Alan Marron is back to preview Fridays card at Dundalk Stadium.
We are back with another Friday card at Dundalk Stadium folks and we will be looking to get an early winner on the board to make up for Wednesday.
We struggled to get a winner but had a number of places on the night including Koybig who was third at 25/1.
Colin Keane could be poised for a decent evening at the County Louth venue while a couple of course regulars could get back into the winners enclosure. As normal it is a competitive card but we will be hoping to get a winner or two on the board.
4.45 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden of €14,000.00 2-y-o 5f. 9 Declared
The Glenburnie team of Colin Keane and Ger Lyons seem to hold one of the aces in the pack here with JARVIS who has a very strong chance of finally breaking his maiden tag.
This horse has some very solid course form most notably when finishing second behind HMS Endeavour when he was beaten by half a length.
He stepped up in grade on his last start and finished down the field in a much stronger race behind stablemate Geocentric.
He is proven on the surface and if Colin can get him to settle a little better here then he should finish the race out strongly and get us an early winner on the day.
Takes plenty of beating here for a jockey in red hot form.
5.15 Handicap (45-65) of €10,000.00 3-y-o plus 5f. 13 Declared
It could be a quick double on the card for Colin Keane as he is aboard AMAZING EMMA in the second race on the night.
This filly finished fifth to Curraheen Princess on her last start at the Curragh and that form was boosted last week when Curraheen Princess went back to the Curragh and won again.
Amazing Emma is a very consistent filly and proved that she can handle the surface at Dundalk Stadium when she finished second to the Eddie Lynam trained Resourceful Man off the same mark that she will race off this time around.
She has a decent draw in stall two and if she can get some luck in running I would expect her to be involved in the finish.
If you go back into her form around Dundalk she ran a very creditable fifth behind subsequent Group Three winner The Highway Rat and a return to that form will make her tough to keep out of the frame.
Should go very close here.
5.45 View Restaurant At Dundalk Handicap of €21,000.00 3-y-o plus 6f. 11 Declared
This is one of the better races on the card this week and the Michael Halford trained filly SENDMYLOVETOYOU looks an interesting contender based on her previous course form.
She has kept some very strong company in recent starts on the turf and has ultimately been a little out of her depth but she returns here off a mark of 83 which is two pounds lower than her last winning mark on the all weather when she got the better of Inflection Point and won going away.
She has a nice draw in stall four and with that victory coming in the month of December last year she might just come good around this time of the season.
I would keep a very close eye on the market but there has been a little money around for her overnight so that is very encouraging.
She will be tough to keep out of the frame with luck in running.
6.15 Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk Maiden of €12,000.00 3-y-o plus 1m. 15 Declared
This race looks to suit SO FASCINATING trained by Joseph O’Brien and due to be ridden by Declan Mc Donogh.
This filly is slowly getting her act together and has improved with each start most notably last time out when she finished second to San Aer at Killarney.
One of the most interesting things for me about this filly is that while her best run came on soft ground connections pulled her out of a recent engagement on heavy.
I think the sound surface on the all weather will make all the difference and she could prove to be a class above her rivals here. This race on paper doesn’t look overly strong and if she can improve off the back of her last run then she will take the world of beating here.
The market will be interesting just to see if the punters try and take this filly on but I think she is one of the strongest propositions on the card and will be hard to beat and will be my NAP on the night.
6.45 Handicap (50-80) of €11,500.00 3-y-o plus 1m. 14 Declared
TRADING POINT caught the eye on Wednesday when finishing third behind stablemate Zahee and with the weights in his favour this time around I am quite surprised he is such a big price.
He is getting eleven pounds from Zahee this time around and with Siobhan Rutledge on board he certainly won’t lack assistance from the saddle.
He is drawn a little wide in stall twelve but with the visor retained Siobhan might be able to get him into a handy position and come home with a late run like he did here on Wednesday.
This horse is a former course winner off a mark of 87 but gets in here off a mark of 70. I am just hoping that this race doesn’t come a bit quick after Wednesday but if he arrives here in similar form then he looks a solid each way play in a competitive race.
Should be tough to keep out of the frame.
7.15 Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap (45-65) (DIV I) of €10,000.00 3-y-o plus 1m. 17 Declared
Emmet Mc Namara and Fergal Birrane team up here with I KNOW I CAN and this horse looks a very interesting runner in the first division of this handicap after finishing a very solid fourth last time out behind Lisabetta.
A tongue tie is applied for the first time here and off the same handicap mark he could run a very solid race.
He has finished behind some good yardsticks around Dundalk in recent weeks with the likes of Blastofmagic and Meishar winning the races that he has contested.
He was drawn in stall ten last time out when he set off in front but got pestered most of the way and done well to finish as close as he did. He is drawn in stall eight this time around and if he could get close to the pace and travel away then he might just be able to finish his race out better.
He would be a small each way play here but it wouldn’t surprise me to see him involved in the finish.
7.45 Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap (45-65) (DIV II) of €10,000.00 3-y-o plus 1m. 17 Declared
Should I Know I Can run well in the previous race then the line of form where Lisabetta landed the prize will be tested with the Andy Oliver trained CLATTER BANG who finished third on that occasion.
This horse was drawn one on that occasion and was slowly away and was rusted along early and took his time to get going but once he hit the straight he came home very strongly and was closing on the leaders all the way to the line.
Normally I wouldn’t be a fan of a wide draw around Dundalk but this horse might be suited by it. Conor Hoban will be aboard this time around and if he can adopt a handy position down the back he might be able to come wide down the straight with a wet sail.
I think you can ignore his run last time out at Gowran Park when the ground looked to be much too soft. A return to a better surface here should see a different result.
Will be tough to keep out of the frame.
8.15 Story Of Dundalk Stadium Book Buy Online Handicap of €15,500.00 3-y-o plus 1m. 4f. 12 Declared
The final race on the night is normally a tricky puzzle to try and solve but it looks a very interesting race this week and I am expecting course regular STORM STEPS to go very close here under Ben Coen.
This horse is a triple course and distance winner and is just two pounds higher than his last winning mark. He gets in here off a mark of 72 and while there may not be much room for manoeuvre off this mark I think he can still be competitive off it.
When he gets his head in front around Dundalk Stadium this horse is something of a handicappers nightmare as he just manages to win by the bare minimum. His last two victories have been by a half a length and a short head.
A return to his favoured surface could without doubt show some improved form and I expect him to be involved in the finish at a decent each way price.