Irish Horseracing Betting: Listowel Thursday

005 Irish Racing / Wayne Bailey / 18 September 2008 / Leave a Comment

Johnny Ward marks your card as the truncated Listowel festival continues on Thursday.

The Harvest festival continues on Thursday at Listowel, with punters faced with a fairly tricky Guinness Handicap Hurdle as the feature race.

The tissue favourite is Mudslinger, Newmill's full brother, but I think he is readily opposable on soft ground. Indeed, he renews rivalry with top weight Finns Cross after beating him in a decent race at Bellewstown, but I expect that form to be reversed. Raise Your Heart at [8.0] might represent the value. Joanna Morgan's gelding loves soft ground and while he barely gets two miles as a hurdler, he is a decent horse. Expect Davy Russell to nurse him home and if he is fit enough he is more than capable of winning this.

Much of the interest will surround the first race, with Rathgar Beau making a completely unexpected comeback at the age of 12 going on 13. Dusty Sheehy must have seen something at home to bring back the old boy, but it is hard to oppose Conna Castle in every regard. Jimmy Mangan's charge won the race last year and is seemingly faced with an easier opportunity here. It is difficult to imagine Rathgar Beau being the force of old and Conna Castle is well clear of Emotional Article at the weights. However, for sentimental purposes we would all love to see Rathgar Beau win this on the bit.

The Helena Sheahan Memorial Novice Chase has a small field as well, and Clew Bay Lodge at [3.5] looks a fair price. Colm Murphy's son of Presenting was always liable to better his hurdles form as a chaser and he ran a very good race in Galway, chasing home Skip Two in a hot race. This looks a bit weaker and Valain, which would be more of a threat on better ground, is consequently opposable. The Last Hurrah beat Barker in an above-average Ballinrobe beginners' chase and is perhaps the biggest danger to Davy Russell's mount, which is nevertheless the lock of the day.

In the Dawn Omega Milk Handicap Hurdle (Div I), Caltra Princess bids to follow up off a revised mark and looks capable of doing so. Her victory in Sligo in terms of bare form was probably not the most inspiring, but she was decent on the flat and is probably well-treated still despite the weights hike. She goes well on testing ground and won with such authority last time that she can fend off these foes.

The second division looks weaker, with Havetohaveit the form-pick for Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins. He has fair claims.

The betting should be informative in the Kevin McManus Beginners Chase, in which Parsons Pistol stands out on general hurdles form. Noel Meade's gelding stays very well and his fitness can be taken on trust. With a clear round he is difficult to get away from.

They close with what looks a pretty weak Spectra Photo Labs INH Flat Race, and Hintsandallegations - perhaps the best-named horse on the card - is no more than a token selection.