DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
TUESDAY APRIL 14
4.37 CLONMEL
Arcadian Emperor looks sure to be all the rage in this maiden hurdle hailing from sexy connections, but the recommendation is to look towards KARLYNN to outrun his odds.
John Burke’s gelding made an inauspicious start to his career when well beaten at Gowran on his debut, but he improved significantly on that initial display with an altogether more promising effort over today’s course last time out.
Way back in the cheap seats with a circuit to run while the big two in the market, Boedic and San Hilario, threw haymakers at each other at the head of affairs, the son of Karaktar was the only one out of the pack in the other separate race to make any discernible ground in the final mile and although beaten 20 in the final analysis, his closing sectionals compared very favourably with the first two home.
Returning to the scene of that performance, it might well turn out to be an exercise in getting him handicapped for targets further down the line, but he looks the type that threatens to get the extra half a mile well and at the morning odds, he could easily make the frame and a small interest in the with and without the favourite markets could be the way forward.
KARLYNN – ½ point each-way@25-1
4.45 NEWMARKET
GREAT CHIEFTAN has been out sunning himself in warmer climbs during the winter and hopefully he can come back from his short stint overseas fit, well and ready to kick on again over a track that has served him well in the past.
Although out of the frame on both starts in Meydan, each run wasn’t without credit and the latest of the two ended up being a very solid effort in an extremely strongly run race.
A winner of a competitive C&D handicap last May, he looked highly tried when pitched in against a white-hot field in the Cambridgeshire on his return visit towards the backend of the season, but he ended up defying his 40-1 status with an excellent effort to finish seventh of the 23-strong runners.
Since that day, the winner, Boiling Point, has gone on to run well at Group 3 level, the third, Fort George, chased home Rebel’s Romance out in the desert and the ninth, Urban Lion went on to land the Lincoln, so the form looks very strong.
It is also worth pointing out, two of today’s main rivals, Mister Winston and real gain, were well beaten in behind and with fitness on his side, Oliver Cole’s gelding can take advantage of this slight drop in grade.
GREAT CHIEFTAN – 1-point win@11-4
7.12 CLONMEL
LITTLEFOOT has been a bit of a hit and miss character during his career, but he seemed to take well to fences at the first time of asking at Downpatrick last time out and he is fancied to keep up the good work in a race where all his opponents aren’t exactly the most reliable either.
Useful over hurdles on his day, his best effort came when he chased home Thistleway in the Red Mills Series Final at the Punchestown Festival last season and in doing so, he had today’s favourite, Coral River, one place behind him in third.
Following three inauspicious displays earlier this season, the decision was made to switch his attentions to fences in a bid to revive his fortunes and on the evidence of what was witnessed at the Co Down venue, the son of Milan could easily forge a decent career for himself over the larger obstacles.
Languishing in the rear early, Mark Molloy’s gelding gradually warmed to his task on the second circuit and his continued headway carried him forward to lead over the last and on the steep climb to the line.
Winning going away, he ended up posting a very useful speed figure for a race of its nature and whether he can follow up will all boil down to him translating the same level of form to today’s different track.
LITTLEFOOT – 1-point win@7-1