Listowel Friday Day 5 Preview

14:25 LISTOWEL (IRE), 21 SEP 2012
1m 4f

Listowel Printing Works Maiden (3YO to 4YO)
Winner €9,660

Not an easy puzzle despite a small field with question marks over two of  the likely front three in the market. Both ZALANTOUN and PLACE VENDOME are hardly the most genuine of sorts despite having looked real eyecatchers as two year olds ! Zalantoun  set out to make all in the mile and a half maiden at Tramore recently. However, he couldn’t shake off  Spider Zagato who pulled level a furlong out and stayed on stoutly for a three parts of a length success. There wasn't much substance to that race with the well punted  Dante Inferno  pulled up by Declan McDonogh over three furlongs from home when he lost his action. Prior to that ZALANTOUN looked a hard ride at Sligo when almost geting back up ! The one thing is that he is sure to stay which will be vital here ! But his resoloution remains an issue although he travelled much more kindly the last day than he had around Sligo !
Place Vendome didn't appear this season until Dundalk last month when he was very weak in the market and ran accordingly. He ran better at the Curragh last time although again he showed a tendency to duck in behind horses at a crucial juncture. In this ground will he stay the 12 furlongs that will be the question. He drops in class but again not 100% certain of his stamina !

PAGEBOY was was a moderate performer on the level failing to score on his three starts but he has been a revelation since going over hurdles.

He finished sixth on his debut over them behind Maggie Neary at Gowran in March before scoring on his next start at Tipperary in April. At Cork recently he  led before the second last going on to score by an easy eight and a half lengths at the line. Clearly he looks a tough much improved type than the moderate sort we saw on the flat. He'd also given problems at the start ! 
While through hurdling he seems much improved and is sure to stay and might just have grown up and filled out !

VERDICT: With PAGEBOY put in as favourite overnight I think we are pretty  sure he will  stay ! I'm hopeful the first time cheekpieces can help ZALANTOUN and at Sligo I thought he was a horse who needed to go left handed. At the overnight prices I'm going to take on PLACE VENDOME with the other two horses sure to stay !

SELECTION:(1) ZALANTOUN (2)PAGEBOY (3) Place Vendome
Either going to lay PLACE VENDOME (Small) or punt ZALANTOUN (Small) and save on PAGEBOY depending on prices. But a small stakes race with doubts about all the front 3 !


L.M. Carey & Company Handicap (Rated 50-80) of €12,000.00 3-y-o plus
1m. 1f. 1st - €8,280.00, 2nd - €2,040.00, 3rd - €960.00, 4th - €600.00 10 Declared
Heavy (Flat), Heavy, Soft To Heavy In Places (Nh)

A horrible puzzle which I won't attempt to solve.
But I'd like to be against PURPLE who has had a long tough series of races. I've punted her the last twice and she fell in in Killarney after a shrewd ride which made up for Josephs kamikaze ride on PURPLE in Tipperary !

Lay PURPLE at up to 9/2 (Currently 4.8 on Betfair to Lay)Seems a fair lay from a poor draw.

Southampton Goodwill Steeplechase of €22,500.00 5-y-o plus
2m. 4f. 1st - €14,625.00, 2nd - €4,500.00, 3rd - €2,250.00, 4th - €900.00 5 Declared
Heavy (Flat), Heavy, Soft To Heavy In Places (Nh)

The key to this race is will Kalellshan take part. As we know he was taken out on Sunday due to the ground,so his participation must be a doubt!

This looks the worst renewal of this race in many years ! But at least if KALELLSHAN doesn't run winner finding might not be too hard !

Shakervilz in his novice wins at Leopardstown and Navan looked a superb jumper but in the interim jumping over fences has been his achilles heel ! In fact after his win over hurdles in Kilbeggan Patrick Mullins said ! " He doesn't enjoy jumping fences but on his Christmas run (his last effort over flights . third behind Voler La Vedette then) I thought he might be good enough " That has to be a worry and also perhaps the trip as in Kilbeggan recently all he did was stay on. Of course Ruby might have a cut here and try to make the runing. The market will be a big guide to his chances !

Wellforth ran really well for a long way in the Kerry National,he comes from an in form yard and might be able to take them along at a decent clip. If Wednesdays efforts have not drained him he is no forlorn hope. He jumps well and this trip might actually help him to last home ! His yard is in form.
Finger Onthe Pulse won this race last year beating For Bill into second and ran well on his last start at Galway he should run well here. In fact you wonder if they targeted this race again !Last year he  jumped superbly for Mark Walsh, and kept on well in the straight to hold the challenge of the well-supported 11/8 favourite For Bill by a length and a quarter. He's run this track well in the Kerry National too.

VERDICT: Assuming KAlELLSHAN is a non runner I'm going to oppose Shakervilz and put him up as a lay. I feel both WELLFORTH and FINGERONTHEPULSE have a big shout anyway against the Mullins horse who might be a light of former days ! Taffes horse loves this Listowel circiut and at 11 this might be his last chance to win a nice prize !

SELECTION: Lay SHAKERVILZ (Currently 4.2 to lay but if KALELLSHAN is a non runner that will be  significantly smaller  price to lay )
I wouldn't put anyone off backing the both WELLFORTH and FINGERONTHEPULSE at good prices in the morning. A lot depends on whether KALELLSHAN runs (He'd be hard to beat on his recent runs but I wouldn't punt him as he could be taken on for the lead !)

4.40 South West Bins Novice Hurdle of €22,500.00 4-y-o plus
2m. 1st - €14,625.00, 2nd - €4,500.00, 3rd - €2,250.00, 4th - €900.00 7 Declared
Heavy (Flat), Heavy, Soft To Heavy In Places (Nh)

Nothing easy on this card . But in essence this looks a match between old rivals Run With The Wind and Primroseandblue. They met earlier in the summer in Balinrobe in the " Treacy's Pharmacy Hurdle" .
Barry Geraghty produced RUN WITH THE WIND  to take it up travelling well turning for home and he readily held the late challenge of Primroseandblue. In the interim Michael hourigans horse has beaten the very smart THOMAS EDISON in Killarney. He wasn't disgraced in two top class handicap hurdles since.

Primroseandblue  has since won in Killarney and Wexford. But for me his tendency to hang right the whole way in Killarney is a huge worry around this tight left handed circiut. Granted he is a lovely fluent hurdler but I feel this tendency to want to go right handed will cost him here against his old rival.

VERDICT:RUN WITH THE WIND loves this track his course form reads 12. He was unlucky over hurdles here last year at a rescheduled festival maiden hurdle. He ran into a useful type. He is lucky to be alive as he had a major operation about 16 months ago for colic. But he's been a huge improver this last year and with Barry Geraghty booked I take him to land this !
SELECTION:(1)RUN WITH THE WIND

5.15  John J. Galvin Maiden Hurdle of €12,000.00 5-y-o plus
2m. 4f. 1st - €8,280.00, 2nd - €2,040.00, 3rd - €960.00, 4th - €600.00 14 Declared
Heavy (Flat), Heavy, Soft To Heavy In Places (Nh)

For me this is sure to be the best punting race on the card. Its a good maiden hurdle and a race that has often produced a good horse !

Michael Hourigan confuses matters by running 3 horses who all have shown reasonable form at junctures last season ! Despite not wining a bumper The Crafty Butcher has the best bumper form of the Hourigan trio ! He traded punches with some of the best of our bumper horses through last winter. Ruby Walsh is a significant booking for a local syndicate ! His best run was just touched off by OUR VINNIE in a real Naas battle ! What's Happening, ran no sort of race finishing twelfth when a well punted jolly in Cork  under John Thomas McNamara . But he has since won readilly in Kilbeggan. Good ground seems to be the key to him. He won his point to point on fast ground. He has some eyecatching hurdling form     5th of 16  behind the ultra smart  Caolaneoinbut the ground is a worry ! The Doran brothers run Clear Hills but his 4th in a maiden hurdle came in a poor race !
Two key factors make  Reafadda a serious player here. For the first time he has a proper pilot on board and having Paul Carberry on this free running sort is a massive plus !!!  Also going left handed is going to help hugely he looked unsteerable at times in Galway last week and gave away huge ground. I thought in the circumstances to finish 3rd was remarkable ! He jumped the last two poorly hung away badly left looked like dropping out but finished best of all. He must have a massive chance. It must be slightly tempered that the Galway race wasn't as good as this maiden ! But still lots of positives !
SKIBABE is a second season novice with lots of hurdling experience compared to his rivals ! Charles Byrnes has been out of form,but as always with this operator money talks so market vibes are key ! Nothing else counts.

VERDICT: I'm going to go with two against the field I'll have to put up Reafadda as my main selection. Going left handed and with a proper jockey is going to improve this talented horse hugely. The money lost on him in Galway might well be recouped here. He's taking on a better class of horse though so he needs to improve but I feel he can. Michael Hourigan sets a poser here with 3. On this ground I feel THE CRAFTY BUTCHER might be the best of his but he has yet to jump a hurdle ! The market will be key here. WHATS HAPPENING has a series of great runs bar his Cork flop and the ground is his concern ! I think its a match REAFADDA between the pick of the Hourigan duo !
SELECTION: (1)REAFADDA (2)THE CRAFTY BUTCHER or WHATS HAPPENING (Not certain both will run !)
Back REAFADDA and save on either one of that Hourigan duo might be my strategy

5.45 John Fletcher Memorial Mares Flat Race of €10,000.00 4/7-y-o
2m. 1st - €6,900.00, 2nd - €1,700.00, 3rd - €800.00, 4th - €500.00 16 Declared
Heavy (Flat), Heavy, Soft To Heavy In Places (Nh)

I don't like the bumpers and mares bumpers are fraught with danger. So just a few points.


Shes Tensixtysix didn't handle Galway's undulations so this flat track will suit her. But and a big but she's by NORWICH and will hate this ground !

Sitcom wasn't given a hard race in tramore and should handle the ground ! Must be given a shout but the trainer has really been in the doldrums  Christy Roche is only a part time operator these days and more at home on the Golf course. He's 125 days without a winner. Will this be the end of the cold spell ?

Quarterpastsix comes from a yard that won a bumper here this week with STOLBERG. I like the fact John Thomas is booked and this was a real eyecatcher behind the smart mare HATS TO HEELS in Cork way back last winter ! One to note big time !

JENNIES JEWEL has a few very good runs the ground a big worry though !

DERRYLEA GIRL Was second in a poor Sligo bumper.Ground a worry now ! But never rule out this yard here !


Overall a tough days racing the market moves  and likelehood of non runners make predicting the night before a tough science. More often then not decisions can be made seconds before the off ! I've often changed my mind late ! But the above is my view as it stands ! Not a day you'd be going in head down on anything. But a few races to punt in for sure !!!