Alan Marron is back to preview another Friday night at Dundalk Stadium.
We are back with another Friday night installment of Dundalk Stadium and this is an excellent card folks. We just managed to get the one winner on the board last week with Jack Rose who was well punted so we will be looking to improve on that again this week. My nap should improve off the back of a very solid run last week while a favourite of mine is the selection in the 5.15.
Scroll down and check out my selections and make sure you call into your local Bar One Racing shop on Friday and avail of all the specials and offers that will be available for Dundalk which could include price boosts and extra place races.
4.45 IRISHINJUREDJOCKEYS.COM APPRENTICE CLAIMING RACE (3yo+) Winner €5,900 14 runners 1m2f150y Standard RTV
This is a tricky little puzzle to try and solve but DALVEY trained by James Mc Auley is one of the higher rated horses in this field and could give the others plenty to think about.
He is a fine big animal who was campaigned over obstacles and on the flat when last seen. He was ridden by Paul Townend in a maiden hurdle at Cork when he finished down the field behind Ilmig trained by Jessica Harrington.
If we delve a bit deeper into his form we will see that he was fourth to Dabyah at Bellewstown when partnered by Derek O’Connor.
His best piece of form is when he was trained by Denis Hogan where he finished third in the Ballysax Stakes Group 3 when the race was run at Dundalk Stadium and if he can get back to anything like that form he should have no issues here.
He returns off the back of a short absence but should go close.
5.15 CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL DUNDALK HANDICAP (3yo+ 45-70) Winner €6,195 14 runners 1m2f150y Standard RTV
Olivia Shanahan got a lovely tune out of TOOREEN ANGEL last time out and dropping back down to her preferred trip I would expect her to go close off a decent handicap mark.
Olivia will get to claim ten pounds this time around and that should leave this filly with a very strong chance of being competitive with her draw in stall 12.
She won twice from higher marks back in February and March, marks of 69 and 72 respectively. She gets into this race off a mark of 70 but the ten pound claim leaves her very attractively weighted. She finished strongly last time over a mile and a half so hopefully there is a strong pace and she can travel nicely into the race.
With luck in running she must go very close and looks a very solid each way proposition in this race.
5.45 HANDICAP (3yo+) Winner €9,145 14 runners 1m2f150y Standard RTV
Zozimus is now a non-runner
This is one of the better races on this week’s card and the Donnacha O’Brien trained ZOZIMUS catches the eye having finished a very creditable fourth in the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket when we last seen him back on the 25th September.
He has kept some very good company in recent starts and that should stand him in good stead here. The last time he was seen on the all-weather he was well fancied for the Listed Patton Stakes where he dropped away tamely in a race won by My Generation.
This horse broke his maiden tag at Dundalk Stadium at the eight time of asking when getting the better of Shackleton Hero so his ability to handle the surface can’t be questioned.
If he can improve off the back of his last run then he must go close here.
6.15 FLOODLIT FRIDAYS AT DUNDALK NURSERY HANDICAP (2yo 45-70) Winner €6,195 14 runners 7f Standard RTV
The booking of Colin Keane aboard Jack Davisons filly CUALA BULA catches the eye on the basis of the form she showed when sixth of twelve behind Tut Tut at Leopardstown in what looked a very strong maiden.
The third, fourth and seventh have won since while the fifth Snaffles went on to land the Star Appeal Listed Stakes at the course on his last start.
She will need to improve off the back of her last start at Killarney where she never really got going but I am encouraged by the fact that Colin Keane keeps the mount having been aboard.
Her rating might be a tad high in this race but with the champion jockey booked and after breaking the record for the most winners in a season he will arrive here in top form and will hopefully give this filly some confidence.
A small each way play advised in a competitive race.
6.45 HANDICAP (DIV I) (3yo+ 45-65) Winner €5,900 14 runners 7f Standard RTV
As I normally say when we approach the final races on the card, the handicaps become tricky and this race is no different.
TAI SING YEH trained by Johnny Levins and due to be ridden by Donagh O’Connor makes most appeal in the first division of this handicap based on his second place finish behind Sister Lola last time out.
He was a winner the time before at Roscommon when he got the better of Jazz Dreamers and if he can resume this race in anything like that form then he must go close.
He has won once on the all-weather back at the start of his two year old career but his but he is in very good form this season and I have no doubt that he will get his head in front sooner rather than later at Dundalk.
He has a nice draw in stall nine so with luck in running I would expect him to be on the premises at the death.
7.15 HANDICAP (DIV II) (3yo+ 45-65) Winner €5,900 14 runners 7f Standard RTV
The second division of this handicap could see the James Mc Auley yard get another winner on the board with BELEAGUERMENT who is ridden by Dylan Browne Mc Monagle.
This horse will be having his third start for his new yard having left the yard of John Mc Connell. He showed much more life on his last start at Bellewstown when ridden by Dylan and was fourth to Skontonovski on the all-weather the time before so he is poised to strike from a nice handicap mark.
He has been dropped two pounds from 53 to 51 on his all-weather mark and there is no doubt that he is well handicapped having won off 61 back on the 10th January 2020.
The change of scenery looks to have sparked some life into him so from a wide draw here in stall 16 I think he will go very close.
Solid each way proposition in a tricky race.
7.45 IRISH STALLION FARMS EBF FILLIES HANDICAP (3yo+ 70-100) Winner €14,750 8 runners 7f Standard RTV
Colin Keane could be in line for a double on the night as he is aboard MARBLING for his boss Ger Lyons.
This filly was fifth last time out behind Irish Acclaim last Friday night and will renew acquaintances with Sister Lola who finished in front of her on that occasion.
Marbling is much better off at the weights for a length defeat and watching the race back I don’t think she had the race run to suit. She was held up at the back of the field and stayed on nicely up the straight. That was her first run off the back of a 62 day break and there is no doubt she will come on for that run.
This filly was formerly trained by Andre Fabre in France and finished third to a very smart individual in Hurricane Ivor back on the 13th May 2020. Hurricane Ivor is now a Group Three winner so if Marbling can show some of that French form then she must go very close.
I would keep an eye of the market but would expect Marbling to be one of the main protagonists here.
She will be my NAP on the night.
8.15 BOOK ONLINE AT DUNDALKSTADIUM.COM MAIDEN (3yo+) Winner €7,080 14 runners 6f Standard RTV
The final race of the night is a quite interesting maiden but it looks the best opportunity that PALIFICO has in quite a while and should finally get her head in front.
This will be her eight attempt at trying to get into the winners enclosure and with the hood on last time out she ran one of her best races when third to Awhile at Fairyhouse.
She finished down the field in a Group Two as a two year old so it shows what the yard think of her.
I would think that they are quite disappointed that she hasn’t managed to get her head in front as yet. She is drawn in stall 14 and while a wide draw is never ideal around Dundalk there are plenty of inexperienced runners in the field and she might just have an easy time of it getting to the front.
The hood is kept on after last time and while she has been frustrating to date I think she takes the world of beating this time around.