Mick Fitzgerald’s Racing tips
12:40 Qualimita (each-way)
13:10 Imapire Et Passe
13:40 Bleu De Vassy (each-way)
14:10 El Fabiolo
14:45 Search For Glory
15:20 Lossiemouth
15:50 McLaurey
16:25 Carrigmoornaspruce
*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.
12:40 Qualimita (each-way)
Harry Derham sends over Queens Gamble to the Dublin Racing Festival but she’ll have her work cut out conceding plenty of weight to the Irish mares. Gordon Elliott saddles three in the field and Qualimita may be the pick of them. She’s getting 17lbs off Queens Gamble and she makes plenty of each-way appeal to me.
13:10 Impaire Et Passe
Ballyburn looks the obvious pick now stepping up in trip after being beaten by Sir Gino at Kempton over Christmas. His stablemate Impaire Et Passe was a good winner at Limerick over Christmas though and at the prices I’d favour the runner in the ‘double green’, ridden by JJ Slevin.
13:40 Bleu De Vassy (each-way)
This 2m Grade 1 contest sees Willie Mullins saddle six runners in a field of 10. His Kopek Des Bordes is obviously on the up but needs to brush up his jumping in spite of winning well at this track at the December meeting. His stablemate Kaid d’Authie deserves respect. The one with proven ability is Bleu De Vassy from Gordon Elliott’s stable. At the prices, he makes more appeal each-way.
14:10 El Fabiolo
A Grade 1 2m 1f Chase where Gaelic Warrior wears a first-time tongue tie to try as Willie Mullins tries to eek out a little more improvement in him. The ground will be key and if it was soft or heavy, I’d be very keen on him.
However, it’s riding yielding on Saturday so my eye is drawn to both Marine Nationale – who tries to get his chasing career back on track – and El Fabiolo. With the nagging doubt over ground conditions for Gaelic Warrior, I’ll side with El Fabiolo who should handle better ground while appreciating the rain if it arrives.
14:45 Search For Glory
Gordon Elliott’s Search For Glory is a really interesting runner. He was highly-tried over hurdles – finishing seventh in the Grade One Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham – and has made a pleasing start to his novice chasing career and has some good form to his name and now runs in his first handicap chase.
15:20 Lossiemouth
Paul Townend has choses State Man and that’s a huge call in the Irish Champion Hurdle as he goes for his third win on the bounce in it. However, his form this year has tapered off and I’d prefer to have the mare Lossiemouth on my side as she looks to bounce back from a Kempton defeat by Constitution Hill at Christmas. Danny Mullins does the steering.
15:50 McLaurey
A very open 2m handicap hurdle and trainer Emmet Mullins is a trainer to be feared in these competitions. He trains McLaurey for JP McManus and he looks like a ‘sleeper’ in the field. An opening handicap mark of 120 could underestimate him, since he finished third to St James’s Gate at Punchestown in a maiden hurdle and then won well in a similar contest at Limerick.
16:25 Carrigmoornaspruce
Trainer Declan Queally has been causing a stir recently with some really nice winner from what is only a small string. Carrigmoornaspruce is a tough filly, a course winner and should appreciate a return to these conditions as she chases the hat-trick.
Sunday’s Racing tips
12:40 Qualimita (each-way)
13:10 Imapire Et Passe
13:40 Bleu De Vassy (each-way)
14:10 El Fabiolo
14:45 Search For Glory
15:20 Lossiemouth
15:50 McLaurey
16:25 Carrigmoornaspruce
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at the time of publishing but subject to change.
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