Milltown (6/11/2011)

11:30 Eoin Doyle Horse Trainer 5yo Geldings Maiden

As usual for this time of year a highly competitive and numerous entry for this opening Maiden.  The most eyecatching entry for me is the Kevin O’Donnell trained French Colonial a son of Robin Des Champs (Quevega, Quinz, Sir Des Champs etc) who was a taking second on debut behind the vastly more experienced Minella Special at Kilsheelan three weeks ago.  He’s sure to have improved for the run and looks like being a leading contender should he take up this engagement.  He had Helloutofdodge in behind that day and he could re-oppose again, it’s of some concern that he’s fallen on both his pointing starts to date and a clear round here would surely please connections.  Hinesight was a solid runner-up on his point-to-point debut at Castletown a month ago after garnering experience in a Roscommon bumper back in July.  The form looks solid enough as the winner was placed in a winners race behind Ballycassel at Loughanmore last weekend and that as a promising enough debut and he can be competitive in this if the ground is on the soft side.  Colin Bowe’s Millers Reef has looked like the winner until close home on two of his three starts t o date, firstly when travelling well upsides Warrant A Name before coming to grief at Ballingarry on the final weekend of last season and also on his second start when failing to quicken when chasing home Chestnut Kate in a Sligo bumper in July, he contested another bumper this time at Limerick in July but was a disappointing fifth on that occasion so a return to points could see him more competitive.  The John Nallen trained Minellaformarriage showed improvement from his Athlacca debut and Roscommon bumper efforts when running at Kilsheelan last month, he was beaten ten lengths by Bach To Whitingbay in that Maiden and is entered in the Brightwells Sales next week so a victory here would prove beneficial to connections.  Royal Garden is another to run in the Minella Special Maiden at Kilsheelan last month, although held by French Colonial on the form there’s reason to suspect he’ll improve for the run and it will be interesting to see how he gets on his second start.  Saoirse Dun travelled well into the race on his debut at Tinahely on soft ground back in February, he was beaten by one of last seasons leading 5yo’s in Done En Dusted on that occasion in a good time and though he wasn’t given a hard time once his chance had gone he still held on for third on a day where conditions were tough.  Golden Olive is a promising gelding by Pierre, he’s had just the three starts to date most recently at Glenbane a fortnight ago when third to Finish The Story.  Golden Olive has run mostly on yielding ground thus far and though he’s shown up well in his Maiden’s it’s a concern that no winners have emerged from either his Glenbane run or his two runs last season.  The Rattler O’Brien hails from the Wexford yard of Paul Nolan, he had just the one start last season when a six length third to Less Than Evens at Belclare in March.  The ground on that occasion was soft though he may improve for this seasonal return.  Real Appeal had two third placed efforts from three starts in Spring Maidens last season and though pulled up on soft on his debut behind the potentially top class Avenging Ace he ran well behind both Weston Lodge and Business Time without being able to quicken when the principals did.  Real Appeal is of interest in this race though is likely to be seen to better effect granted a stiffer test of stamina.  Ohwhatanight has been seen to good effect in a couple of races thus far particularly when finishing third to Jimbill at Belharbour back in February, he’s disappointed since when well beaten behind Beeverstown on his return to action at Dromahane last month but hopefully he can step up on that here. 

Selection: French Colonial

Alternative: Saoirse Dun

12:00 Store All Warehousing Ltd & Friends of Den Sutton 5yo Mares Maiden

Another large entry here but Eoghan O’Grady’s Lunacorn is a clear standout on the back of her occuptying the runner-up berth behind the subsequently Winners placed Nearly A Dream at Castletown last month, the race was run in a slow time but she stayed on well suggesting that any give underfoot here will be to her benefit and she looks capable of confirming the form with Generous Sara who finished third on that occasion.  Generous Sara is more experienced in this sphere with the three runs to date with that third spot being arguably her best run on the first time occasion that she’s encountered genuinely heavy ground.  Generous Sara had previously been well beaten behind Manogue Supreme at Largy on her debut back in April whilst she’d slipped up quite early on her seasonal return in a Mares Maiden won by Count Your Change at Rathcannon on the opening day of the season.  Walkers Oscar ran in the previously mentioned Maiden won by Count Your Change back in September, it was her second start and the first time she’d shown any form in being beaten 8 ½ lengths back in fourth.  Damian Murphy took the ride that day whilst Jamie Codd was on board for the mares debut as a 4yo back in March 2010 at Inch when she was a distance behind Kings Queen when last of eight finishers.  Walkers Oscar has clearly improved since that debut and it will be interesting to see how she progresses here.  Solid Concrete is one of the more experienced runners in this field and has shown that she’s highly adaptable when it comes to ground conditions given that she was a solid second to very easy winner Dromrua Lass at Tinahely a month ago whilst she has also placed third behind Tango Moll at the same course on soft ground. Solid Concrete has also garnered some experience of racing under rules when fourth in a pointers bumper to the useful Thyntocatcher and also when unplaced in a Wexford bumper back in April.  Sing A New Song was arguably disappointing on her return to action at Kilsheelan when beaten over sixty lengths in a similar race to this by Flick Of A Switch, her debut run at Dromahane was far more promising however when she was running a cracking race behind the decent mares pointer Katie Do prior to coming to grief at the final fence.  Hopefully for connections and her supporters Sing A New Song will have come on for that debut run.  The Denis Murphy yard could be represented here by the Toomebridge placer Kitty Oday, she was a twenty five lengths third to Leish Oscar who contests a Down Royal bumper later today on that occasion on what was her second run having run a promising race behind Milan Athlete at Loughanmore back in April.  Of the ex-rules horses Kasszec ran a decent debut when not beaten far in fifth in a Ballinrobe Bumper back in May whilst Alystar makes her Irish debut having placed last time out in a Maiden Hurdle at Plumpton under Tony McCoy.

Selection: Lunacorn

Alternative: Generous Sara

12:30 Snowcream Fresh Milk & The Family of Pat Grant Mares Winner of Two (Mdns Excl)

Another highly competitive race here and Liam Kenny has again entered his two mares out of Esther’s Dream in the shape of Instant Dream and Nearly A Dream.  Both mares were entered in the equivalent race at Glenbane two weeks ago and it was Nearly A Dream who took up the engagement though she proved no match for the front running Up The Girls having been held up for much of the contest run on yielding ground.  It usually takes a run or two for a Maiden winner to step up to winners grade so it was a cracking run in the circumstances given she’d only broken her maiden on her previous outing at Castletown, form which may be franked by a number of the potential runners in the previous race.  Instant Dream was a somewhat fortunate winner at Tinahely in as much as she looked held until a shocking error at the last by Barnlands Boy allowed her to go by and beat the ex-track performer Mr O’Shea by three lengths.  Instant Dream had previously run a solid race at Castletown when chasing home Isle of Gold in a Two Winner race against geldings and she appears suited by a softer surface, both her outings this season have been run in good times and whilst she had been absent for nearly 18 months prior to her Castletown run she looks to have lost none of her ability and may even have improved for the absence.  Count Your Change was fourth to Up The Girls in the Winner of Two contest in which Nearly A Dream finished runner-up and this daughter of Moscow Society broke her Maiden on the opening day of the season at Rathcannon, she appears to be an improved performer this Autumn and could be competitive if stepping up for that initial outing in Winners grade.  The Martin Murray trained Newtown Megan has had just three outings to date in her career but this seven year old defied in excess of a two and a half year lay off when chasing home Tullymackan at Loughrea last month.  Newton Megan is clearly a highly talented mare as she scored on her debut in March 2009 at Oldcastle in a 5&6yo Mares Maiden by twenty lengths in a ten runner affair, her only subsequent outing in 2009 proved disappointing and she fell when beaten in a Durrow Winners contest.  Rushe’s Radar is another to score at Oldcastle, this time when taking a Mares Maiden back in April 2010, she led for most of the way on that occasion and it was just reward as she’d already placed on four separate occasions in her career, she’s been absence since and is sure to improve for this return having missed the 2010/11 season.   Time To Present is held by Instant Dream on their running at Castletown behind Isle Of Gold and whilst Time To Present hasn’t been seen since this was an encouraging return from Melanie Love’s charge  Time To Present hadn’t been seen since finishing well beaten at Stradbally back in May but this couldhave come too soon for her having run well in a Mares Open over Athlacca’s Banks course just eight days earlier, she’s also shown some ability on the track having run well behind The Snuffler in a Downpatrick Maiden Hunter Chase back in March.  Waterhill Lady hasn’t been seen since contesting the Mares Final at Ballynoe back in April, only eight ran on that occasion but she was fourth of the six finishers and ran well enough behind joint Champion Mare Make It Better who was subsequently the easy winner of a Cork Hunters Chase.  Prior to this Waterhill Lady had run well when third in a Kilworth Winners contest against geldings whilst she broke her Maiden as recently as January when running out the comfortable winner of a Killeagh Mares Maiden.  Maggie Sue is another who contested the Up The Girls Winner of Two at Glenbane and she ran well on her pointing return when fifth in that race having been racing under rules since she was victorious in a Necarne 4yo Mares Maiden in May 2010 whilst Got Got Da Beat made some noticeable late progress in the same Glenbane Mares Winner of Two contest though she was ultimately well beaten.

Selection: Newtown Megan

Alternative: Instant Dream

13:00 Caulfields Supervalu 6yo Geldings Maiden

Another possibility of a divided race here and Colin Bowe’s Imperial Vic, a highly consistent sort in these Maidens will be attempting to break his Maiden yet again having been beaten less than three parts of a length on his two most recent starts in Maidens this season, firstly when beaten a head by Some Dude at Tinahely and latterly when runner-up to Cromwells Road at Kinsale last weekend.  He’s a consistent sort who if not winning should at least provide a solid guide as to how strong the form is.  Frankie Flowers had just the two starts last year and the Barry Connell owned and Philip Fenton trained son of Alflora will be hoping to build on those starts, in which he finished runner-up in both.  Firstly he was runner-up behind the useful Done En Dusted and secondly he ran well behind Dickie’s Choice at Horse And Jockey, there have been winners come out of both races so it’s fair to assume that there’ll be more to come from him.  Eagle’s Return stepped up on his debut effort when pulled up at Kirkistown to run well on yielding to soft ground at Sligo when filling third place.  This was a solid effort and connectiosn will likely be looking for more of the same today.  Count Salazar ran well behind leading Hunter Chaser Salsify on his debut in a Lisronagh Maiden in December 2010 and whilst some will say he disappointed next time out at Dromahane when fifth to Ardkilly Gunner this did look a hot race and there have been eight subsequent winners emerge from this contest.  Ballyadam Boy has placed on three of his four starts to date most notably when chasing home Wheres Wal in a Bennettsbridge Maiden back in February.  Ballyadam Boy had two subsequent starts last season when filling the runner-up berth at Lingstown behind subsequent track winner Beneficial Reform and when beaten a distance in third when last of three finishers (eleven ran) at Monksgrange behind Batiatus.  Coin Saver shaped exceptionally well on the second of his two starts in the Spring of 2010 when showing plenty of reserves of stamina when rallying after the final fence to get to within a neck of Desertmore Valley at Dawstown, this was a solid second effort having been pulled up at Dromahane on his debut in March of that year.  Western Beau ran an improved race last weekend when third to Gale Force Oscar at Loughanmore, he stepped up on his Rathcannon effort when well beaten behind De Faoithesdream though that is looking like a hot race with the runner-up, third and fourth all scoring since.

Selection: Count Salazar

Alternative: Ballyadam Boy

13:30 Kilmacow Fuel & Agri Ltd Open 4yo+ (Mdns Excl)

A solid looking and competitive Open here with Mon Oiseau looking like a leading contender on the back of his runner-up spot behind subsequent track winner Rowdy Rampage at Ballingarry in June, Mon Oiseau had previously won a Ladies Open at Stradbally on his previous start and is a regular in Opens. He made his seasonal return at Rathcannon in September and although pulled up he looks sure to improve for the outing and can go well here.  Mr Goodenough has become a regular in the Bishopscourt Cup at the Punchestown Festival having been brought down in the race in 2010 and finishing second in it in 2011.  The 2011 renewal was Mr Goodenough’s latest start and he chased home The Baler on that occasion, he’d previously been beaten in a Winner of Two contest whilst prior to that had beaten The Grudger in easy fashion on heavy ground back in February in a Punchestown Hunt race.  Nedzer’s Return has made a solid return to pointing having spent much of 2010 racing under rules and he’s finished runner-up on both of his pointing starts to date this season, firstly when beaten by last seasons prolific scorer Lord Multifix and secondly when being sent off an odds-on favourite and failing by a neck to beat Send For Paddy at Glenbane.  Nedzer’s Return appears to be best at trips shy of three miles so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him targeted and some of the sub-three mile Hunter Chases later in the season.  Risk It Paddy is held by Mon Oiseau on their running at Ballingarry back in June and whilst his return to action at Dromahane last month can be forgiven he’s a horse who places more often than he wins (placed at Dromahane twice last year) and he isn’t getting any younger.  Rossberry Lad ran a storming race when second to Tyrone Golden Rail at Loughrea three weeks ago and he seems to act well on any ground.  Rossberry Lad’s most recent win came when ridden by trainer Sharon Dunphy in an Open at Castletown back in April, he looks the most likely winner.  Minella Special is an intriguing runner for John Nallen and he put his track experience to good use at Kilsheelan last month when running out the winner of the 5&6yo Geldings Maiden, he steps up markedly in grade here but his trainer wouldn’t run him if he didn’t think the son of King’s Theatre was up to the task.  Kilcrea Castle made a perfectly acceptable return to racing when third to Rebel Chief at Dromahane two weeks ago, he’d been racing under rules for much of his career and hadn’t been seen out since running fourth behind the potentially top class Mossey Joe at Cork back in May and an improvement on his Dromahane effort should see him go close whilst Conna Castle ran some fine races last season for the Mangan’s but ultimately disappointed on his return at Dromahane, the bay gelding isn’t getting any younger but connections will surely hope that he’ll return to his best if taking up this engagement.  The Mull is another stepping up markedly in grade having been beaten by Oscars Business in a Athlacca Winner of Two affair on his latest outing back in May, he’d only broken his Maiden at The Pigeons at the start of March so looks sure to improve for the races and this first experience of Open racing.

Selection: Rossberry Lad

Alternative: Nedzers Return

14:00 Sinclair McGill Grass Seeds 7 & 8yo Maiden (Nov Riders)

Four Or More looks to hold a leading chance in this if punters can ignore his pulled up effort a fortnight ago behind Easy Vic.  Four Or More had previously run a solid third of three finishers (seven ran) to Battlehill at Taylorstown a month ago though arguably his best efforts came last spring when placed in decent enough Maidens for the grade.  Firstly he was third to Coolmoyne Keaveney at Stradbally and then on the final weekend of the season he finished runner-up to Red Seven.  Old Shyan was third in that Glenbane Maiden but ultimately was well beaten though today’s isn’t a strong race and he was backing up off just a seven day lay-off having finished runner-up at Kilsheelan in a similar race the previous weekend.  Outback Man returned to pointing at Loughanmore last weekend in what could turn out to be a hot 6&7yo Geldings Maiden having been off the track for in excess of a year, he is sure to improve for that run and was still in with a chance of winning when tipping up at the last at Ballyragget in March 2010.  There are a number of former rules horses on display here and although absent for more than eighteen months Major Glendinning brings arguably the best form into the race having run well behind the useful hurdlers Ad Idem and Mr Cracker in early 2010.  Wherewegoinnow ran well on his return from a long lay-off over hurdles at Cork back in May when not beaten too far by Chino Valdes, he’d previously shown some rules form when runner-up to Big Boots at Listowel and looks the sort of horse who could be competitive in an Older Maiden such as this.  Carro Lad was last season in points when running out at Ballingarry back in June, he was still in with a chance on that occasion and he’s been racing under rules since, most notably when third at Wexford in a Beginners Chase though a feature of his rules career has been some jumping issues in that he’s fallen on two of his four rules starts to this Summer.

Selection: Carro Lad

Alternative: Major Glendinning