DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
TUESDAY JANUARY 20
12.50 DOWN ROYAL
Gavin Cromwell’s Bud Fox is an interesting recruit to hurdles and Gordon Elliott runs a couple of nice types in this opening maiden but, with their respective yards just struggling for winners of late, the safest policy might be to look elsewhere in the shape of STAR OF THE WEEK.
Arthur Moore wouldn’t be associated with too many winners nowadays, let alone first time out maiden hurdle ones, so the fact this chap was sent off only 15-2 on his debut at Limerick over Christmas suggested a positive outcome was in the offing.
As events panned out, he justified his position in the market in finishing a creditable third and given the two ahead of him had shown a decent level of form on their previous starts (Starting Fifteen had finished second to Talk The Talk), there was no shame in getting beaten 13 lengths.
The encouraging part of his performance was how well he travelled throughout a strongly run affair in the conditions and with just normal improvement, he should prove easily good enough to have a say in this similar race this afternoon.
STAR OF THE WEEK – 1-point win@3-1
1.50 DOWN ROYAL
BEAUTIFUL CHAOS couldn’t lay a glove on impressive winner Captain Ryan Matt at Tramore last time out, but she ended up being clear second best and a repeat of a similar level of form should see her go close in her bid to go one place better in this slightly weaker event.
Not only was the winner very strongly fancied on the day, but Kentucky Beach also held solid claims having finished second to the well-treated Fierce Handay at Fairyhouse previously, so it looked a strong handicap for the grade beforehand.
Keeping on well in the latter stages after being in the rear of midfield at halfway, she stayed on stoutly all the way to the line and considering that was her first outing for 101 days, it is logical to think she will be much sharper for that initial outing.
Although not a serial winner by any means, you can that about the entire field she faces this afternoon and it would be a surprise if she wasn’t in the first four at the very least.
BEAUTIFUL CHAOS – ½ point each-way@13-2 (four places)