Toomebridge
13:00 Dennison Commericals 4yo Maiden
The Mid-Antrim Hunt meeting gets underway with this intriguing 4yo Maiden with the sponsor fielding two of the entries in the shape of the unraced Westerner 4yo Ashtown and the Presenting gelding Balnaslow who showed promise on his three starts last Spring, including when a staying on fifth to Prince Ludovic at Loughbrickland in March, with two winners coming out of the race subsequently. He was an expensive purchase as a foal and connections will be hoping he can step up from his debut season – possibly starting here. Barlow represents the yard of Ian Ferguson and had the two runs last season, with a debut third to Captain Kelly followed up by a disappointing odds-on defeat at the hands of Cross Of Honour at Necarne, it’s possible that race came too soon after his debut but he was disappointing none the less. Waterunder showed up for a long way on his sole start last season when beaten 23 lengths by Rye Martini at Lismore, he still had place chances when almost brought to a standstill at the second last on that occasion and he rates an interesting contender for Willie Codd. Of the others Denis Murphy saddled a winner at Rathcannon last week and could be represented by the Luso gelding Go With It, Monkey Suit has had three runs in bumpers during the Summer starting at big prices on each occasion but may find the step up in trip and the addition of fences to his benefit whilst River Exit was in the leading bunch when coming to grief mid-race in the hot 4yo Maiden won by Champagne Fever at Quakerstown on his sole outing venture last season.
Selection: Waterunder(NB)
Alternative: Barlow
13:30
McBurney Transport 5yo+ Mares Maiden
The second Mares Maiden of the season is held as the second race at Toomebridge and it could be a good opportunity for Ceithre Delta to reward her patient connections with a victory, she’s been placed runner up on each of her last two starts in similar races to this last Spring at Limavady and Loughanmore, when partnered by Champion jockey Derek O’Connor on the final occasion. She’d previously shown up well in two Mares Maiden’s at Kirkistown having had a nice introduction when pulled up in a Mares Maiden that’s worked out well at Loughanmore last October, she also holds an engagement at Castletown-Geoghegan on Sunday. Liam Lennon’s Winged Love mare Young Celebrity had a disappointing 2010/11 campaign managing just the two starts and she was beaten some way on each of them, finishing 26 lengths behind Queen Of The Air at Necarne and then 19 lengths behind Merramax on the final weekend of the season at Kinsale – this is in contrast to her debut season when she came within two lengths of breaking her maiden at the second attempt at Loughanmore. Connections will surely be hoping for better should she opt to run here, though Liam Lennon also has Kissing Lessons, unplaced in a Southwell bumper in June last year engaged also. Leigh Oscar has had just the one start to date for Neil McKnight, that coming at Loughbrickland back in March, ridden by Daniel Fitzsimmons she stayed on nicely into third that day when taking on some vastly more experienced mares. Of the remainder improvement is expected from Kitty Oday who had one start when last of five, albeit not beaten far at Loughanmore in April whilst Maxwells Demon and Bach At Magills both showed promise last season.
Selection: Ceithre Delta
Alternative: Leigh Oscar
14:00
Robert Gault Winner Of One 4yo+ (Mdns Excl)
The winners of one is the third race on the card and it features a number of horses dropping back into points having spent the Summer racing under rules. The pick of these could be Call Box who in spite of three poor showings over hurdles in the spring had previously shown some very useful form, most notably when running the potential track mare Robyns Pride to 5 ¼ lengths at The Pigeons in a similar race to this back in March. Gardikos was last seen in action at the May meeting over this course in a two winner race and put in a fine effort in chasing home Court In Session and his winners race experience gained last season should stand him in good stead should connections opt to make this his seasonal debut. Also in action at that May meeting was the Kevin Rooney trained Looks Like Dad who took home the older Maiden on that occasion, he was stepping up considerably on previous efforts in similar races and having shown little in two starts at Downpatrick later in May he’ll need to step up one what he’s shown so far to figure in this. Quantico was last season tipping up at the final fence when running a big race in a similar race to this on the final weekend of last season at Ballingarry, that marked a return to one winner company having raced in two and three winner races since breaking his Maiden at Tallanstown’s April meeting, whilst Moulin Tour was another to be successful at that Tallanstown meeting, this time in the five and six year old geldings Maiden. Moulin Tour has since run creditably in small field winners races and he’s still relatively lightly raced and open to improvement.
Selection: Call Box
Alternative: Gardikos
14:30
White River Hotel 5&6yo Geldings Maiden
There could be a maximum field of seventeen should all entrants take up this engagement for the 5&6yo geldings Maiden and one of the leading contenders could well be the Liam Lennon trained Highly Unlikely who was beaten just six lengths at Tallanstown in a 5yo geldings Maiden by Adios Alonso who’s won again since whilst the third has also won since. This represents solid form and he could take all the beating providing he’s fit for this return. The lightly raced Oscar Fern has had just the two starts to date, both coming at the Cork venue of Dromahane, the first resulted in a solid eight length fifth to Friendly Society back in November whilst he was pulled up the following month – that run is well worth forgiving as winners wise it was a red hot race with seven horses coming out and proving victorious. He was disappointing on that occasion but it was just his second start so there’s likely to be improvement to come. Hey R Fella has had just the three starts so far and was completing the course for the first time when running Miss Garbo to under a length in a Confined Winners race at Tyrella back in March, improved jumping most certainly helped on that occasion and he showed great resolution to stay on at the finish. Colinward made his debut at this meeting in 2010 and showed promise when back in the field that day, he then went to Loughbrickland for a 5yo Maiden and was still in the hunt for the placings when falling at the last. He’s not been seen out since which is a concern though on his second run he’s more than capable of being in the shake-up.
Selection: Oscar Delta
Alternative: Colinward
15:00
Belfast City Auctions Open 4yo+ (Mdns Excl)
There’s eleven high class entries for this Open and they’re headed by the Ian Ferguson trained Simonsberg who’s won each of his last four starts between the flags by a minimum of five lengths. The latest of these came back in June at Ballingarry when an odds-on favourite and that and his victory in April when again being sent off at odds-on at Largy sandwich an outing in the Champion Hunters Chase at the Punchestown Festival when he was still in contention behind the leaders when exiting three out. Connections will no doubt hope that he returns in 2011/12 in as a good a heart as he ended 2010/11. Simonsberg’s stablemate Bally Wall is another who could take up an engagement here and he’s been running well enough under rules, most notably when second in a Handicap Chase at Perth back in April when partnered by Keith Donoghue. Gaspar may attempt to gain compensation for Sunday’s exerts at Rathcannon when he’d led for much of the way before weakening into third behind Mattock Ranger. Given the end time of the race and the timefigure achieved it’s likely the form will stand up well and James McAuley’s charge has a good record in the Autumn season. Lord Multifix was one of two horses to notch up the maximum number of victories last season and his latest victory came back in April when victorious in a Largy Open, he’s had two subsequent Hunter Chase starts, the first being when beaten 22 lengths by Salsify at Fiaryhouse whilst the second was when beaten 19 lengths behind Jamsie Hall at Downpatrick in mid-May. Nedzer’s Return could make a return to points after a seasons break and he hasn’t been since racing in points or under rules since a run in the 2010 Kerry National at Listowel. He’d proven a useful performer in Points and Hunter Chases and signed off his 2010 campaign with a two winner victory at Killashee followed by wins in Hunter Chases at Fairyhouse and Downpatrick prior to departing mid-race in the Aintree Foxhunters. Of the remainder Send For Paddy has proven highly consistent placing on his last six starts though he’s held on form by both Lord Multifix and Simonsberg on runs late last season.
Selection: Simonsberg(NAP)
Alternative: Lord Multifix
15:30
Convery Trailers 7yo+ Geldings Maiden
A disappointing entry for this older Maiden with the form figures of most seemingly featuring more letters than numbers. Nonetheless this looks sure to be a highly competitive affair and Wheres George who ran his best race when placed in a Maiden at Ballyragget back in March and was last seen just last week when beaten 13 lengths by Qoubilai in the Older Maiden at Rathcanno. His supporters will be hoping for an improved effort this week and he brings race fitness with him which could prove an advantage in this. Onefortheroad Mac was last seen falling at Necarne back in May but had previously run Cilliseal to a length at the meeting here earlier that month when partnered by Derek O’Connor and he’d previously finished a close up sixth in a Maralin Older Maiden in April. These two come out best on the ratings though it would be wrong to rule out ex-track performers Carmels Boy who is coming back off a two year lay off having last been since when pulling up in a Chase at Gowran Park in October 2009, Harley Road who’s had just the two starts in a racing career spanning nearly three years, Not Before Eight who has run with credit in Chases during the spring prior to pulling up on his most recent out at Kilbeggan whilst Dhus Dilemma is another returning from a lay off having pulled up on his only start as a 6yo back in 2010.
Selection: Wheres George
Alternative: Onefortheroad Mac
The Castletown-Geoghegan preview will follow later in the week - good luck to one and all.
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