Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SEAN THE ROPES
Big Trophy ride for rising star O’keeffe at Newbury
ONE of Ireland’s best young jockeys, Sean O’keeffe, will partner Munster National winner and market leader Ontheropes in the Ladbrokes Trophy in Newbury tomorrow.
The Wexford rider will be on one of three entries from the champion trainer, Willie Mullins, with Brahma Bull (Brian Hayes) and Annamix (Jack Foley) also in the line-up for the big race.
And exciting second season novice Eklat De Rire will carry the hopes of Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore in the traditional early-season showpiece.
On tomorrow’s supporting card in Newbury, the de Bromhead/blackmore pairing have Mr Incredible in the Grade 2 Ladbrokes John Francome Novice Chase and Somptueux in the Sir Peter O’sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase.
Also in Newbury Paul Nolan has sent last season’s Pertemps Final heroine Mrs Milner, successful on her seasonal debut in Limerick, to contest today’s Grade 2 Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle this afternoon, with regular partner Bryan
Cooper on board.
Meanwhile, closer to home, Bradesco, from the in-form yard of Luke Comer, should take plenty of beating when he bids for a polytrack hat-trick in tonight’s Dundalk finale, the two-mile Extra Places Everyday At Betvictor Handicap.
The four-year-old has already triumphed over course and distance in recent weeks, when beating Yamato emphatically, off 59, a win which followed a solid third to No Memory in Galway.
Raised 8lb. for that success, Bradesco dropped back to a mile and a half last week, which was far from ideal. But, ridden then as he will be tonight, by Chris Hayes, he finished with a flourish, getting up on the line to pip the consistent No Trouble.
The return to two miles is a major plus for Bradesco and is expected to more than balance his latest 3lb. hike in the ratings.
The Joseph O’brien-trained, 85-rated Brostaigh sets a decent standard in the six-furlong fillies maiden and should get off the mark, at the sixth attempt.
Placed in maidens at Navan and Down Royal before being tried in listed company at this venue, Brostaigh was no match for the exciting Star Girls Aalmal over seven furlongs last time, and dropping back in trip, will meet nothing of that calibre tonight.
And Michael Halford’s Je T’ai Porte, a solid second to Big Dream over course and distance on her second start, looks the one to beat in the one-mile Irishinjuredjockeys.com Fillies Maiden.