MCCREERY CAN SHOW THE WAY ON HARD CARD
TAKE a chance on Thiswaycadeaux in the six-furlong Big Picture Communications Maiden in Fairyhouse today. The eight-race card lacks stars, of the equine variety. But Colin Keane and Pat Smullen will both hope to be among the winners as their battle for the Championship continues, with just eight meetings remaining. And the nine-time champion appears to have the stronger book of rides. On a competitive card, Willie Mccreery-trained Thiswaycadeaux appeals as a value bet in a modest maiden. A daughter of Thewayyouare, she showed a glimmer of promise on her debut behind Erratic Path at Gowran Park, when she finished 10th. Drawn badly for her second and only subsequent start at Tipperary, she shaped with plenty of promise, coming wide off the home-turn and keeping on in eye-catching style to finish fourth, beaten five lengths, behind Ballydoyle filly Longing, Rickrack and Warnaq. The winner was since tried in listed company at Naas last Sunday and is due to run in a similar contest at Leopardstown tomorrow. Runner-up Rickrack won a Cork handicap, off a mark of 75 last week, and the third, Warnaq, finished second to solid yardstick World War in a recent Gowran Park maiden. That effort by Willie Mccreery’s charge suggested she might be capable of winning her maiden. And, although it’s a slight concern she’s dropping back to six furlongs today, she’s welldrawn, open to improvement and, significantly, faces a field full of exposed performers. In his quest to catch Keane in the jockey’s title-race, Pat Smullen has obvious prospects on the likes of Stellar Eclipse and Ellona. Although no match for the impressive, Aidan O’brien-trained Kenya at Cork last week, the Dermot Weld-trained Stellar Eclipse should go close in the opening median auction two-year-old maiden. Fourth to Masucci on his debut at Gowran Park, he was outclassed by the winner in Cork (he runs in a Group 3 at Leopardstown tomorrow), the Rosewell hope had an 83-rated rival back in third. And, wearing a visor again, a reproduction of that form might suffice here. The Paul Deegantrained Ellona looked a winner in a recent Gowran Park nursery until overhauled late by Haunting Vocals. And, off the same mark, the Born To Sea filly has rock-solid, eachway claims, under Smullen, in the Shelbourne F.C. Race Day Nursery.