Jockeys & Trainers / Darren Skelton / 30 September 2008 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

Tuesday is the first of several busy days on the Irish racing circuit, with The Curragh and Tralee hosting some competitive action. Darren Skelton has the best bets...

Tralee 3:55. Brandon Hotel Handicap Hurdle (Grade C) (4yo+)

A valuable contest this (ok it's no Goffs Million but will do us for a Tuesday afternoon hurdle race) and one in which I have a fairly strong fancy. Lyceum comes from the Dessie Hughes yard, arguably one of the most in-form stables in the country at the moment. Carrying top weight in this contest Lyceum brings some has had a fairly encouraging season to date, culminating in a fine fifth in the Galway hurdle. That form reads very well here and his chance is even more pronounced by his tremendous showing in a decent flat handicap behind the useful Dani California last time. The horse is as fit as a fiddle, has form locked in the bank, is galloping at a yard in great form and has seven pounds off his back thanks to a very useful claimer. To make things even sweeter, he should be a tasty price.

Advice: Back Lyceum to win

Tralee 4:25 Ballybeggan Racegoers Club European Breeders Fund Novice Hurdle (4yo+)

The Ballybeggan Racegoers Club Novice Hurdle...hopefully after this one none of us will be ballybeggan on the streets of Listowel....(Sorry, that was terrible). The favourite here is Garrai Ard and at the forecast [2.5], she's just too short for me. Fair enough she's an improving animal and seems to like it around here but her form is not world beating and after her last, battle hardened, victory, her trainer said that she now deserved a break - 13 days is not much of a break. She'll also have it all to do to beat Beneficial Spirit. This is definitely a horse on the improve and has proved that he has guts and determination, as well as a liking for this race track. My only concern about Beneficial Spirit is his not so polished jumping. Last time out he would have one so much more easily if he hadn't given the final obstacle a wallop, his battling back skills won him the race but they were betrayed by poor negotiating of hurdles. Hopefully he will have learned some more about this discipline and show what he can really do.

Advice: Back Beneficial Spirit to win. Lay Garrai Ard.

Tralee 5:25 Sherry Fitzgerald Stephenson Crean Handicap Chase (4yo+,0-95)

This is a tricky race full of horses that can probably be called under achievers. Operation Houdini comes here off the back of a fall but if that race hadn't happened he'd be favourite here today. I believe all horses deserve a second chance to prove themselves (although no more than that) and although there's five to six horses that could win this race without it being a surprise I believe that Operation Houdini was expected to do the business last time and should make amends today.

Curragh 2:45 Keatley Curragh Equine Groundcare Handicap (3yo+,50-70)

There are two hundred horses in this race so picking the winner is going to be tricky...okay, maybe not two hundred....thirty...but still very difficult. I've had a look through it and the best I can do is pick out an each way selection. Napoleon Dynamite has been maintaining a steady level of improvement this year and only a slight improvement from his last run would see him go very close here. Of course with so many rivals, a certain amount of luck will be needed in running but this horse's jockey has proved in the past to be extremely proficient in big field handicaps. I won't mention any other horses as to not confuse you any further than you may already be after glancing quickly at this monolith of a race.

Advice: Back Napoleon Dynamite to place and small win.

Curragh 4:15 Keatley Curragh Equine Groundcare Race (3yo+)

We skip passed a few treacherous maiden races to a race that a lot of punters with burnt fingers have been waiting for since Sunday. I had visions of some poor Dohasa backers who were unable to get to a TV to watch this race, instead having to follow their bet by watching the in running prices on betfair. [4.7] before the off...that nervous anticipation...almost expectation...and then the little green tick and we're off and running and then...[1000.0]. Luckily, Ger Lyons is not keeping them waiting too long for compensation. The horse is obviously in good heart at the moment and his mishap on Sunday can be put down to over excitement....he should reward loyal supporters today.

Advice: Back Dohasa

Curragh 4:45 Curragh Equine Groundcare Apprentice Handicap (3yo+,60-80)
A word of advice to anyone who has come into some money lately....hide it. Give it to the other half or a close friend and tell them to keep an eye on it for you because the Curragh today makes almost no appeal as a betting proposition. This particular race has 25 runners and could start with about eight joint favourites at [8.0]. Again we're going to try and pick out an each way alternative. Rock Exhibition will be one of those joint favourites and just stands out amongst this bunch because he's unexposed and has decent scope for improvement. This filly from Rock of Gibralter is a course and distance winner, and despite the fact she'd probably prefer some more cut in the ground she's on the up and although this is a very difficult race, she'll probably give us a better run for our money than most of these.

Advice: Small place bet on Rock Exhibition.