DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
SUNDAY DECEMBER 29
1.20 LEOPARDSTOWN
LOT OF JOY (best price 5-2) seems to have turned over a new leaf on the evidence of her last two victories and the hat trick looks well withing her grasp with conditions still in her favour.
Well supported on her seasonal bow at Gowran despite not having faced a hurdle in public for the thick end of 18 months, Willie Mullins’ inmate readily dispatched the useful Royal Hollow and she duly followed up at Punchestown a month later, this time in a much more competitive environment.
Taking on the likes of Risk Belle, Riviere D’Etel and Feet Of A Dancer (ran well here yesterday), the daughter of Camelot showed far too much all round speed for her main rivals and in doing so, she posted a very smart speed figure at the Kildare track.
Probably always likely to prove just short of top class, races such as todays are tailor made for her profile and having gone well on her only previous visit to the Dublin venue, she looks set to improve her stock with trip and ground to suit.
LOT OF JOY – 1-point win@5-2
3.05 LEOPARDSTOWN
Competitive fare with a whole host of plausible outcomes but there’s a fair chance ANY ROAD (best price 25-1)and THE BUSY FOOL (best price 11-1) will run better than their morning odds suggest and, as a result, they are taken against the field.
The former has just had the one outing so far this season and it resulted in an extremely impressive performance in defeating the useful What’s Up Darling at Fairyhouse. Contesting quicker ground than ideal, Edward O’Grady’s inmate exhibited a sparkling turn of foot at the business end to leave his better-fancied rival for dead and the speed figure and backend sectionals indicated it was a fair effort by a horse who clearly goes well fresh.
He now must prove he can deliver the goods in a bigger, more competitive field, racing the other way around, but he is far too talented to overlook at the morning odds and in a race that looks bound to be run at a searching pace, his high cruising speed will come in handy.
The latter is likely to be ridden more handier than Any Road, but by no means is chance is less obvious and he too, is a horse very much going in the right direction.
Connections of the six-year-old have had plenty of suitors queuing up to acquire his services over the past twelve months and following his game victory at Naas last time out, it’s easy to see why he has become an even more valuable commodity.
Setting off at a sound tempo at the Kildare venue, the strapping son of Doyen has plenty gathering in the wings behind him as he turned for home but knuckling down to the task at hand, he batted them away with great determination in the latter stages and was ultimately full value for his win.
Posting a good time figure 49 days ago, he had his form well and truly boosted by fourth-placed Win Some Lose Some here yesterday and although he will no doubt be seen to even greater effect when asked to jump a fence further down the line, he can continue to climb through the ranks in this discipline.
ANY ROAD – ½ point each-way@25-1
THE BUSY FOOL – ½ point each-way@11-1
2.52 LIMERICK
THE DAWN (best price 10-1) hasn’t been seen out finishing a promising sixth behind the smart handicapper D Art D Art (rated 130) at Cork just over a year ago, but a chance is taken Liam Burke’s inmate is fit enough to do himself justice in a race lacking any standout performers.
Languishing in the rear with a circuit to race at the Mallow venue, the son of Herald The Dawn made up a good deal of ground in the final mile and despite getting beat 22 lengths, his individual data worked out extremely favourably.
In isolation, his final circuit time of 2.23.3 was only 0.9 slower than the winner, but at the same time 0.4 faster than the following two-mile novice hurdle winner, Flamborough, who was rated 122 at the time.
Based on that knowledge, the five-year-old clearly has a decent engine for a horse of his low rating and even if he doesn’t necessarily prove it today. It will be only a matter of time before he does show his true worth.
THE DAWN – ½ point each-way@10-1