Niall Dawson – The Fan Base
The National Hunt season is now well underway and there’s some great racing this weekend between the rearranged Down Royal fixture, Gowran Park and Naas where there is certainly lots of firepower to come out for both the Mullins and Elliott camps.
Saturday:
12:20 Gowran Park: In what looks to be an open beginners’ chase in the second race of Gowran’s meeting. I fancy Silent Approach to run a big race at a bigger price. The Con O’Keeffe mare by Walk in the Park has been crying out for fences in my opinion and will love the stamina test of Gowran. I think she’s good value at 8-1 E/W.
1:23 Gowran Park: The John Kiley trained Joyeux Vivo made a very good impression in his first and only start for the stable at April’s premier Punchestown meeting. The son of Kapgarde was 3rd in what looks like will be a very good jumper in the making. The winner of that race, Angelo Dundee looks to be a smart horse and the second Williethebuilder has been subsequently sold to the Skeleton’s and ran a very good race in Grade 2 skybet Novice’s hurdle at Cheltenham. Cut the rope looks a nice prospect for the Paul Nolan yard but I fancy the A Dream to Share combination of McManus and Kiely to come out on top here.
2:20 Down Royal: I’m still in shock as to how Gerri Colombe was beaten in the Brown Advisory last March. I think this is a proper horse and maybe Galopin Des Champs biggest threat of retaining his gold cup crown. That Brown Advisory second is the only blemish on a so far perfect record of 9 wins for the seven year old son of Saddler Maker. Gordon Elliott has said he will come on from the run tomorrow but I feel he will be much too strong for his older rivals here. It’s a young horse’s game and even though his 3 rivals all have race fitness, I strongly fancy Gerri to keep up the good form of the Elliott & Kennedy partnership and lay down a marker to his 3 mile division rivals tomorrow.
Sunday:
3:10 Naas: Corbett’s Cross is one of my favorite horses in training. I had him at a big price for the Albert Bartlett and he looked to be running a very good race before running out before the last. He’s one I’m really looking forward to seeing this year over fences. Willie Mullins Grangeclare West is no slouch either but I feel the Emmett Mullins trained 6 year old will make a winning start here and set his season up for a good one hopefully going down the Brown Advisory route.
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