Thursday Irish Racing Tips: Harrington Filly To Take Leopardstown Feature

This week's Thursday Leopardstown meeting is a touch lower key than last week's, though we still have a decent Group 3 to have a go at, namely the 1m 1f Green Room Meld Stakes at 19:20.

There's little to separate Bear Story and Georgeville on both official and Timeform ratings, and both are more than capable of taking a race of this nature on their best form.

Bear Story was a winner at this level on the all-weather at Dundalk last September and has put up a series of decent efforts in pattern company this season, including when runner-up to Layfayette in the Group 2 Mooresbridge Stakes at the Curragh in May.

He was understandably outclassed in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup later that same month, but excuses are harder to come by for his most recent effort, where he ended up well beaten at this level, again at the Curragh.

Georgeville is coming into this race in better form than Bear Story, his latest run when second to Cadillac over this C&D last month being his best effort of the season so far.

He has a good record at Leopardstown and looks sure to go well again, though he looks certain to be well found in the market under the champion jockey Colin Keane.

Patrick Sarsfield considered in first-time headgear

Patrick Sarsfield is next in on official ratings, and regular readers of this column will be familiar with Joseph O'Brien's 6-y-o, who was put up as a selection when completely bombing out in listed company last time.

There was a big temptation on my part to give him another chance, but that's not the first time that he's finished a touch tamely and I do wonder if he has a bit of an underlying physical issue that may be holding him back.

He wears a tongue tie in his races, and that's clearly there for a reason, though he does sport first-time cheekpieces, which could well get him back to something like his best.

Sole filly in the race the one to be with

Jim Bolger's Boundless Ocean is another that makes some appeal but the one I'm most keen on is Trevaunance, who gets all the allowances as a 3-y-o filly in this company.

Yes, she absolutely needs to step up on what she's already shown, though she's definitely heading in the right direction, and she convincingly took a three-runner minor contest at Limerick last time.

That was only her fourth career start, so the daughter of Muhaarar should still have plenty of progression in her, and she's a sizeable sort with a good bit of scope, too.

Throw in the fact that the Jessica Harrington team are in flying form and Trevaunance should give us a good run for our money at what ought to be a value price.

Craft Irish still has upside

The 7f apprentice handicap at 18:15 features Craft Irish, another lightly raced filly who still has plenty of upside as she makes just her sixth career start.

Runner-up to Boyne River on her debut at Dundalk in February, the daughter of Adaay got off the mark at the second attempt at the same track the following month, notching a convincing success at the expense of Cristal Clere, who's subsequently proven a very consistent performer.

A couple of lesser runs ensued before Craft Irish bounced right back to form dropped back in trip at Sligo last time, where she still showed signs of residual greenness but boxed on to a determined half-length win in a good time.

That form was franked when the third-place finisher Mass Gathering came out and won next time, and the step back up to 7f shouldn't be any inconvenience for a filly who already has winning form at the trip.

Saving the best bet for last

Over at Killarney, I'm very keen on newcomer Fruit Hill to strike at the first time of asking in the 2m 1f ladies pro/am bumper (20:30) for trainer John Kiely.

Kiely has been very good with his national hunt debutants in the last year or so, striking with two of his last five runners, while the other three all finished runner-up.

This son of Kingston Hill won't need to be a star to take this at the first attempt and the booking of Jody Townend looks a big positive in a race where plenty of other riders either lack experience or just struggle to ride winners.

There's no such issue with Townend, who's a talented jockey and has ridden 42 winners in the national hunt sphere over the last five years.

A market move for Fruit Hill would also be a big nod towards his chances, though I suspect the jockey booking is enough of a sign of intent.