Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
JOE STILL NUMBER 1
O’brien to follow up US success
AN eye-catching fourth on his second start at Leopardstown, Numberoneson might prove the best bet on tonight’s eight-race card in Dundalk.
A Camelot colt, trained by Joseph O’brien, he finished in mid-division on his debut at Navan, in a race won by stable-companion and subsequent Group 3 winner Degraves.
He stepped-up on that effort in his only subsequent outing, staying on in encouraging fashion to fill fourth spot behind Ballydoyle colt San Pedro in a Leopardstown maiden.
With more improvement likely, and tackling an extra furlong, on this faster surface, Numberoneson ticks a lot of boxes ahead of the one-mile Irish Stallion
Farms 2-Y-0 Maiden and gets the vote over Jessica Harrington’s Ocean Monarch.
O’brien and Wayne Lordan (inset), Breeders Cup heroes last Saturday, might combine to win the opening two-year-old fillies with the JP Mcmanus-owned Music To My Ears.
Unplaced on debut, this daughter of Australia took a significant step forward on her second start, coming through late to fill the runner-up spot behind Siamese in a course and distance maiden six weeks ago.
Only two of the 14 runners have experience. So the selection might be vulnerable, if there’s a smart newcomer in the field. But her second run suggested that she should be capable of winning a maiden.
The Ger Lyons-trained Kafu justified hefty support when scoring at Dundalk last week, beating Calling Time readily by a length and a half.
David Spratt’s charge was raised 6lb. for that win, but still has solid claims in the Floodlit Friday Nights Handicap, in which he’ll be ridden by Gary Carroll.
And Tyrconnell, representing Sarah Lynam and apprentice Danny Sheehy makes plenty of appeal in the second division of the (45-65) Lengthen The Odds With Betvictor Handicap.
This fellow has recorded all of his four career successes on the sand, three times at tonight’s venue and, last time, when scoring at Laytown in September.
Sheehy, who has ridden him to the three Dundalk wins, is back in the saddle tonight and, from a low draw, he should go close.
RACHAEL Blackmore struck for Henry de Bromhead when 11/10 favourite Royal Thief picked-up on the run-in to land the Thurles.ie Maiden Hurdle in Thurles yesterday.
And Jay Archdeacon (19), from Mallow, tasted his first racecourse success when 20/1 debutant Rosgalme got up on the line to pip No Grey Area’s by a nose in the bumper.