Selections for Sunday 17th of November 2024
1.20 Navan
½ point each way Blue Mosque (12/1 Bet365, 3 places or 11/1 Generally, 3 places)
½ point each way Blue Mosque w/o Favourite (11/2 Bet365, 2 places)
The favourite The Yellow Clay has some top Bumper form and was good on his hurdling debut at Down Royal but I was impressed by the manner in which Blue Mosque won her maiden hurdle for trainer Noel Meade. She was as green as grass when asked to finish her race and nearly flattened the final hurdle before picking up again to win by a comfortable 5 lengths. She should improve plenty for that experience and is aided with her mares allowance here. If her jumping has improved it is hard to see her out of the first three.
1.55 Navan
1 point each way Newtown Rambler (9/1 Paddy power, 6 places or 8/1 Bet365/ Skybet, 6 places)
Newtown Rambler was second on his hurdles debut at Downpatrick over 2m 2f and went a place better when winning his next start at Sligo in a 2m 4f maiden hurdle. He just held on that day after idling in front but as soon as the second horse Will Wilde challenged near the finish Newtown Rambler found more to win by ¾ of a length. The step up to 2m 6f should suit this ex Irish pointer and an opening handicap mark of 114 looks fair. He is more unexposed than many here and his trainer is in good form.
2.30 Navan
1 point each way Chemical Energy (10/1 Skybet, 6 places or 10/1 Generally, 5 places)
The facts of this race is that trainer Gordon Elliott has a great record of training horses that run well here, horses at the head of the handicap have a good record and horses that have run well last time out tend to go well. American Mike is a worthy favourite but at the odds I’d rather Chemical Energy. He has a good record on yielding or better ground, was a good third in the Munster National on his last run and if the first time Blinkers can do their job he should be in the frame at least. Jockey Carl Miller claims a further 7 lbs and is good value for that claim.
1/2 point each way Lucid Dreams (28/1 Paddy power/ William Hill, 5 places or 25/1 Generally, 5 places)
The last time Lucid Dreams ran over 3 miles he was third in the Kerry National off the same mark of 142 as today. He was third at Down Royal in the Grade 2 Chase over 2m 3f and had no chance in the Grade 3 over 2 miles at Naas on his latest start. That was surely just a stepping stone for today and I would expect a better performance from him now stepping back up to 3 miles with usual jockey crafty Danny Mullins onboard.
2.05 Fontwell
1 point each way Unanswered Prayers (7/1 Skybet, 4 places or 15/2 Generally, 3 places)
This is the worst company Unanswered Prayers has run against for a while and he can go well under top weight. He usually runs well on his second run of the season and I’d imagine he will come on plenty for his comeback run at Cheltenham when well beaten. He won in November on good ground at Cheltenham in 2022 and was going well when falling at the last fence at Ascot last year. Jockey Freddie Gordon knows him well and claims 5 lbs and it would be no surprise if he was to outrun his odds.
2.55 Cheltenham
1 point each way Does He Know (5/1 Generally, 4 places)
I was between Does He Know and Abuffalosoldier in this and with the weather possibly changing and rain expected Does He Know is the safer option as he will handle any ground. He won this race two years ago on good ground off a mark of 152 and is now 2 lbs lower than that. He was running a competitive race here last month when tiring after the last and should be perfect for today. He has a 50% strike rate at Cheltenham having won four of his eight starts and he should give a good account of himself.
3.30 Cheltenham
1 point each way Be Aware (6/1 Skybet, 6 places or 7/1 Generally, 5 places)
The two at the top of the market are all the rage and perhaps rightly so but their odds are tight and in a competitive handicap like this I’d prefer something at an each way price. Be Aware fits the bill for a stable who would have definitely targeted this valuable handicap. If the rain does arrive it will help his chances and at the age of five he is still on an upward curve. He won his maiden hurdle before finishing second in three Novice handicap hurdles in a row. He is now on a mark of 130 and possibly has more to offer off that mark. Unfortunately he may have to settle for second best again but like I said at the odds he is a safer option.
**Date & Time of next Selections Friday 22nd of November at 9pm..