Alan Marron is back to preview another Friday night of action at Dundalk Stadium.
We are back folks with another excellent card at Dundalk Stadium on Friday night. We got one winner on the board last Friday with That’s Just Dandy (6/1) landing the spoils for Patrick Turley and Robbie Colgan.
We had a couple of places on the night but we will be looking to get a couple of winners this time around.
Hopefully you can make it into your local Bar One Racing shop and check out the specials we have available for Friday but if not you can check our website or contact our Telebetting team who would be more than happy to help.
Bar One Racing prices for Dundalk on Friday can be found here
4.45 7f Irish EBF Median Sires Series Fillies Maiden (IRE Incentive Race) (2yo)
LECHRO, who will be ridden by Chris Hayes, looks to have the best form in this race by quite a margin and should have very little issue breaking her maiden.
The last time we saw her she finished third in the Silver Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes at Naas and the form of that race has a really solid look to it.
The fourth, Unconquerable Keen, fifth Eriskay, and sixth Exquisite Acclaim have all come out and won since and then Exquisite Acclaim finished a very good fourth in the Listed Legacy Stakes last Friday night.
She has a nice draw in stall seven and, while she has to give weight away to some of the opposition, I think she is going to take the world of beating.
She will be my NAP on the night.
5.15 7f Irish EBF Median Sires Series (C & G) Maiden (IRE Incentive race) (2yo)
It could be a quick double for Chris Hayes who will be aboard JACK ROSE for Eddie Lynam and owner Lady O’Reilly. This colt ran a very promising race last time out when third behind Duke De Sessa at the Curragh.
The winner of that race was highly thought of and went on to run in the Group 1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes on his next start. The remainder of the form hasn’t really been franked since but a couple of the horses have been placed without getting their head in front.
This Slade Power colt will no doubt appreciate the surface at Dundalk and, in receipt of eight pounds from his likely market rival Navagio, I can see him getting his head in front.
Will be very tough to keep out of the frame here with luck in running.
5.45 7f Story Of Dundalk Stadium Book Available Online Handicap (3yo+ 45-75)
Ado Mc Guinness’s team will arrive here in buoyant form following the victory of A Case Of You in the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye at ParisLongchamp on Sunday and they look to have a very strong chance of another winner here with WAR HERO.
This horse will really need everything to drop right but there looks to be plenty of pace in this race and that could be exactly what he needs. Both Fly Girl and Ramon Di Loria like to go forward, and if they set a searing gallop then it could set it up for one of the closers in the race.
This horse is very well handicapped having won off a mark of 84 back in January when he got the better of stablemate Eglish. He gets in here off 75 and when things fall right for him he can look very good.
I think he is a solid each-way proposition here and will be finishing late and fast.
6.15 7f Michael Cooney Memorial Handicap (3yo+ 70-100)
This is one of the feature handicaps on the night and it could be a quick double for Ado Mc Guinness.
DREAM TODAY was a massive eye-catcher when last seen on the all-weather finishing fourth behind Angel Palm in the Bar One Racing Mourne Handicap back on the 15th of August.
The form of that race got a boost last Friday when Harry’s Bar got the better of The Highway Rat. Harry’s Bar had finished second in the Mourne Handicap with The Highway Rat back in ninth.
Dream Today is very lightly raced on the all-weather and should have plenty of improvement to come. The last time we saw him he finished fifth to That’s Mad in the Joe Mc Grath Premier Handicap at the Curragh.
That form should be more than enough to see him in contention here with luck in running.
6.45 1m Handicap (3yo+)
James Mc Auley has his team in flying form in recent weeks and has a very strong chance of getting another winner on the board with MEISHAR.
This horse was fourth to Khafaaq at Punchestown where the race wasn’t run to suit and then impressed when getting the better of Hodd’s Girl over six furlongs at Dundalk.
Last time out he nearly spoiled the Frankie Dettori party at Bellewstown when finishing a close second to Trueba and that shows the gelding to be in flying form.
He will likely be kept busy over the winter months and the trainer’s comments after his victory at Dundalk were that he will definitely stay a mile. He is nicely drawn in stall two and should be able to get a handy position.
He will be staying on well and a mark of 80 should be well within his winning reach.
Should be tough to keep out of the frame here as he is improving all the time.
7.15 1m2½f (1m2f150y) Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Apprentice Handicap (Div I) (3yo+ 45-65)
The first division of a very tricky set of handicaps and the John Mc Connell trained SMAOINEAMH SILE could be the answer here having finished fourth behind Clew Bay last time out.
Clew Bay is also in this race but, with a seven-pound pull for 3 ¼ lengths, I think that Smaoineamh Sile should get much closer. She is drawn in stall seventeen and, while that will hinder some horses, she tends to be keen in her races so it wouldn’t surprise me if Dylan Browne Mc Monagle takes a pull in behind horses and lets her settle into the race.
She made most of the running the last day but I think a change of tactics could turn into a positive result. She has been dropped a pound for that run last time out and, hopefully, with luck in running she could go very close.
It’s a competitive heat but she is weighted to run well and she is a solid each-way proposition here.
7.45 1m2½f (1m2f150y) Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Apprentice Handicap (Div II) (3yo+ 45-65)
The second division of this handicap is the toughest puzzle of the night to try and solve but keeping a close eye on the market might pay dividends.
Eoin Christopher Mc Carthy sends BORN LEADER up to Dundalk from his base in Limerick and his team aren’t afraid to put the money down when they like one of their horses.
This mare has mixed form to say the least but it was much more like it last time out when she finished sixth beaten five lengths behind Clew Bay. If Smaoineamh Sile was to frank the form in the previous race then this mare would be an interesting proposition.
She had some solid form when trained by Hughie Morrison in the UK, and if she came back to anything like that form then she could run a decent race. Cian Mac Redmond will be aboard and she is drawn nicely in stall four.
I would keep a close eye on the market but she would be a small each-way play in a very tricky race.
8.15 1m4f Floodlit Fridays At Dundalk Handicap (3yo+)
The final race of the night is a decent mile-and-a-half handicap and the combination of Willie Mullins and Colin Keane are sure to be feared as the team up with SWIFT VERDICT.
This colt has had some mixed form on grass in recent months but has kept some good company and a return to the all- weather could make all the difference this time around. He was third to Grandmaster Flash off a mark of 76 back in March and gets in here off a mark of 72.
He won his maiden here by five lengths under Colin Keane and a return to something like that form will see him go close. It is Willie Mullins’ only runner on the card so that increases the appeal even more.
With luck in running, should go very close.