Alan Marron is back to preview Wednesdays card at Dundalk Stadium.
We are back at Dundalk Stadium on Wednesday, folks, and while we are in a somewhat barren spell of form, I am hoping that we can get a winner or two on the board.
It is a very interesting card and the maiden race at 4.30 really catches my eye, in which Naul trainer James Mc Auley looks to have a strong chance with a shrewd purchase. We will also see rivals renew acquaintance from Friday last, and the final race of the night will hopefully see a Michael Halford winner.
This will all lead us up nicely to Friday’s card, which will feature the Listed Cooley Fillies Stakes, a race that Michael Halford has won three times in the last 5 years, with Kadra (2016) and Surrounding (2018 and 2019). Surrounding also finished second in the race last year and fourth in 2017.
Bar One Racing prices for Dundalk’s card on Wednesday are available via this link
WE ARE PAYING EACH-WAY 1/5 THE ODDS ON 4 PLACES IN THE FOLLOWING RACES AT DUNDALK…
5:30PM
6PM
6:30PM
7PM
3.30 6f Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk Claiming Race (3yo+)
ROCKY DREAMS looks a very interesting runner here off the back of his run at Laytown on Monday where he finished fifth behind stablemate Hell Left Loose.
On his penultimate run he was second behind Monzoon when Daniel King was aboard and Daniel will be aboard this time around also where he will claim seven pounds. This horse was a course-and-distance winner back in May when he came home in front in tidy fashion and had one of today’s rivals, Caesar’s Comet, in behind.
He has had six runs on the all-weather with two wins and a second-place finish being his record.
If he is none the worse from his run at Laytown then he will take plenty of beating here.
4.00 6f Nursery Handicap (2yo 45-70)
This is not the strongest nursery that will ever be run at Dundalk but anyone who saw the run of the Richard O’Brien-trained filly PANDEMIC PRINCESS last time out might think that he have one of the strongest betting propositions of the night.
She finished fourth of ten last time behind Rhythm Of Zain and that form was franked when that horse ran well in the “Birdcatcher” at Naas last weekend.
If you watch the race Pandemic Princess ran last time, she was extremely slowly away and was in tenth place with a furlong to run but flew down the outside and was closing on the leaders all the way to the line.
That was her first attempt on the all-weather and she will surely come on plenty for that run.
She has a decent draw in stall three with Ben Coen booked and, if she can get away from the stalls a little quicker, she should go close.
4.30 7f Story Of Dundalk Stadium Book Available Online Apprentice Maiden (3yo+)
James Mc Auley has his team in excellent form and they could get another winner on the board here with the Shadwell cast-off MOSHAMMER who finished a very encouraging fourth on debut.
He raced in midfield most of the way last time out and quickened with the leaders and ran on nicely in the end, looking like he would come on plenty for the run. The step up in trip is sure to suit, and if he has improved off the back of his debut then he looks like he could go very close here.
This race is full of exposed sorts and, on paper, it doesn’t look the strongest maiden.
It will be interesting to see how the market fares out overnight and before race time, but he looks a solid each-way proposition and should go very close here.
5.00 7f Follow Us On Twitter @DundalkStadium Handicap (3yo+ 45-75)
Ger Lyons and Sean Davis team up here with SPILT PASSION and this consistent sort deserves to get her head in front after being placed four times on the all-weather from six starts.
Even though she is still a maiden, she has kept some very good company, and if she can repeat the run from last time when she finished second to That’s Just Dandy then it should be more than enough to finally see her come home in front.
She has a decent draw and the track and trip should be perfect this time around. There should be a little bit of room to manoeuvre off a mark of 73.
I would expect her to go close with luck in running.
5.30 1m DundalkStadium.com Handicap (Div I) (3yo+ 45-65)
It’s the first division of this handicap on the night and CLATTER BANG could be poised for quick compensation following a near-miss on Friday night last.
She was keeping on well when she was slightly short of room inside the final furlong but stuck at it well and was unlucky not to get up in the dying strides. The booking of Declan Mc Donogh really catches the eye here and she races off the same mark.
Andy Oliver will surely cash in on this filly’s handicap mark sooner rather than later. She was drawn 11 last time out and will come out of stall 7 this time around.
If Declan can get her to travel a little easier and track the pace then she will simply be too strong for her rivals.
She will be my NAP of the evening to improve off the back of Friday’s run and get her head in front.
6.00 1m DundalkStadium.com Handicap (Div II) (3yo+ 45-65)
INTERNATIONAL LADY and Dreams Delivered will renew rivalry after their sustained battle at the Co. Louth venue on Friday last.
International Lady comes out better at the weights this time around, and for me she will be able to reverse the form. She gave Dreams Delivered seven pounds last time and was only beaten a head; this time around she will only be giving her conqueror three pounds.
She also has the better of the draw in stall one while Dreams Delivered is drawn in stall thirteen this time around. Luke Mc Ateer is riding at the top of his game at the minute and that confidence could transmit into this filly.
It wouldn’t surprise me if these two fight it out again but International Lady looks like the one that the race will favour and she will be tough to keep out of the frame.
6.30 1m2½f (1m2f150y) Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap (Div I) (3yo+ 45-65)
The final two races of the night are a couple of divisions of the mile-and-a-quarter handicap and the horse that interests me the most here is the Leanne Breen-trained SOLAR SYSTEM.
This horse was formerly trained by Jim Bolger and was a course-and-distance winner on his first start for his new stable back in November 2020. He has been relatively lightly raced since then but should strip much fitter for a recent run at Gowran Park on soft ground.
He is four pounds lower than for his last winning mark and, while he might be a big price here, a decent run wouldn’t surprise me. Leanne Breen commented that this horse was a big raw three year-old and should improve.
While his form has slightly tailed off he is one to ignore at your peril. A small each-way play at a big price.
7.00 1m2½f (1m2f150y) Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap (Div II) (3yo+ 45-65)
The final race of the night is a tricky little puzzle to try and solve but Michael Halford looks to hold the key to it with the consistent LADY DE VESCI.
She is another who ran on Friday night last when she ran a cracker to finish third behind Turf Range. If she can get a stronger pace over this trip then it will really suit her as she stays further.
She finished ahead of Rockview Roman last time and is much better off at the weights today. She has a decent draw in stall three, and if Mikey Sheehy can get her to travel away behind the pace then she will be staying on late and fast.
Will be very tough to keep out of the frame if she gets the gaps at the right time.