DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 20
2.00 THURLES
LIVE TO LAUGH (best price 7-1) is still awaiting his first victory but he has run some commendable races in defeat of late and with the latest effort last time out at Fairyhouse arguably his finest piece of work, Peter Fahey’s inmate is expected to go close in his bid to shed the maiden tag.
On a day where there was a huge track bias to those racing out wide at the Meath venue, the six-year-old was one of only a few to prosper racing on the swamp around the inside and considering the line he was forced to race on, he did extremely well to stay on strongly to finish a close-up third.
Placed on his three previous outings, including a solid runner-up in a competitive affair at Roscommon, this lightly raced type catches the eye as a solid each-way proposition.
LIVE TO LAUGH – ½ point each-way@7-1 (four places)
3.10 THURLES
DESTIVELLE (best price 10-3) won with any amount in hand over today’s C&D last time out and providing the ground doesn’t ride too soft here this afternoon, Ciaran Murphy’s mare has every chance of following up.
The daughter of Vadamos has clearly come into her own since switching to her new yard and following a promising start when third over today’s C&D a month ago, she duly found the necessary improvement to go two places better on her return visit.
Although her victory was plain sailing in the end, she recovered well from being in an uncompromising position turning out of the back straight and the turn of foot she produced to get her out of jail can prove the key component to today’s race.
DESTIVELLE – 1-point win@10-3
3.20 WINCANTON
Tapley looks the obvious one here given his fair effort over the track last time out, but his jumping does lack fluency at times and that department could well be exploited again by MERRY MONTY (best price 5-1), who served up an exhibition round until fading late on at Uttoxeter last time out.
Having his first outing for almost two years at the Midland venue, Chris Down’s inmate raced with plenty of zest through the first part of the contest and he was still going strong on the run down to two out.
Unfortunately, from this juncture the lack of a recent run began to take over and by the time he had landed just ahead over the last, he eventually succumbed to a couple of late closers.
Providing he doesn’t bounce to the moon off that effort, the eight-year-old has all the right attributes to lead today’s field a merry dance and on ground that is unlikely to suck the life out of him as it did at Uttoxeter (more soft than good to soft), he could prove difficult to peg back.
MERRY MONTY – 1-point each-way@5-1