Horse Racing tips: Fran Berry’s 8 Friday Fancies at Dundalk

Sporting Life's top columnist Fran Berry has all your picks at the Co Louth track sorted.

Dundalk-Racecourse

By / Horse Racing Tips / 2 years ago

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16:45 Jarvis

The three main runners in this race will be JARVIS, Thisismydream and Orinoco River, who all ran in a Listed race here four weeks ago. Out of that trio, I fancy Jarvis to win. Orinoco River has been disappointing and she looks to be regressing.

Thisismydream ran way above himself in that Listed race mentioned above. It’s interesting that Colin Keane has elected to ride Jarvis over his stable companion Obtain, who had a bit of decent form at Down Royal prior to running in this one. Based on his outing at Dundalk and some of his grass form, I believe Jarvis is the safest bet here.

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17:15 Amazing Emma

This looks like a race where you may need the extra place Paddy has on offer. This is a very competitive 5-furlong handicap. Ado McGuinness has a couple of runners and his Faraah is interesting. Adams Barbour and King’s View were both fighting out finishes up at Dundalk in recent weeks too. Adams Barbour is up 8lbs for winning readily here at the end of September and it’s intriguing that Chris Hayes has chosen to ride him over King’s View, who was just beaten at this track recently.

However, I’m going elsewhere with my selection, and I’m tipping AMAZING EMMA who is ridden, yet again, by Colin Keane. Colin was onboard this filly when she was second over 6 furlongs at this venue last month. I don’t believe the grass played to her strengths when she was last seen at the Curragh over 5 furlongs on soft ground. But, she wasn’t beaten by too far and crucially, she is drawn in stall 2 on Friday evening. She is also a course winner in the past and I fancy her to go very well here.

17:45 Laugh A Minute

This is another competitive encounter, where LAUGH A MINUTE rates as the form pick. His run at York at the start of the month was very strong. On another day, if he got the breaks, he could have won that race. Back on the all-weather, he is of definite interest.

His rivals in this should be Big Gossey and his stable companion Dream Today. The Mick Halford-trained Sendmylovebacktoyou also catches the eye on her return back to the surface. But, Laugh A Minute gets the nod in this one. Being on this turning all-weather track, over 6 furlongs in a handicap should suit him very well, and that’s why he’s the selection.

18:15 So Fascinating (NAP)

This is not the strongest maiden of all time. Ambitious is a very interesting horse, who was well backed here last time out over 6 furlongs. He got going a bit too late then, but stepping up to a mile in this could mean a different story. Mick Halford has Je T’ai Porte, who shaped well enough on debut. However, I’m looking elsewhere, and, on form, I have to go for SO FASCINATING.

She is trained by Joseph O’Brien and is only rated at 71. That’s maybe not what you’d expect to be winning a maiden at this time of year, but the strength of the opposition means she’s good enough to get home first. She should have won in Killarney last time, but she was closing down the eventual winner all the way to the line there. Back on the polytrack, with a good draw and with Declan McDonogh booked to ride, I believe So Fascinating will go very well. That’s why she’s my NAP on the night.

Dundalk-Races-daylight

18:45 Punk Poet

This should be a well-fought out handicap over a mile. There are a couple of really interesting horses in here. Golden Lyric has yet to win a race for Jessica Harrington, but she has got Colin Keane booked with Shane Foley suspended. Zahee won here on Wednesday night, while Hightown Heights was victorious at this venue last week and they could be in the mix. Meanwhile, the Richard O’Brien-trained Bonnyrig was a little bit unlucky last weekend at Leopardstown but stayed on really well to be second.

I’m going to go with the proven all-weather horse, PUNK POET. He ran superbly well as a just beaten third here recently, in what was a higher grade handicap affair. He is down in grade in this and he’s got a good draw out of stall 6 for trainer Edward Lynam.

19:15 Wrist Art

This is an extremely trappy race, where you can make a case for a few runners. Some of these are out of form, so anything could win it. However, I believe I’ve found one worth playing. Apprentice jockey of the moment Jake Coen takes the ride on WRIST ART, and takes 7lbs off in doing so.

Trainer Timothy Doyle does have two runners in the race, but I believe Wrist Art is the right one to be on. He has only had seven starts, but ran extremely well at Killarney two stars ago and stayed on well to be third. Prior to that she ran well at this track when finishing fifth. She has dropped 6lbs in the weights since that third-placed effort in Killarney. Back on the polytrack, she has a decent enough draw in stall 9 and looks to be the value play in this contest.

19:45 Dark Kris

Punters should keep an eye out for Blankiedoodie, who is trained by John McConnell. He’s a horse who has been well supported in his last few outings, he is not as effective on the polytrack as he is on the grass though. Ellabella would also be of interest if it wasn’t for her draw out in the car park in stall 17. I’ve gone for a horse that I’ve followed a bit over the summer, that’s DARK KRIS.

Trainer Pat Murphy has a very good strike rate at Dundalk, and this horse hasn’t quite delivered on what the yard would have expected. But, he has dropped right down in the weights for this race and he ran on really well last time over 7 furlongs at the track. He’s a big player stepping up to a mile, with a good draw in stall 2 and with Emmet McNamara booked.

20:15 Ulster Blackwater

Only Sky will be very interesting in this closing contest. He bombed out of the back of the field in a comeback run recently at the track, but he could be all the better for that. Colin Keane is booked again on him for Jessica Harrington. Elsewhere, Pempie – who is trained by Eddie and Patrick Harty – was a good winner at the track before. Meanwhile, Storm Steps has also one at the track on multiple occasions. Finally, keep an eye on Zileo for Mick Halford. He is an ex-French horse running on a polytrack, which always brings a bit of intrigue.

However, I’m going with ULSTER BLACKWATER, who is trained by Joseph O’Brien. He was a ready winner at Naas two starts ago and ran extremely well to a point in Group 3 company when last seen up here at Dundalk. It was probably fortunate enough that she got dropped inside the final furlong, as she has been left on the same mark of 82 for this one. She should go very well up in trip.

Fran Berry’s Dundalk tips:

16:45 Jarvis
17:15 Amazing Emma
17:45 Laugh A Minute
18:15 So Fascinating (NAP)
18:45 Punk Poet
19:15 Wrist Art
19:45 Dark Kris
20:15 Ulster Blackwater

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