I’m hoping that I’ll be feeling blue for all the right reasons after today’s 12.40.
PALOMA BLUE took a little time to find his feet over hurdles before winning here last season and I’m hoping that it will be a similar scenario now chasing.
Henry De Bromhead’s six-year-old was bitterly disappointing on his chase debut at Navan, but he proved he belonged at Graded level as a hurdler and is worth another chance to prove that’s where he belongs now over fences.
This may only be a beginners chase, but it is a proper beginners chase, packed full of Graded prospects like Real Steel and Red Jack.
Paloma Blue will need to be on top form to land this, but I expect him to do just that before stepping up to Graded company at the Dublin Racing Festival next.
1.15
GREAT horses need other great horses to run against and that is exactly what GREAT FIELD gets here in today’s Grade 1 Sugar Paddy Chase.
All eyes may be on Willie Mullins’ first string Footpad after his disappointing return in the Poplar Square Chase at Naas, but if there is any horse stabled at Closutton that has the ability to put it up to Altior at Cheltenham it is this fellow.
Great Field is an absolute speed-ball of a two mile chaser. He hurtles along seemingly without a care, flying his fences at such speeds it is as if they are not there.
Horses are not supposed to jump at his pace and that was unfortunately the case last time in the Hilly Way at Cork when he only got as far as the second fence.
He may be a bit of a nutcase, but when he is on — and he is usually on — he is something quite extraordinary.
Jody McGarvey gets on really well with him and if their jumping holds up then he could be a sport of value here.
Frontrunners do really well at this track too and I can just see him blitzing these from flag to post.
1.50
A disappointing renewal of the Future Champions Novice Hurdle that could go the way of the lightly raced DALY TIGER.
Noel Meade’s five-year-old may lack the experience of the Willie Mullins and Joseph O’Brien trained Sancta Simona, Aramon and Triplicate, but there was plenty to like about his smooth debut success at Punchestown and the standard set is not an insurmountable one for such a progressive type like him to rise to.
Aramon and Triplicate are closely matched on their running in the Royal Bond, but that Grade 1 was far from the strongest renewal of that race and the Grade 3 winning mare Sancta Simona is only as short in the market as she is because of the weight allowance she gets.
Noel Meade thinks the world of his Daly Tiger and expects big things from him one day.
These look to be ideal conditions for him to start to deliver on that too, but the real clincher is that with so few of these likely to want to front-run he could just get a solo out in front and make all.
2.25
REACH for the stars with STAR MAKER.
Gordon Elliott’s four-year-old has to be ridden with plenty of confidence, but he has found a different gear since being waited with and looked to have stacks in hand at Punchestown last month.
Decent ground suits best and the faster they go the better he will be – with usual luck, he should go really well.
Tudor City ran a cracker when a fast-finishing second in a valuable Fairyhouse handicap, but the biggest threat looks to be the lightly raced Jan Maat.
The Gigginstown five-year-old may already need further than this, but he should get a forward ride from Rachel Blackmore and it will take a good one to stop the pair on handicap debut off such a lenient mark.
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