IT’S STRAIT FORWARD
O’brien’s charge can be the first leg of double
JOSEPH O’brien and apprentice Hugh Horgan should register a short-priced double with Magellan Strait and San Andreas in the two small-field conditions events on today’s Dundalk card.
O’brien has won all four maidens run so far at Dundalk in 2024 while Horgan has ridden three winners but incurred the wrath of the Stewards last Friday when receiving a 16-day whip ban, for his fourth offence, a suspension which will rule him out of action from January 31 until early April.
Four of the last five renewals of the
two-mile Irishinjuredjockeys.com have gone to O’brien’s Carriganog team. And 101-rated Magellan Strait, a dour stayer, with three wins on his CV, appears to have a straightforward task in his bid to extended the stable’s fine record in the race.
Last September, Horgan partnered the Australia gelding to a shock win (off 93) in the valuable Irish Cesarewitch, the 150/1 shot foiling Falcon Eight, Dawn Rising and Jessie Evans in a tight finish.
If Magellan Strait reproduces that sort of spark, he should prove too strong for ex-ballydoyle inmate Cape Bridgewater, having his first run for
Darren Bunyan and Ger O’leary.
Set to wear first-time cheekpieces, eight-year-old San Andreas has only two, including former stable-companion Point Gellibrand, to beat in the seven-furlong Story Of Dundalk Stadium Book Race.
Successful five times on the polytrack, including twice over today’s trip, this eight-year-old’s last win came here last March.
In September, he finished a creditable third to Piz Badile in the listed Legacy, over an extended trip, and, last time, filled sixth spot in a handicap won by I Am Superman early last month.
Rated 13lb superior to his main rival and with Horgan claiming 7lb as he bids for a fourth win on the gelding, San Andreas appears to have a straight-forward task.
The remainder of the card comprises six difficult-to-solve handicaps, with Dundalk stalwart Inishmot Prince, an eight-time winner on this track, holding every chance in the opening Floodlit Fridays At Dundalk Handicap.
Fifth behind Daamberdiplomat and one of today’s rivals Dontspilasale over course and distance last time, off a career-high mark of 82, Tom Mccourt’s charge had won his two previous starts, in December, including a defeat of Dontspoilasale over the minimum trip.
Inishmot Prince is at his best coming from off a strong pace. Apprentice James Ryan knows him well, having ridden the six-year-old to each of his eight wins. And he should go close.
Now 8lb higher than when scoring over a mile and a half here in November and narrowly beaten by Unterberg last time, the Mags Mullins-trained Spinning Web, a winning hurdler, appeals on his first venture over two miles on the flat in the Join Us On Our Social Channels Handicap.