Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
FUN IN SON
Hypnos can rise to the occasion for inform Smith
FROM the in-form yard of Matt Smith, Son Of Hypnos is expected to get off the mark in the Perennial Freight Rated Race when flat racing makes its annual visit to Tramore this evening.
A Morpheus gelding, the selection caught the eye a couple of times in maidens before stepping into handicap company at the recent Galway festival. On the opening evening, he stayed on in the closing stages to finish fourth, beaten six lengths, behind the gambled-on Flying Scotsman, who went on to score again the following day.
Reappearing five days later, Robbie Colgan made more use of Son Of Hypnos, taking the lead on the approach to the straight before being headed inside the final furlongs and finishing less than four lengths fifth to Dark Voyager.
Trainer Smith has found a good opportunity for Son Of Hypnos here. And, with Shane Kelly in the saddle, he gets the vote to outpoint Joseph O’brien’s Scholastic
Johnny Murtagh continues in flying form, as evidences by his Gowran Park treble on Wednesday. And he has obvious prospects with top-weight Pearl Warrior in the
Brennan’s Pharmacy Tramore Handicap.
A prolific winner last summer, scoring at Sligo, Tramore (he won the rated race on this card) and Listowel. And he has already triumphed in 2020 – at Fairyhouse n June.
Since then, he finished has sixth to Rayounpour in the Cork Derby and fourth to Princess Zoe in the valuable Galway Shopping Centre Handicap at Ballybrit.
A natural front-runner, this Warrior will be suited by Tramore’s terrain. But my main concern is the prospect of a battle for the lead with hat-trick-seeking Next In Line and Effernock Fizz.
Murtagh’s Dalileo will be a popular fancy for the competitive looking Clonea Strand Dungarvan Handicap, in which recent winners Eight And Bob, Tonkinese and Penny Out also have major claims.
And John Kiely’s mare Penny Out, narrowly beaten by Enable’s brother Centroid in Galway, gets a hesitant nod to follow-up Thursday’s maiden defeat of odds-on favourite My Sister Sarah over this course and distance.
Willie Mullins, a director of the track, is always a force at Tramore. And Cool Colonnade, the mount of Seamus Heffernan, has rock-solid claims in the finale, the Fenor Handicap on the evidence of his recent third behind stable-companion Eight And Bob and Maandarin Monarch on the final day of Galway. This looks an easier assignment.