Find out if Is That Love is up to Leopardstown task
Back Is That Love each-way @ 20/1 in the 16:00 at Leopardstown
Yesterday's column produced another profitable afternoon with Secret Shadow winning a shade cosily at Newbury, and Two Brothers back in third netted our each-way double to add to the 81.50 point profit on Wednesday.
From two brothers, hopefully we'll pick the right sibling on Saturday with a tough-looking card at Leopardstown. Several big prices were considered with Fictitious Lady, Sh Boom and Overheer, but I'll leave them for another day.
Apprentice Cian MacRedmond certainly struck up a good relationship with Is That Love in September at Listowel - winning with a bit up his sleeve from a mark of 74 - he overcame a bit of trouble on the inside to suggest there is more scope from his mark.
That took his form to a new level considering he was knocking around Dundalk in the early part of the year off marks in the 50s and he's a fairly consistent operator. The 4yo might not be as good as his brother Archie, but he certainly has improved.
He may be up to 84 in this big field, but it's Ado McGuinness-time again for me, and this horse can bounce back after having no luck with the draw in Barney Curley's race at Bellewstown.
A massive price of 20/1 looks too big for me, especially as he stays 7f well and acts on the ground.
Red letter day for Does He Know to school rivals
Back Does He Know @ 6/4 in the 16:40 at Cheltenham
A pretty obvious starting point for Saturday at Cheltenham, and while we are getting accustomed to small fields in novice chases, I might as well get in the swing of things with Does He Know (owned by the Yes He Does Syndicate). A phrase that reminds me of someone who I worked with a long time ago in radio - who would often have a curious way of asking if someone looked familiar: "Do we know, Alan?"
I used to answer: "We do."
He'd like this horse too, and so do I following an excellent start to his chasing career at Chepstow at their recent big meeting.
Racing over 3m in Wales, his jumping was quite impressive bar a little mistake at the first in the home straight, but he has a very enthusiastic way of racing and his ears were pricked when he was full of running to career past the 141-rated Threeunderthrufive. The race turned into a bit of a dash, but he was well up to the task with a move on the inside.
His trainer Kim Bailey has always held a high opinion of him, and this is a meeting he was successful at last term as a novice hurdler before landing the Grade 2 the following month (the Hyde). Both races were over 2m5f and he stayed ever so strongly in both.
The less said about the run in the Challow the better after dumping David Bass on the turf, but he's an out-and-out galloper that is built for chasing. He looks an exciting prospect for Bailey.
John McConnell had a winner at the meeting yesterday and his Roi De Dubai arrives on a roll, but he was beaten at Perth and I am not sure he is worth his rating.