Yesterday’s Review

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Today’s Advice

CORDOUAN/SHOWHOUND (7f 47y Hcap) – The forecast rain for today’s Leopardstown card sent me looking for contestants that might appreciate a bit of give in the ground, and I landed on two that may not be the stoutest of battlers but look a little overpriced in the market with conditions a bit more in their favour.

Cordouan has caught the eye on more than one occasion this season for his new trainer Paul Sweeney, and he was noted making late headway under considerate handling last time out at the Curragh whilst his stablemate Ransom landed a gamble from 50/1 into 20/1. He has dropped well down the handicap since his days with Ado McGuinness, and this French bred seven-year-old should appreciate conditions for today’s (5.50) Leopardstown judging by a course second place finish behind Celtic Crown over nine furlongs a couple of seasons ago.

Showhound has been well named, and his two most recent placings would indicate that he should be a big outsider. He does have form in the past though when conditions are on the slow side, and he didn’t take to the first time blinkers last time out having been drawn on the wrong side of the course at The Curragh the time before. A reproduction of his second place finish behind Neo Smart first time out would see him in the mix for today’s contest.

 

NORWALK HAVOC/COPACABANA SANDS (7f 47y Gp3) – With the going described as Good, following 3mm of overnight rain, for tonight’s (6.20) Leopardstown conditions would appear to be fine for the short priced favourite Comanche Brave. However, with 8-10mm of rain forecast (and some forecasts predicting up to 20mm of rain) it may pay to take on the favourite considering he looks a good ground actioned horse and has been beaten the only time he ran on Soft ground last season at this venue.

One horse who will love the weather forecast is the Jessica Harrington trained Norwalk Havoc. He looked a different horse last season since the application of a tongue tie and cheekpieces. He may have only appeared to be a handicapper but his Listed win over the mile at this venue and his performances on the clock have indicated that there is a serious Group horse in the making here when conditions are on the slow side. Tonight’s distance might be on the short side, and he will more than likely need the run but he is one to keep on the right side of this season.

Copacabana Sands has already done us a favour this season when taking a Listed race at Naas last time out, and her second place finish on seasonal debut when the going was very much on the soft side behind Bint Queen Kindly showed that any rain won’t affect her chances much. She is a fast improving filly and she raced more prominently last time out having found all sorts of trouble from the rear when last seen at this venue. Derby winning jockey Wayne Lordan takes over the ride from Jamie Powell, and we will be hoping Wayne’s experience can enable her to find a nice position.

 

PINK OXALIS (9f Hcap) – This four-year-old filly looked to be difficult to win with this season for trainer Stephen Thorne before the application of blinkers which has seen her really start to come into her own. Two wins and two places have yielded a rise of eighteen pounds in the handicap showing that her new trainer has found the key to her. Her hat-trick bid last time out came undone by a slow pace up front and probably needing the run following a 47 day absence. She will have no problems with the rain forecast for tonight’s (7.20) Leopardstown having won on Soft ground at Gowran Park over the mile recently, and with prominent racers such as Thrifty of Digby, Quatrain and Baltray Lady in opposition conditions should suit her much more than last time out.

Her main danger would appear to be the Donncha O’Brien trained Dahlia Noir who won her maiden on Heavy ground at Gowran Park back in April. She needs a lot of persuading to show her best, and was found wanting last time out over the extended ten furlongs at Navan, but should at least appreciate the return to a softer surface.

 

0.5pt e/way Cordouan (16/1 Paddy Power, 14/1 General 5 places only) 5.50 Leopardstown

0.5pt e/way Showhound (20/1 Paddy Power, 18/1 General 5 places only) 5.50 Leopardstown

0.5pt e/way Norwak Havoc (11/1 General) 6.20 Leopardstown

0.75pt e/way Copacabana Sands (7/1 General) 6.20 Leopardstown

0.75pt e/way Pink Oxalis (9/1 Paddy Power, 17/2 Coral, Ladbrokes 5 places only) 7.20 Leopardstown