James Griffin brings you all of his tips and picks for today’s racing coming your way from Dundalk Stadium.
Race 1 – 16:20
A full field but a race that you can narrow down to three with them being:TURBO COMMAND, RAPHAEL and COMIN THROUGH with the latter. COMIN THROUGH just edging it for me. A winner at this level in late 2020 he ran a rare below par race when 5th three weeks ago but he’s well treated at the weights and the biggest two factors for me, Colin Keane stays loyal and he’s fresher then the other two who have seen plenty of Dundalk all winter but we’re both in action only last Friday. RAPHAEL has won all his races over the extended 8f so he may just find this on the sharp side having not got home on Friday over 10f.
SELECTION: COMIN THROUGH
DANGER: RAPHAEL
Race 2 – 16:55
ANNABELLE ROCK went into many notebooks last month when keeping on strongly in second behind Slade Runner. It was only in the last half furlong he gave way but it represented a step back in the right direction after a year in the doldrums. He’s a previous CD winner and if that wasn’t a fluke it’s a solid piece of form. Colin Keane rides ALICE MILLIGAN again and she was third here over a furlong further a couple of weeks ago. Not drawn great over the 6f tonight but at around 5/1, is an each way bet to nothing.
SELECTION: ANNABELLE ROCK
DANGER: ALICE MILLIGAN
Race 3 – 17:25
An each way selection to continue a, hopefully, good days work for Colin Keane is WILD SHOT. He’s a 5 time course winner for previous trainers and had an ok debut run for John McConnell when 9th 6 weeks ago. He wasn’t with john very long before that run so he’s open to improvement and he’s off his lowest mark for over a year now. John Flavin has had an unreal start to his training career and his first flat winner DOYOUTHINKSO had the race to run to suit when having a strong gallop collapse and be able to come from well off the pace. He handles the surface and is Lightly raced but needs them to go an end to end gallop.
SELECTION: WILD SHOT (EACH WAY)
DANGER: DOYOUTHINKSO
Race 4 – 17:55
A selection from a couple of weeks ago, LUNASTAR, finished third but that was a good run and she didn’t have a trouble free passage. She’s drawn very wide but being ridden patiently is how she likes to be ridden. She will be still travelling turning for home and just hopefully the gaps appear for her. If MACABAN CITY breaks on terms he’ll be in the thick of the action. This flashy chestnut walked out of the stalls the last day and was stone last the whole way ran then sprouted wings up the straight to be third. He won 5 runs ago and had the ability but the slow starts will hold him back adding to that score if he continues doing that.
SELECTION: LUNASTAR
DANGER: MACABAN CITY
Race 5 – 18:25
GOUGANE BARRA couldn’t have met much more trouble in running when 4th last time out. He lost all winning chance on that occasion and is given a second chance to recover those losses. Last weeks winner DRAKENSBERG drops in trip by 2f and in doing so will this to turn into a stamina rest as he just out stayed them last week but he’s in firm and the rise in weight is claimed off by Siobhan Rutledge.
SELECTION: GOUGANE BARRA
DANGER: DRAKENSBERG
Race 6 – 18:55
Hopefully John McConnell is chasing a double by this stage but his BLACKSTONE CLIFF impressed again when winning his third CD Hcap of the season a fortnight ago. He was hot with only a 6lb rise and to the eye that wouldn’t have stopped him on that occasion. He back behind him on that day DANDE in fourth and he’s not over exposed and is taken do get a bit closer to the selection.
SELECTION: BLACKSTONE CLIFF
DANGER: DANDE
Race 7 – 19:30
This race is surely all about FORBEARANCE. This daughter of Galileo was only 6th on debut but has been given plenty of time since and was sent off at only 4/1 on that day. She was beaten a little over 7L in a Naas maiden and that’s string form in a race of this nature. DEDILLON always runs its race and should be involved in the scrap for minor money.
SELECTION: FORBEARANCE
DANGER: DEDILLON
Race 8 – 20:00
The nap of the afternoon goes in the last. STAR HARBOUR has been brought along nice and steadily. A son of Sea The Stars he’s bred to be better then his mark of 75. I can see him beginning a sequence of wins here this afternoon and I’d be disappointed if he can’t continue his improvement now stepped into handicap company from maidens.
SELECTION: STAR HARBOUR
JAMES GRIFFIN PUNTERS CHALLENGE SELECTIONS:
Race 1 – COMIN THROUGH
Race 2 – ANNABELLE ROCK
Race 3 – WILD SHOT (EACH WAY)
Race 4 – LUNASTAR
Race 5 – GOUGANE BARRA
Race 6 – BLACKSTONE CLIFF
Race 7 – FORBEARANCE
Race 8 – STAR HARBOUR
