DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
SUNDAY JUNE 14
2.37 CORK
A quality seven-furlong handicap with a multitude of permutations but the safest option might to stick with last year’s winner FORT VEGA and the improving BELLA ISABELLA to take against the field.
The former has been a regular in these big, straight track premier handicaps in recent times and Shiela Lavery’s gelding’s most notable success came in this very race last season.
The six-year-old needed every yard of the seven-furlong journey to succeed twelve months ago and no doubt connections have had this race in mind since back in training.
Using a six-furlongs contest at the Curragh last time out to put the finishing touches to his preparation, the way he stayed on late on bodes well for him returning to his optimum distance and a defence of his crown looks bound to be a stern one.
The latter has also enjoyed the surroundings of today’s Mallow venue in the past and following her recent success at Leopardstown, confidence is high she can stay competitive despite a step up in grade.
The latter showed great tenacity in getting the better of a protracted dual with Playin Cool at Leopardstown last time out and she appeal who might have plenty more to offer now seemingly at the peak of her powers.
Posting a very smart speed figure at the Dublin venue, the fastest on the card including the listed event won by Endorsement, the daughter of Wootton Bassett also has a third in a Group 3 on her resume and she certainly doesn’t look out of place in this competitive environment at a track where she has scored in the past.
FORT VEGA – 1-point each-way@7-1 (five places)
BELLA ISABELLA – 1-point each-way@11-1 (five places)
4.48 CORK
Sparan Nua is undoubtedly an improving filly but there is simply no way she deserves as much respect in the market as she is being afforded and among those who look to have been unjustly overlooked, MARAZION makes the most appeal at her morning odds.
Jessica Harrington’s filly took eight attempts to get off the mark, but she did so in the style of a hugely progressive and improved performer and she carried her upward trajectory forward into an extremely warm 1m6f handicap at the Curragh last time out.
Life was made tough on the daughter of Sea The Stars right from the outset at the Kildare venue being posted in stall 23 of the 24 runners and to add further to her complications, she raced very keenly through the first mile of the contest.
However, she kept on extremely well considering the energy she lost in the early stages, and it was only the late rattle of the more conservatively Westminster Moon that spoilt the party.
Posting a useful speed figure to add to the one she achieved at Roscommon previously, she comes across as being a horse way better than the current sum of her parts and hailing from a stable that would never let one of her inmates be thrown to the wolves, the four-year-old is easily fancied to outrun her position in the market. In Jessie we trust.
MARAZION – ½ point each-way@66-1
4.57 SALISBURY
KAMAWAY may have lost out to his main market rival at Yarmouth last time out but at the same time, he did his reputation as a progressive low-grade handicapper no harm and he is strongly fancied to get back on track here this afternoon.
Heading into that contest at the seaside venue following on from an impressive success over the same C&D previously, it looked straight match between himself and a horse who has also struck oil in a big way at Newbury a few days earlier and so it proved, with the pair filling out the first two places.
Despite his loss, he still came across as a horse who could compete outside of class 6 company along the way, and he gets the chance to prove that theory correct hailing from a stable who have struck a nice bit of form of late.
KAMAWAY – 1-point win@5-2