Irish Horseracing Betting: Snowy Morning the one to beat in the Clonmel Oil Chase

005 Irish Racing / John McDermott / 13 November 2008 / Leave a Comment

Third in the Aintree Grand National, Willie Mullins' charge looks set to return to winning ways in today's feature race. John McDermott has a look at today's Clonmel card...

Today is Clonmel's biggest day of the season and once again Jerry Desmond and his staff have ensured an excellent card for National Hunt fans. Over the last five years, Willie Mullins has a 20% strike rate at Clonmel and he will be hoping to continue that trend today as he has strong contenders for all the major races including Snowy Morning in the feature event, the grade two Clonmel Oil Chase.

12.55

Barry Geraghty is riding out of his skin at the moment for Nicky Henderson, and I expect that form to continue in the opening event, the INH Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle. Adrian Maguire's Monty Blue showed his liking for testing conditions when scoring a month ago at Kilbeggan, and stepping up to two miles and four shouldn't be a problem given he ran a fine second to Total Excitement at Cork back in March over nineteen furlongs, again on soft ground. The [2.3] currently on offer looks OK given there are only eight going to post with alternatives hard to make a case for.

Advice: Monty Blue to win.

1.25

Sometimes it's hard to say why a stable is in form but wins seem to come in batches especially for smaller yards. Kinsale based trainer Robert Tyner has had two wins in the past week and he is a great man to place his horses. So, I recommend you take a chance on By The Hour to win in her first handicap and earn us a tidy profit at [7.6] and hopefully bigger close to the off. It's hard to believe that jockey Philip Enright still claims five pounds given he has won many big races and is a tough man to pass in a tight finish, but that weight allowance could make all the difference in the Cahir Handicap Hurdle.

Advice: By The Hour to win.

1.55

Irish Grand National winner, Hear The Echo has his first outing since that fateful day at Fairyhouse back in March but it's hard to see him follow up that success with a victory over hurdles in the Clonmel Oil Service Station Handicap Hurdle. Top weight for Emotional Moment looks too much of a burden for Tom Taaffe's charge so preference goes to Sonnium who will handle the heavy going and should be match fit after being placed at Cork in his last two outings. Willie Mullins won this race with Rule Supreme back in 2004 and while Sonnium may not reach the dizzy heights of a Sun Alliance Chase or a Hennessey Gold Cup, this handicap hurdle looks within his reach.

Advice: Sonnium to win.

2.25

The feature event, the grade two Clonmel Oil Chase, has just seven going to post but a case can be made for them all. Recent good performances by Glenfinn Captain and Light On The Broom mean they are in with a chance and One Cool Cookie is a former Powers Gold Cup winner that deserves respect. But despite it being seven months since his last outing, Snowy Morning is the one I have to go for. He never runs a bad race, will handle the ground and with Ruby on board to guide him around, anything above evens will be value for me. Previous winners like Mossbank, War Of Attrition, Edredon Bleu, Beef Or Salmon and Dorans Pride show that the class horse in the race usually comes through and I'm banking on that with Snowy Morning today.

Advice: Snowy Morning to win.

2.55

It would be nice to find a big priced winner here but I can't see that happening and another Mullins / Walsh victory is on the cards with Pomme Tiepy in the EBF T.A. Morris Memorial Mares Chase. She will find it tougher this term given her performances last time round, especially before Christmas when she reeled off four wins in succession, all without too much effort. Carrying eleven stone six shouldn't be beyond her given it's a mares only chase and she ran well when fresh last season, so a winning debut for the 08/09 season is expected. As I write this her price has fallen from [2.1] to [1.96] so anything around the evens mark should be snapped up.

Advice: Pomme Tiepy to win.

3.25

The Prior Park Service Station Handicap Chase is not one for wading in on unless you are 'in the know', but for interest I'd have a small bet on Mantell who represents good value at [7.6]. John Joe Walsh has a good record at Clonmel and took this event last year with Sportivo and his team have been performing well this season. Mantell will handle the ground having won at Cork in similar conditions back in March and jockey Kevin Coleman has a good strike record with the North Cork based trainer.

Advice: Mantell to win.

3.55

Woodmore put in a decent performance on his racecourse debut in a bumper at Sligo back in March and hopefully can improve on that run in the final event, the www.woodfieldfarmstud.com INH Flat Race. The [3.3] on offer for Conor O'Dwyer's charge looks worth investing in as his trainer has shown he can put his experience as a top class jockey to good use in training winners.

Advice: Woodmore to win.