Horse Racing tips: Fran Berry’s Friday flutters at Dundalk

The all-weather season returns at Dundalk Fran Berry's back with his Friday night fancies and likes the look of Feature This in the 19:00.

By / Horse Racing Tips / 1 year ago

Fran Berry’s Horse Racing Tips

16:50 Alabama
17:25 Nikki Swango
18:00 Talia
18:30 Rockbury Lad
19:00 Feature This (NAP)
19:30 Cold Steel
20:00 Taxiing
20:30 Blackstone Cliff

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

16:50 – Alabama

We start the new season with a 5f sprint where Alabama is top-rated on 99. All have run. so he sets the standard on what we’ve seen of him so far. He takes a drop in grade from Listed class when last seen at York but isn’t the most straightforward. However, racing around a bend, with first-time blinkers on this surface may bring the best out of him and he can be an opening night winner for Aidan O’Brien. Emerald Banner has some good form to her name but I’m not sure the drop to 5f will suit.

17:25 – Nikki Swango

A 6f maiden for two-years-old and two stand out for me as they put in decent trials at this venue earlier this month. The first was Jacks Inn who disputed the lead for a long time and the second was Jessica Harrington’s Gangster Granny who won her trial later on. One with a bit more experience though – albeit on Turf – is Nikki Swango. Her trainer Natalia Lupini has had a real break-out couple of seasons and she’s the highest rated in the field although there are plenty of newcomers. Billy Lee takes the ride and has a good strike rate for the stable.

18:00 – Talia

There’s a few old favourites in this 7f handicap where Adams Barbour, Inishmot Prince and Dromantine will all be making their presence felt when they race ver the favoured distances as this 7f trip may stretch them tonight.  Giuseppe Cassioli is a former 7f winner at this track and Colin Keane has been booked but I’ll look again to Natalia Lupini and Billy Lee with Talia. She sets a really good standard and arguably her best form was in defeat to Little Queenie (winner since) and Bells on Her Toes (Group race placed since) at Naas when trying to quickly back up a win at Cork over this trip.

18:30 – Rockbury Lad

Jazz Dreamers and Designer Cailin could go really well but I’m on Rockbury Lad, who actually hasn’t won a race in 17 starts. I’m hoping that changes! He travels extremely well and he was unlucky when beaten here over 7f. He can win off a mark of 61 and his turf form suggests he’ll go well.

19:00 – Feature This (NAP)

I’m quite sweet on Feature This for Paul Flynn and he’s my bet of the night. He won at this venue a couple of times last season and the ground went against him last time out at Punchestown. Robert Whearty is back on board and he takes off 5lbs too, which is a bonus. The Ted Walsh-trained Ferrybank in stall four next to him is the main threat.

19:30 – Cold Steel

You can make a case for a lot of these runners. Longclaw is interesting after spending time in America and he’s a pace angle. Cold Steel for Andrew Oliver will also go well. If he can settle over 1m 4f, he could be very hard to beat. He’s well handicapped off a mark of 79  and has already won at Dundalk a couple of times last season.

20:00 – Taxiing

Draco Pulchrac has decent form but I’m with Taxiing. He’s unexposed and the penny seemed to drop at Down Royal last time out. He looked green in running but put his head down to finish well. I’m willing to chance him despite the draw in stall 15, which isn’t ideal.

20:30 – Blackstone Cliff

Blackstone Cliff looks ready to strike and he’s had three course and distance wins. He shaped well at Roscommon over 12f last time out and Ben Coen is back on board. He’s also off a mark of 47 which is workable. He’s definitely the one to beat.

Fran Berry’s Horse Racing Tips

16:50 Alabama
17:25 Nikki Swango
18:00 Talia
18:30 Rockbury Lad
19:00 Feature This (NAP)
19:30 Cold Steel
20:00 Taxiing
20:30 Blackstone Cliff

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

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