DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 7
3.20 PERTH
Timurshah has been one of the most improved horses in training over in Ireland during the summer period and CASTLEHEATH, who had the misfortune to bump into Aidan Melia’s inmate when well-treated at Galway last time out, can make the trip over the Irish Sea worthwhile.
The five-year-old forced a decent pace at Ballybrit despite being off the track for 216 days and although he ultimately succumbed to a fitter, in-form rival after the last, he kept on well for an honourable second, in turn, nicely clear of track specialist, Teed Up.
Considering the winner is now rated 132 over hurdles and has subsequently bolted up on the Flat, the effort of Ciaran Murphy’s inmate is put even more into context and even though you have to go back 18 months to relive his last win over hurdles, this dual winner on the level in between times can end that barrow spell.
CASTLEHEATH – 1-point win@3-1
5.09 GALWAY
At first glance, you would be lulled into believing this was a race over fences but that is not the case, with at least five of the field switching their attentions to the smaller obstacles.
Whether the change in discipline will have an adverse effect on several of the leading players only time will tell but the safest option is to side with SAMUI, who has yet to be sent chasing and has some quality form over hurdles to call upon.
Off the track for 405 days, Gordon Elliott’s gelding shaped with encouragement on his first outing back into the fray at Killarney and building nicely on that solid platform, he improved his performance levels to chase home the useful Reverend Hubert at Down Royal last time out.
In what turned out to be a decent test at the trip, the seven-year-old was the only one to offer any resistance to the winner in the final half a mile and as a consequence, he came out of the race with a very smart speed figure – his best so far over hurdles.
A winner of six of his 28 races over hurdles, the son of Siyouni also has proven form over today’s track courtesy of a fine second to the subsequent Grade 1 winner, Mythical Power, and safe in the knowledge he stays well (runner-up in The Queen Alexandra at Royal Ascot last year), he makes plenty of each-way appeal at the morning prices.
SAMUI – 1-point each-way@13-2