DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
SUNDAY APRIL 5
1.30 FAIRYHOUSE
NEWBROOK DIAMOND has had a few chances but he has certainly shown enough to win a race of this nature and following a most unlucky loss at Punchestown last time out, Gordon Elliott’s inmate is fancied to make amends.
Stepped up to 2m4f for the first time at the Kildare venue, the son of Balko appeared to be travelling best of the main players coming away from the second last but just as he was spying a gap up the inside of Court Compliance, he got slam dunked over the rails and, as a result, lost valuable ground and momentum.
Rallying to the cause from that juncture, the six-year-old managed to claw back quite a chunk of the deficit to finish a never-nearer second and with the winner going on to run well here yesterday and the third winning since, the form looks solid.
Although he is dropping back to the minimum trip here today, he has plenty of solid performances behind him over two miles and with the blinkers on for the first time seen as a device to sharpen his senses, he rates an altogether more attractive proposition than Colcannonn, who appears to have regressed since shining in bumpers last season.
NEWBROOK DIAMOND – 1-point each-way@9-2
2.40 FAIRYHOUSE
Leader d’Allier would have been a fancy in many quarters for the Supreme at Cheltenham had he made the gig and there is no doubt today’s contest represents a decent opportunity for him to prove he wouldn’t have been too far away in the festival’s curtain raiser.
However, he does face one or two who have already proven themselves at this level and BLAKE appeals as a solid each-way alternative over a C&D that witnessed him finish an agonising runner-up in the Royal Bond earlier this campaign.
It is probably fair to say the Grade 2 he contested at the Meath venue back in November wasn’t the strongest of its kind ever run but that aside, he would have prevailed but for a sloppy jump at the last.
Since then, heavy ground has arguably prevented him from running up to maximum capacity at both Leopardstown and Naas but a return to the venue of his career high on the figures will hopefully see Noel Meade’s inmate show his true worth.
BLAKE – 1-point each-way@15-2
4.25 FAIRYHOUSE
MORE COKO hasn’t become a bad horse overnight and if prepared to blame heavy ground for his below par effort at Gowran last time out, Willie Mullins’ inmate rates the value call on the basis of his better display in the Dan & Joan Moore Handicap Chase over today’s C& earlier in the season.
By no means was his performance at the Kenny venue a disastrous one, that backed up by the fact he was forced to race around the unfavourable inside part of the track and he is better judged on his fine second to stable mate Western Diego in one of the most keenly contested two mile handicap chases run in Ireland back in January.
The six-year-old travelled extremely smoothly at the Meath venue and looked all over the winner jumping two out but in the end, he had to play second fiddle to a stronger opponent on the day.
That said, the front two pulled miles clear of the rest, including the likes of Touch Me Not and Inthepocket, and a repeat of a similar level of performance will surely see the son of Cokoriko outrun his morning odds.
MORE COKO – ½ point each-way@10-1 (four places)