Alan Marron casts his eye over Wednesdays card at Dundalk Stadium.
We had three lovely winners on Friday last with Lyra Belacqua (9/4), Barbapapa (10/3) and Adapt To Dan (6/1) coming home in front.
We have a very nice card on Wednesday where some of the formlines from Friday night last will be tested. Joseph O’Brien looks to have a very strong chance in the opener on the card and. should that horse come home in front. it will enhance the chances of victory for my NAP in race two.
A firm favourite of mine will run later on the card (trained by James Mc Auley) so make sure you scroll down and check it out.
Bar One Racing prices for Dundalk’s card on Wednesday January 19th are available via this link
We will be BOOSTING THE PRICE of the FAVOURITE on the LIVE SHOWS in EVERY RACE at DUNDALK on WEDNESDAY
We are paying 4 PLACES (up from 3) in the 2:50PM, 4:20PM and 4:50PM races at DUNDALK on Wednesday
1.40 5f DundalkStadium.com Rated Race (3yo)
HYPERNOVA looks one of the stronger betting propositions in this race having shown plenty of consistent form in his career so far.
The drop down to the minimum trip looks to be ideal as he showed plenty of speed when finishing third to stablemate National Gallery, where he was only headed inside the final 110 yards.
The time before that the form looks even stronger even, although he only finished seventh on that occasion behind Almanera. The third, Spirit and Glory, and the fifth, Barbapapa, have won since and Sister Bridget, who also ran well in that race, has been placed since.
If they adopt positive tactics again then Hypernova will take plenty of beating here.
2.15 6f Dundalk Stadium Maiden (3yo)
If Hypernova was to come home in front in the first race on the card then that will frank the form of ANO SYRA, who runs here.
This filly was second to National Gallery last time with Hypernova back in third, and that form, as I have already mentioned above, looks very strong.
This filly looks to be getting her act together for the Feane team and there is no doubt she will land a maiden sooner rather than later. Kevin Manning has been booked here and from stall one she will get a lovely toe into the race and, if she has improved from last time then she must go very close.
She will be my NAP on the day.
2.50 6f Follow Us On Twitter @DundalkStadium Handicap (4yo+ 45-65)
James Mc Auley and his team are in flying form and could be in line for another winner on the board here with COOL AS EVER, who is spending some time with this yard owned by Brendan Murphy.
This horse caught the eye staying on nicely last time when third to Maccliff. This will be his third run for this yard and he may have taken some time to acclimatise to his new surroundings.
Rory Cleary, who rode him last time. will stay on board and. if they go off strongly. he will be on one of the closers and could go close at a decent price.
While many of the runners in this race are exposed. Cool As Ever looks to have plenty of improvement to come and it looks like he will be tough to keep out of the frame.
3.20 2m Find Us On Facebook @dundalkstadium Handicap (4yo+)
The Mc Auley team could be in line for a quick double with one of my favourites around Dundalk, DALVEY.
I was always of the opinion that this horse would be better over a trip and he impressed me when he came home in front over that trip with Shane Foley on board back on the 26th of November.
He has gone up fifteen pounds in the handicap since that run and, with Sam Ewing taking five off his back, I think he will go close here again. He has improved all the time and as this will only be his second attempt at this trip I think there is more to come. He is a fine stamp of a horse and has a turn of foot to boot.
If it turns into a speed test then I would expect him to have the combination of speed and stamina to see off his rivals.
He takes plenty of beating for me here.
3.50 1m4f Irishinjuredjockeys.com Maiden (4yo+)
While this doesn’t look the strongest race on paper. it looks one of the easier assignments that the Michael Halford-trained ELZAAMSAN has faced.
This horse will have cheek-pieces applied for the first time and, if they can help his concentration, he will take all the beating. He was beaten a head by White Marlin last time out and that form received a boost since with White Marlin landing a handicap here on Friday off a mark of 80.
This will be his third run and comes following a 209-day break and a gelding operation and there should be plenty of improvement to come. Ronan Whelan reported that he got upset in the stalls last time and, if he goes to the start calm this time around, for me he takes plenty of beating.
He will likely be a short price but he should finally break his maiden tag.
4.20 1m2½f (1m2f150y) Dundalk Winter Series Leading Trainer & Jockey Championship Handicap (Div I) (4yo+ 45-65)
MUTADAAWEL, who will be ridden by Conor Orr, looks very well handicapped off the back of a decent run when fourth to Everyhouronthehour last time out.
This horse was formerly trained by Anthony Mc Cann and was a course winner over a mile off a mark of 80 and gets in here off 65. His new yard could finally find the new key with him and he could be able to carry top weight to success here.
It will be interesting to see the tactics from stall three but he was prominent in his latest run and, if he is able to lie up with the leaders, he will surely be tough to keep out of the frame.
This is a typically-competitive handicap but he looks a solid each-way proposition here.
4.50 1m2½f (1m2f150y) Dundalk Winter Series Leading Trainer & Jockey Championship Handicap (Div II) (4yo+ 45-65)
The second division of this handicap looks similar to the first and will be a very tricky puzzle to solve, but Denis Hogan has declared FOX LEICESTER and, with Sean Bowen taking ten pounds off his back, he is entitled to go very close.
This horse finished second behind Adapt To Dan (who I selected) on Friday last and that was a strong run as I was really impressed with the winner on the day. He will go back up in trip here and that could make all the difference, given luck in running. He started his career with Andrew Balding and then moved to Shaun Keightley in the UK.
He has plenty of room for improvement on his handicap mark as he was a turf winner at Sandown nearly three years ago off a mark of 82 and gets in here off 60. He is that bit older now but he is still only a six year-old.
Will be very tough to keep out of the frame here.
5.20 1m Book Online At DundalkStadium.com Handicap (4yo+ 45-75)
The final race of the afternoon looks one of the strongest races of the day. Donagh O’Connor has been in flying form in recent weeks at the Co. Louth venue and could get another winner on the board here with the consistent AMPESON.
This horse hasn’t been out of the first three in his last five races and the return to a mile looks sure to suit, having finished second to Prisoner’s Dilemma last time out over seven furlongs.
Prisoner’s Dilemma is a horse that I think will keep improving and that form looks very strong for the all-weather. Ampeson had previously finished second to Riliya over the course and distance the time before and. off a three-pounds higher mark. he looks sure to be involved.
I expect him to go very close from a nice draw in stall five.