BANKING ON TOWN

FREETOWN looks the banker bet on Day Six of the Listowel Festival.

The Galileo colt, placed in his two starts this season, should prove very tough to beat in the Bank Of Ireland Maiden over a mile and a half.

Fifth to stable-companion and leading English St Leger fancy Kew Gardens at Killarney in his only outing as a juvenile, Freetown made his belated return to action in a Roscommon maiden last month and, having made the running, went down by a head to Joseph O’brien’s Ace Combat.

Aidan O’brien’s charge reappeared at Tipperary 10 days later and, again ridden prominently did little wrong, although unable to cope with Stella d’oro and Sayar in the closing stages.

He finished third, beaten little more than two lengths, had run creditably on soft ground and, on a track which favours front-runners, Donnacha O’brien’s mount is expected to make all in a race in which 80-rated Baliyan might prove the main threat.

The other appealing, short-priced bet is the Willie Mullins-trained Dorrells Pierji on his hurdling debut in the John J Galvin Maiden Hurdle.

The Coastal Path gelding, a point-topoint winner at Belharbour, won two bumpers at Wexford and Galway and looks a stayer.

In Wexford, he slammed subsequent winners Court Maid and Dinons and, at the Galway Festival, stoked up by Patrick Mullins turning for home, he stayed on dourly to beat Beautiful Citi, a winner already, albeit in fortuitous circumstances, at this meeting.

Two and a half miles should play to his strengths. and he sets the standard.

The rest of the card look treacherous.

But Admirality, chasing a hat-trick, might continue

Johnny

Murtagh’s excellent season in the seven-furlong Guinness

Handicap.

This four-yearold Mount Nelson gelding belatedly opened his account, at the

13th attempt, when scoring easily at Fairyhouse in July

(off 64). And he followed-up, off a10lb higher mark, on a trip to Carlisle early last month.

Up another 8lb, Admirality has solid claims from a low draw and is preferred to Pat Fahy’s in-foal filly Stormy Belle, right, successful over this route on Wednesday but faced with a follow-up bid from the outside stall (15) and Rattling Jewel.