Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SEAN TO CONFIRM STATUS
BACK over hurdles and racing off an apparently workable mark, the Gearoid O’loughlintrained Whatsyourstatus should be tough to beat in the three-mile Thank You To The Frontline Workers Handicap
Hurdle in Cork tomorrow.
Placed four times from eight outings over hurdles, this sevenyear-old has proven himself in excellent fettle over fences in recent weeks, opening his account at the second attempt at Tramore last month slamming subsequent winner Champagne Beauty by 14 lengths.
Last time, the Ask gelding contested a rated novice in Clonmel and performed creditably in filling the runner-up berth, beaten three and a quarter lengths, behind Aforementioned.
The winner went on to land the Munster National in Limerick last Sunday – stressing the merit of the selection’s effort in Clonmel.
Currently rated 121 over fences, Whatsyourstatus runs off a hurdle mark of 102 with in-form Sean Flanagan on board. And he must have an outstanding chance.
Another fancy racing off an attractive hurdle mark is Smithscorner in the Mallow Handicap Hurdle.
Fourth to Whereyounow over flights in Listowel, he’s 27lb lower in this discipline and has obvious claims here.
The class act on tomorrow’s card is Gordon Elliott’s fiveyear-old Coko Beach, making his chasing debut in the Irish Stallion Farms Beginners Chase.
This fellow’s hurdle form includes a second to Band Of Outlaws in the Boodles at Cheltenham last year. And he was last seen, running off a mark of
145 and finishing ninth to Duke De Compaigne in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham in March.
Expected to prove even better over fences, Coko Beach appears to have a straightforward task here – if he jumps adequately.