WITH the sprint course found to be unraceable, the five-furlong handicap at Tipperary this afternoon has been cancelled and the seven-and-a-half-furlong handicap has been divided to make a seven-race card. The ground on the round course is described as 'soft to heavy'.
Raymonda makes her seasonal reappearance in the seven-and-a-half-furlong conditions as Dermot Weld bids to continue his good recent form.Weld has enjoyed plenty of winners in the last week and will still have high hopes for this four-year-old daughter of Lonhro who has only tasted defeat once in her three-race career to date.
That disappointing effort came in Group Three company at Fairyhouse back in July but she came back lame from that run and didn’t reappear. She was sent off an odds-on chance on that occasion and will be expected to get her career back on a winning path here against the likes of Onenightidreamed, a beaten favourite when third behind Weld’s Rose De Pierre and Marshall Jennings at Leopardstown a week ago, and veteran Master Speaker.
Weld saddles an interesting newcomer in the three-year-old Median Auction Maiden (the most valuable race on the card) as Bee Queen, a beautifully bred Makfi filly, takes on the Cork-placed pair Pecheurs De Perles and Vocal Response as well as the experienced 81-rated Willie McCreery-trained Tommy Hallinan.The latter chased home the smart Orderofthegarter at Naas last time and sets a solid standard for the rest to aim at but Vocal Response looks to be going the right way and is another who could prove a big threat.
The opening three-year-old fillies' maiden looks an open enough little contest with Jet Streaming making instant appeal after a promising Dundalk debut effort when third behind Alphabet and Ma Fee Heela. That second didn’t do anything for the form when only fifth at Leopardstown on Saturday. She should win races but a similar comment applies to De La Vega who caught the eye when finishing well at Dundalk in fourth behind Magen’s Moon in January. Tobacco Bay and Yulong Backui are the others to consider. Pat Smullen renews his partnership with Jet Streaming while De La Vega wears first-time cheek pieces and has the best of the draw.
Recent Leopardstown victor Prove The Point went up 4lb and could be worth sticking with in the first division of the seven-and-a-half-furlong handicap with fourth placed Not A Whisper pitched-up against him again. Burren View won at Lingfield on Saturday afternoon and shoulders a 5lb penalty. She was well supported there but it was a very modest contest and the seven-year-old might struggle back on home ground.
The second division might rest between Fozzy Stack’s Tessonna and the ex-Mark Johnston trained Dasheen. Mostawfee and Laburnum Park could both be of interest following the downward revision of their ratings.
The concluding 12-furlong maiden may create a lively market and sees Clear Skies make her first start since 2015 and her two-year-old second at Newmarket to Ballydoyle’s Alice Springs in a £300,000 sales race suggests she is a filly that could still have a future. Formerly trained by David Wachman and now in care of Aidan O'Brien (his only runner at the meeting), she ought to run very well in this lesser company. But she’s blinkered and hooded and has that 558-day absence to overcome. Constancio, the ex-Michael Stoute-trained Song Of Namibia and Val De Ferbet are amongst the opposition dangers.
Selections: Neville Ring
4.45 Jet Streaming
5.15 Bee Queen
5.45 Raymonda (Nap)
6.15 ProveThe Point
6.45 Tessonna (Dbl)
7.15 War Goddess
7.45 Clear Skies
Selections: Next Best
4.45 De La Vega
5.15 Vocal Response
5.45 Onenightidreamed
6.15 Not A Whisper
6.45Dasheen
7.15 Lucca
7.45 Constancio
