DERMOT Weld’s 93-rated performer Massayan is by some way the best horse in action at Tipperary tonight when the four-year-old concedes weight to his four opponents in the €20,000 nine-furlong rated race, the most valuable race on this pre-Derby meeting card.
There are four low-grade handicaps on this eight-race card, three of the so keenly sought-after 45-65 variety including the divide and a 45-75.
The fillies-only nine-furlong handicap is the strongest outside the base category and Eddie Lynam has booked Pat Smullen for top-weight The Tulip, but he also saddles Evie Be Kool.
The Tulip doesn’t look badly treated having finished second behind Pandagreen at Leopardstown on her latest effort back at the end of May.
Pandagreen looked desperately unlucky when fourth off a 6lb higher mark at the Maze last Saturday and I consider her effort there a boost for The Tulip’s chances here, despite making excuses for Pandagreen. Hamley is possibly the one she has to fear most. It really looks like a race that mightn’t take a great deal of winning tonight.
Smullen should have won earlier on odds-on Massayan in a race where Bolger’s Cirin Toinne looks a bigger threat to the favourite than Markhan, a trailer at Naas behind Have A Nice Day over a month ago.
There’s the little matter of Massayan’s absence since his Gowran win over Moonmeister last September to consider.
He was taken out of his intended engagement at Gowran over the weekend when stable-mate Titus proved a disappointment when hampered in running and virtually pulled-up. You have to keep the faith until Galway.
There are 14 runners in the three and four-year-old median auction maiden but it shouldn’t take too much winning.
Live Twice is probably best of those that have raced. Ruby Shoes is better than demonstrated behind Hillcrest Fire in Cork last month. Brevard and Spanish Dawn are a pair of newcomers which might have prospects.
The opening sprint maiden is half-interesting; there’s no two-year-old race of any description on the card.
I thought Pious Alexander would take plenty of beating on her third outing. A beaten odds-on chance behind Florida Times on her reappearance, she ran better in a Listed sprint there behind Hit The Bid, beating only one home, but finishing within five lengths of that 97-rated winner. She was unlucky in running and should be plenty good enough here and wears the tongue-strap again. Sammyjade may be best of the others.
Bouquet Garni should beat some very ordinary opposition headed by Eadaoins Pet in the seven-and-a-half-furlong 45-65. I’ll go with Rummaging over Military Hill and Try Again in the nine-furlong 45-75, while in the divided mile and a half 45-65 I’ll have Bomber Jackson over Lizard Point in the first division and prefer Bobabout against Dara Tango in the second half.
Neville Ring
5.05 Pious Alexander (Nap)
5.40 Spanish Dawn
6.10 Bouquet Garni
6.40 Massayan
7.15 The Tulip
7.45 Rummaging (Dbl)
8.20 Bomber Jackson
8.50 Bobabout
Next Best
5.05 Sammyjade
5.40 Live Twice
6.10 Eadaoins Pet
6.40 Cirin Toinne
7.15 Hamley
7.45 Punches Pious
8.20 Lizard Point
8.50 Dara Tango
