DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
SUNDAY APRIL 20
1.22 FAIRYHOUSE
WHIMSY (best price 8-1) can be a bit of a madam down at the start – certainly more in recent times – but when she does consent to play ball, she is capable of running to a decent standard and in the hope she arrives here having got out of the right side of the bed, Anthony McCann’s mare is worth a small interest to uphold her overall consistent profile.
Despite digging her toes in as the tapes flew back at Gowran two starts ago, she still managed to score by 21 lengths and her latest effort on the Flat in a competitive field at The Curragh suggested she remains in excellent heart.
Placed on both two starts when she has visited today’s venue, including being just behind subsequent Fred Winter scorer Puturhandstogether here in February, a repeat of the same level of form over a trip that should suit will be enough to see the daughter of Charming Thought right in the mix.
WHIMSY – ½ point each-way@8-1 (six places)
1.52 FAIRYHOUSE
CONYERS HILL (best price 13-2) and Jasko Des Dames represent arguably the strongest recent form line courtesy of the their sound efforts in the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival and slight preference goes in favour of the former on account of his need for soft ground and previous track knowledge.
Unlike his old rival, he was given plenty to do at the Prestbury venue a month ago and in the circumstances, he did remarkably well to finish as close as he did – staying on strongly from three out.
Previously a convincing winner of a competitive heat at Down Royal, racing right-handed has often seen him to good effect and having been placed on his two starts at today’s Meath venue, including an excellent second in a listed handicap hurdle, Paul Nolan’s inmate can continue his handler’s fine run of form.
CONYERS HILL – 1-point each-way@6-1 (four places)
3.41 BATH
PEPSI CAT (best price 33-1) was a respectable fifth in this race last season and with connections no doubt targeting another crack at this prize in the intervening months, Steph Hollinshead’s mare is fancied to outrun her morning odds.
Noted going well two out at the Somerset venue twelve months ago, the seven-year-old didn’t get the clearest of passages from that juncture and had things gone more her way, there’s a decent chance she would have gained valuable black type.
Sure to be all the better for her recent outing over today’s C&D, a run that further boosted her track form to read 551252, the daughter of Tamayuz has the capabilities to overcome her tricky draw (stall 15).
PEPSI CAT – ½ point each-way@33-1 (four places)
4.05 PLUMPTON
The unusual sight of Willie Mullins-trained battalions at this track are enough to put the fear of god into the home-based contingent but connections of OUR CHAMP (best price 9-2) have every reason to feel confident their representative can more than hold his own around a track that has played into the strengths over the last few years.
A creditable sixth in the County Hurdle recently, he only has a length-and-a-half with today’s favourite, Absurde, on that form alone and then when consider how well he kept on up the hill after being softened up in the lead for the first mile and a half of the journey, his effort in defeat deserves plenty of praise.
Victory in this race last season for Chris Gordon’s inmate now means he has a C&D record of 22411 and hailing from a yard who’s last two runners have both won, the seven-year-old has a decent chance to add to that tally back on home soil.
OUR CHAMP – 1-point each-way@9-2