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One Extra Place Special at Leopardstown on Thursday
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Eastern Wind well treated for drop in trip
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The each-way Sportsbook multiple pays 90/191.00
Leopardstown - 17:45 - Back Eastern Wind
Eastern Wind looks a well-handicapped horse in an open-looking apprentice race at 17:45, and with James Ryan's claim of 4lb from a mark of 74 really ought to have a say in things.
The 4yo has been struggling for much of this year with a series of defeats, and well beaten runs too, but she returned to some sort of form last time with a third at Leopardstown behind Emeric.
Tom McCourt's filly attempted to make all from a wide draw and was very alertly out of the stalls under Ryan, and almost held on in a wave of four across the line - done at 2.021/1 in-running.
She's by Farhh, and while his progeny stay well, Eastern Wind seems to be better over 1m rather than the 1m2f she had previously raced over.
Back down to 7f with a chance to be positive again in terms of tactics, she's an each-way price at 9/110.00 at a track she has winning form at.
Leopardstown - 20:30 - Back Union Flag
A similar sort of price at 10/111.00 into 8/19.00 for the second leg, and the bonus of an extra place too with five places on the Sportsbook and Noel Meade's Union Flag is a lightly-raced type who has improved for the switch to handicaps this season.
The 3yo has been steadily going up in distance this term from 1m2f to 1m4f, and he has a crack at 1m5f tonight - a trip that he has hinted will get.
He had to come from a position that wasn't helpful last time at Fairyhouse over 1m4f and the lack of pace provided an insufficient test. He did stay on well and a bigger field over further should unlock more improvement.
The booking of Dylan McMonagle pleases me, and if he can overcome his wide draw in 14 is well capable of hitting five places over the new distance.