Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
HAPPY DAZE
Blackmore’s mount can cast Magic spell in mares’ company in today’s Clonmel opener
MAGIC Daze is napped to land the opening Kilsheelan Mares Maiden Hurdle on today’s rescheduled card in Clonmel.
The five-year-old mare carries the hopes of Robcour, Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore, successful with Bob Olinger in the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle last week.
On the evidence of her racecourse debut at Leopardstown over Christmas, the daughter of Doyen looks more than capable of success at this level.
Winner of her only point-to-point
– for Colin Bowe at Curraghmore in October –Magic Daze was subsequently sold for £92,000 and contested a two and a half mile maiden hurdle on her racecourse bow at Leopardstown.
She made most of the running, jumping well until collared early in the straight by impressive winner Gaillard Du Mesnil, a potential Grade 1 horse trained by Willie Mullins.
Magic Daze had to settle for third spot, beaten 18 lengths behind the Closutton runner and that experience will stand to her. Dropping in trip and into mares’ company, she should be very tough to beat, with the experienced but exposed Nelly’s Money likely to follow her home.
Mullins, on the mark with 1/8 shot Lady Breffni in Punchestown yesterday, will have high hopes for French import Capodanno in the Monroe Maiden Hurdle.
Runner-up on his only start in France, this fellow was an uneasy favourite for his Irish debut on this track last month when finishing third to Pepite De Belle in a two-mile maiden.
He’ll strip fitter today, when he’ll wear a first-time tongue-tie and has obvious claims.
But marginal preference is for
Gordon Elliott’s point winner Dunboyne, no match for subsequent Grade 1 winner Bob Olinger in a maiden hurdle at Navan on his racecourse debut a week before Christmas. Beaten 14 lengths by Bob, he’s hard to assess but has plenty of potential and might offer a bit of value against the Mullins runner.
And the Willie Austin-trained veteran All The Chimneys, fourth to Jack Dillinger in a handicap chase at Thurles last time but significantly lower over hurdles, has solid claims in the Tipperary Handicap Hurdle.
Elsewhere, Acapella Bourgeois, runner-up to dual Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo at Tramore on New Year’s Day, tops the weights for the Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase which will be run at Gowran Park on Thursday, January 28.
The top-weight is one of eight entries for Willie Mullins, who has already won the Thyestes seven times and will be bidding for three-in-a-row in the race, following the victories of Invitation Only and Total Recall in the last two renewals of the traditional January showpiece.
Gordon Elliott has the biggest numerical representation, responsible for 13 of the 45 entries.