DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
TUESDAY JULY 21
5.39 BALLINROBE
LE DIABLO has been trending in the right direction based on his last two starts and John Ryan’s gelding is fancied to add to his name to the list of recent winners for his yard (5-24).
The five-year-old shaped with plenty of encouragement at Clonmel two starts ago and he built on that performance when runner-up in a competitive affair at Wexford a month later.
Held in midfield at the Bettyville Park circuit, he found himself segregated from several who forced a decent pace early and although he stayed on best of the rest to finish a never-nearer second in the closing stages, Backinabit had already skipped into an unassailable lead.
However, this effort was much more like the level of form that allowed him to post his only victory so far to date and a repeat of something similar should be enough to gain the day in what looks a decidedly weak affair.
LE DIABLO – 1-point win@9-4
8.30 WOLVERHAMPTON
OCEAN FORCE is quite a tricky one to assess in the sense he hasn’t been able to show his true worth as of yet, but there is every chance debuting in handicap company for the first time might see him in a better light and a chance is taken on Gary & Josh Moore’s gelding backing up that view.
The son of El Kabeir first caught the eye – and the attentions of the stewards – when given a sympathetic ride at Lingfield two starts ago and although his effort last time out wasn’t quite as bad back at the Surrey venue, he left the distinct impression there was more left in the tank for another day.
Presented with an opening mark of just 55, he is starting from the sort of basement level that should allow him to flourish and back over a trip that will be more compatible, the lightly-raced grey is well worth an interest to find out whether he hasn’t been just bluffing up to this point.
OCEAN FORCE – ½ point each-way@6-1