Timeform Irish SmartPlays / Timeform / 28 March 2012 /

As the Flat action starts to get back into full flow today's action is a twilight meeting at Leopardstown and Timeform's Irish team bring you their three best bets.....

Aidan O'Brien is mob-handed in the ten-furlong maiden due off at 16:55, with Taigan seemingly the pick of his three. He hasn't been seen since last June, though, so there has to be a chance he won't be fully wound up, and Azamata is well placed to expose any weaknesses, having looked a winner waiting to happen in both starts as a juvenile. He was second to the potentially smart Imperial Monarch on his debut before finishing third in a valuable sales race at Fairyhouse (solid form amongst the principals), while his pedigree suggests he'll be well suited by today's type of trip as a three-year-old. With most of the others more about potential than achievement at this stage he looks a sound bet.

David Wachman made a good start to the season on Sunday with a couple of winners and he looks to hold a very strong hand in the three-year-old handicap over a mile and a quarter later on the card. Tannery has obvious claims after a progressive stint on the all-weather before the turn of the year but Wayne Lordan prefers Money Spider (18:25) and it's easy to see why, as the handicapper appears to have taken a real chance by dropping her 7 lb to a mark of 72. She posted a couple of really sound efforts when third in nurseries at Gowran and Killarney last August before getting bogged down on ground softer than good on subsequent starts. Admittedly there is a slight doubt about her lasting out at this evening's trip, but there is some stamina in her pedigree further back on the distaff side and this flat track tends to place a greater emphasis on speed in any case, so she is definitely worth chancing.

It's interesting that Ballydoyle have persevered with Robin Hood after he missed all of 2011, and some of his two-year-old form suggests he could be ahead of this mark. There's little value in siding with him at current prices, however, and with some stamina doubts surrounding Glor Na Mara, this could be a race that produces an upset. Strandfield Lady and Roman Flight are both interesting, the latter won his sole start at three (beat a next-time-out winner) and was better than the bare result when fourth over 10.7f at Dundalk, further back the the other principals in a messy race but strong at the finish and surprisingly dropped 1 lb on the back of that. It's Strandfield Lady who gets the vote on grounds of value though, as she's currently trading around [11.0]. Strandfield Lady has a cracking record over this course and distance, especially when the ground is good or firmer, is reunited with Sam James who is excellent value for his claim, and has dropped to a mark just 3 lb lower than for her last win in a handicap.

Timeform SmartPlays

Back Azamata in the 16:55
Back Money Spider in the 18:25
Back Strandfield Lady in the 18:55

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