BELLE CAN RING UP A WIN
BRONAGH’S BELLE, a progressive three-year-old filly, trained by Willie Mullins, should prove tough to beat in the Hibernian Hotel Tramore handicap when flat racing returns to Tramore today.
Twelve months ago, Colin Keane, who went on to become championjockey for the first time, rode a winner at the Curragh before jumping in his car and heading south to Tramore, where he completed a double on High Expectations and Water Sprite for Gordon Elliott.
Today, Keane can concentrate on the only domestic action, in Tramore, where he has three rides for Mullins. All three have obvious chances, with Bronagh’s Belle probably the best of the trio.
Handicapped on the basis of juvenile form over six and seven furlongs, this High Chaparral filly impressed on her three-year-old debut, when landing a mile and a half Leopardstown handicap off a lowly initial mark of a 59.
She received a hefty 16b hike for that defeat of Temasek Star, but acquitted herself well off her new mark when chasing home Great Trango, over a longer trip in Galway.
Although firmly beaten (by five and a half lengths), the Mullins filly finished 11 lengths clear of the third in a competitive handicap. And she went up another 5lb for her troubles.
But, as a three-year-old, she’s open to further improvement. And, on that basis, I expect her to register her second success today, off a mark of 80, with John Kiely’s top-weight Decision Time and bottom-weight Head Turner her chief threats.
Mullins and Keane might also land the earlier Perennial Freight Rated Race with Maze Runner, which ran twice at the Galway Festival, finishing fourth to Baba Boom (recently bought by J P Mcmanus to go hurdling) in a three-year-old handicap and beaten little more than six lengths when ninth to Rovetta over a mile and six furlongs.
Dropping back in trip, Maze Runner might have the edge over Moktamel and Timiniya in this three-year-old rated event.
The Dermot Weld-trained, 82-rated Baliyan, third to subsequent Curragh handicap winner Cliffs Of Dooneen at Bellewstown last time, sets the standard in the Dan Cowman Memorial Maiden.
Prior to his Bellewstown run, the Rosewell contender had finished third to subsequent Irish Derby winner Latrobe at the Curragh and runner-up to Cypress Creek at Ballinrobe. He’s no star but should eb good enough to get the job done.