Tipperary – Thursday 1st July

Bet £5 on Racing & Get £30 in Free Bets!
18+ New Customers opt in, deposit and bet £5 at odds 2.00+ on Horse Racing within 7 days of registration; excludes cashed out bets. Get 3x £10 Free Bets, set events only at odds 2.00+. Free Bets expire in 7 days. Card payments only. Geo Restrictions. Additional terms for existing BetVictor customers apply. T&Cs Apply, see below. | begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly

It was a good day for this blog on Tuesday, with two winners from three selections being registered. After Atlantic Storm missed out on the places when coming fourth, I was a little sceptical about coming out of the day in the green. However, wins from Butte Montana and Florence Camille ensured a winning day, with the latter getting a perfectly timed ride by Colin Keane to get up on the line. It meant that we ended June with a bit of a flourish, and most important, in profit. A return to Irish National Hunt Racing today at Tipperary excites me greatly, and that’s where all of today’s selections come from. 

My first selection comes in the 5.45, a 2m4f handicap hurdle. The talk of this race will be the Emmet Mullins trained, Blackstair Rocco, who was subject to a massive gamble at Downpatrick – and duly obliged by 16 lengths. However, it is risky to think that he can defy a 22 pound rise for that, and even though it was a very facile win – he faces a much different task today. Instead, I am going to delve down the market with Harvest Bow, who makes his first start for Gavin Cromwell over hurdles, off an appetising mark of 111. Formerly trained by Noel Meade, his only win came over hurdles at Ballinrobe on good ground, so the forecast ground should be perfect for this horse. He has been in and out on the flat, but showed enough promise at Leopardstown this year to suggest there is still an engine intact. At 25/1 with Paddy Power with 4 places available, he will be an each way bet. 

Next up is the 6.45, which is the second division of the 2m4f maiden hurdle. This doesn’t look like a strong race and I always like having a bet on races where I believe there are only 2 or 3 viable outcomes. Tucson Trail leads the betting for Tom Mullins, but his form has been hit and miss, and dispute carding a clear career best last time out, I have small reservations. I prefer the look of Hallowed Star for the Shark Hanlon team. This horse won his bumper in the most impressive fashion at this track a year ago by 9 lengths, which gave him lofty reports from his trainer. He has perhaps underachieved since then, but there has been more than enough promise to suggest that he should be winning a maiden hurdle. At a best price of 4/1 with Bet365 – he is one of my stronger bets of the day.

They often say to stick to what you know best, and with my final two selections, I am doing just that. Firstly in the competitive 3m hurdle at 7.15, I will be going with experience over potential and substance over style. Sweet Home Chicago has been a wonderful horse for Colin Bowe and his team for many years now. He rarely goes a summer without a win, and can often be caught best when fresh. At his best form, the race conditions suit this horse favourably and with ground and track to suit, he may well be underestimated in the market. At a price of 8/1 with Bet365 for 3 Places, I’m hoping the old boy can turn back the clock in the feature.  

And finally the 7.45 is my last port of call for today, and it’s no surprise to see me siding with a Paul Nolan horse in this one. Galypso Clermont was almost the subject of a major industry wide gamble when being backed from 33s into 9s on his last start. After making an untidy mistake at the last, he lost out in a photo finish, much to the agony of people like myself who had backed him at bigger prices. He returns here off a 3 pound higher mark, which is doable, and a yard that couldn’t be in better form over the last month. His jumping would have to improve for him to defy this mark, but with the longer trip perhaps negating that aspect, he should be going very close. At an industry best price of 4/1 with Bet365, I am hoping that Paul Nolan can fly the flag again for WhichBookie followers.