Clear path should see Quick Jack flash home
THE € 100,000 Boylesports.com Handicap Hurdle — the big race at Leopardstown this afternoon— is as open as you can get.
As a betting proposition, it is clearly a r ace to be approached with extreme caution; big handicaps like this often prove something of a bookies benefit.
Nevertheless, it is noted t hat Tony Martin and Charles Byrnes (below) — two of the greatest trainers of our time — are particularly adept at turning out handicaps winners, are they are represented by Quick Jack and Sea Light respectively.
Victory may rest between these two in-form horses who are among the bottom weights. Paul Carberry rides Quick Jack who had the speed to win at Newmarket during the summer and who gets i n here with j ust 9st 12lbs after coming up the Cheltenham hill in November to land a novice handicap hurdle on his seasonal reappearance,
In siding with Quick Jack, who often is delivered from well off the pace, fingers are tightly crossed that he gets a clear passage.
This is never a guarantee in these big field handicaps when room for riders and their mounts is so often at a premium.
But, i f not Quick Jack, perhaps Sea Light who also runs off 9st 12lbs. Experienced pilot David Casey has been booked to ride the sixyear-old who will be bidding for a four-timer following an excellent win at Thurles and two other clear- cut suc- cesses at Leopardstown. Of the remainder, Nicky Henderson challenger Snake Eyes catches the eye. This lightly-raced gelding finished third in a €100,000 bumper at Fairyhouse in 2012 when last seen out in Ireland. He has just 10st 4lbs today and should not be ignored.
Snake Eyes has run well in his three hurdle races so far for Henderson, and Robbie Power i s an i nteresting jockey booking.
Others for possible consideration are Gordon Elliott’s Flaxen Flare and the Willie Mullins duo, Blood Cotil and Primroseandblue.
Quick Jack has a magician of a rider to guide him and if he gets a clear run he may land this from Sea Light. Quick Jack is put forward as a sporting nap selection though.
Carberry also rides two other horses that appeal — Noel Meade’s Mullaghnoe River and Paul Nolan’s King Vuvuzela in the Grade Two Boylesports Killiney Novice Chase and € 100,000 Leopardstown Handicap Chase respectively.
Strictly on the official ratings, Mullaghnoe River looks held by his s t able companion Road To Riches while Djakadam and Bright New Dawn are also in with chances.
But Mullaghnoe River was impressive when scuppering Si C’Etait Vrai in a beginners chase at Punchestown last time. His jumping may need a bit of tidying up but he would appear to have plenty of latent ability. If everything falls in place for him today he may oblige again.
King Vuvuzela landed a touch when running on powerfully to score in a 2m 1f handicap chase at Leopardstown at Christmas.
He gets in with 10st here and, if seeing out the additional half mile today, can follow up. Talbot Road and Minsk are among others that could go well in this 22 runner affair, another open race.
Ballychorus can take the he mares maiden hurdle. Margaret Mullins’ runner f i nished third in a good mares bumper at Punchestown l ast month during which she also took a ‘bronze medal’ on her racecourse and hurdles bow at Navan. This five - year- old daughter of Kings Theatre is open to improvement and is preferred to other likely leading contenders Voice Of A Curlew and Why Not
Thistle.