GER LYONS has a trio of interesting runners at his local track on Friday, starting with Roibeard in the opening 10-furlong claimer.
The Big Bad Bob gelding won with some ease at Fairyhouse the other week when routing Spader and Special Focus, and is closely matched at these weights with Braver The Bull, although he is in better form. Roibeard should justify a short price under apprentice Ewan Daly.
Lyons takes the wraps off an intriguing newcomer in Bromance, who is related to a couple of winners and makes his belated debut in a weak-looking mile maiden. There are a number of potentially dangerous opponents, though, with Dermot Weld reaching for blinkers for Look Closer, who has run a pair of solid races so far, while Jim Bolger has debutant Seville Star, who fetched €105,000 as a yearling.
Lyons will be hoping Elusive Heights enjoys a smoother passage than when brought down close home at the Curragh as he tackles the €25,000 mile handicap, the most valuable race of the evening but tucked away at the end of the card.
Elusive Heights was poised to challenge Breathe Easy inside the last furlong but was brought down when Johann Bach took a false step and stumbled. Neither horse was injured in the pile-up and Elusive Heights can make amends for that luckless run.
The lightly-raced gelding faces an in-form fellow three-year-old in Markhan, while the older brigade are led by Bold Thady Quill and Bolger’s bottom weight Club Wexford. I thought the recent Roscommon scorer Ibergman might prove the biggest threat to Elusive Heights.
Giselle’s Charm is likely to be well fancied for the five-furlong juvenile auction maiden after producing a couple of solid efforts in defeat so far. Michael O’Callaghan’s charge won’t be getting it all her own way, though, as Ken Condon switches Glenamoy Lad to maiden company after he struggled to get involved in a Curragh Group Two last time, while Kevin Prendergast takes the wraps off Trevanna.
Tommy Stack’s Aspar showed plenty of zip to score over the minimum trip at Naas and steps up in distance in the three-year-old handicap where Gift Wrapped, Intense Stylist and the disappointing Midst are the other major players.
In the other sprint handicap, which is lower in class but over the minimum trip, last year’s winner Catwilldo bids for a repeat. It was an apprentice race then, with a 47-70 rating band. Catwilldo lumped 9st and ran off 54. Here she carries bottom weight of 8-4 and is 3lb out of the weights with her rating of 48. She certainly has her chance again despite a 3lb rise for her recent Bellewstown second to Nora Batt.
However, the consistent Sassaway is a big player in this company and both Your Pal Tal and Strategic Force are capable at this level but really, most of these win in their turn. Catwilldo might beat Your Pal Tal.
