Frank Hickey’s Leopardstown Racing Tips
13:20 Jetara
13:50 Highwind
14:25 Marine Nationale
15:00 Black Bamboo (each-way)
15:35 Galopin Des Champs
16:10 Madara
16:40 You Ougta Know
*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.
13:20 Jetara
She has looked like a much-improved mare this season and while I respect Predator’s Gold, he was beaten last time by Caldwell Potter and is hardly bomb-proof considering his price.
JETARA was brilliant here last time against mares in a Grade 3 contest when she hammered Pink In The Park, Risk Belle and Telmesomethinggirl. She gets the 7lbs allowance and perhaps backing her in the Without Predators Gold may even be another angle in.
13:50 Highwind
Storm Heart has a serious engine and is the mount of Paul Townend picks. The form of his win is starting to move as Eagles Reign was 27 lengths back in third and won a handicap off a mark of 113 last weekend.
His stablemate HIGHWIND is by Zarak who sired Zarak The Brave and Bo Zenith who were both second in Grade 1’s last season as juvenile hurdlers. Only a small number have run over hurdles for him and Mistegif is another one that bolted up for Willie Mullins earlier in the week. Highwind didn’t jump brilliantly on hurdles debut but he showed a really good engine to pick up again after a bad mistake at the last to win going away. Rachel Blackmore rides and she is 9-71 (13 per cent strike rate) for Willie Mullins in Ireland – despite not being on the number one contenders a lot of the time.
14:25 Marine Nationale
MARINE NATIONALE should just win. He was impressive at Christmas when winning on his chasing debut and has the beating of Facile Vega on their hurdles form in the Supreme Novices Hurdle.
15:00 Black Bamboo (each-way)
Oscar Sam is the only horse in the last 10 years to win this race carrying 11st or more so I’ll take a bit of a flyer on one who should be a good price, JJ Murphy’s BLACK BAMBOO. He was third to High Class Hero and Tag Man at the Galway Festival in a maiden hurdle over 2m5f beaten when staying on up the hill.
High Class Hero is among the market leaders for the Albert Bartlett and Tag Man is rated 130 and wasn’t beaten far in Cheltenham when last seen in October. He’s been running over 2m in his last two starts but the step up in trip and the better ground should help him hit the places at least.
15:35 Galopin Des Champs
GALOPIN DES CHAMPS returns after an awesome win in the Savills Chase over Christmas for a fascinating rematch with Fastorslow, who had beaten him twice at Punchestown before that last Leopardstown run for the reigning Gold Cup champ.
He won’t be beaten if replicating that performance again, but it was just five ago and that would be my only concern.
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16:10 Madara
A nice pot for the winner and Sophie Leech brings over MADARA who caught the eye on stable debut when unseated at Cheltenham in October before finishing sixth on his second start at Cheltenham.
He finally got off the mark in December at the same track when winning nicely from a rating of 130 and only got 3lbs for that win.
He looks a strong finisher and the more galloping nature of Leopardstown will be ideal.
16:40 You Ougta Know
YOU OUGHTA KNOW hammered Croke Park on debut in Kilbeggan and was very impressive and those in behind have run with credit in the UK since. He easily followed up under a penalty at Galway when accounting for Toto Too and that one then bolted up in a Killarney bumper, then won a Navan maiden hurdle easily, before finding Grade 2 level too hot at Cheltenham behind Lookaway. Jody Townend takes the ride.
Leopardstown Racing Tips
13:20 Jetara
13:50 Highwind
14:25 Marine Nationale
15:00 Black Bamboo (each-way)
15:35 Galopin Des Champs
16:10 Madara
16:40 You Ougta Know
*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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