over the big sticks at Punchestown last time out. She has hit with a big hike for that effort, and as a result reverts to hurdling off a much lower mark. This being said, she seems to have transformed for fences and her hurdle form was ordinary – so therefore, I can allow her win at a skimpy price. Instead, preference is for Rock of Tuskar, who was also a winner for us back in the summertime, and has shown some pieces of form over the winter without having too much to shout about. He ran an okay race over course and distance last time out, when getting done for pace at a crucial stage for boxing on when the bird had flown. If he can lie up with the pace this time around, he should be strong in the finish and Richie Deegan had a nice winner for this trainer on Saturday. A price of 9/1 with Bet365, who are offering 4 places looks more attractive than taking a short price about the favorite. 

Skipping forward to the 4.40 race, which is the final race on the card and the 2m bumper has a few interesting candidates, and there should be no shocks to see a Willie Mullins trained inmate at the top of the betting. However, I am going to be following in on a formline that I have liked the look of this year from Punchestown – and it involved a certain Grace Shelby in this line up. She finished a well beaten third behind the very promising Sandor Clegane, but only finished a small bit behind The Flier Begley and in front of Glengouly – who both have given the form nice nudges in recent weeks. She ran a big race given it was a belated debut and it was enough to suggest that this trainer / owner will get some good fun out of this mare. At a price of 8/1 with Paddy Power, she is another each way bet.