28th October - Wexford Review (AW)

28th October – Wexford

Going: Heavy (Times support this)

Denis O’Regan stole the show landing his first treble as a jockey. Denis really does seem to have come on a lot in the last six months, a point that has been picked up on by a few people in the racing media.

Hard Scuffle got things under way in the maiden hurdle. The New Zealand bred, whose form was on firmer surfaces in his native land, handled the conditions quite well. The race was very slow however, so quite how the form will stand up is anyone’s guess. I would suggest a definite note of caution about the form of the race, in what appeared a fairly weak field of runners.

Abbeybraney, who had run a solid race when winning at Fairyhouse recently, got collared on the run in by Massini Magic in the novice hurdle. Abbeybraney was dropped down in trip when winning at Fairyhouse where he appeared to relish the emphasis put on his stamina. Even though conditions were heavy at Wexford, in hindsight he possibly raced too prominently, this allowed the held up Massini Magic to close and run on to strong effect. The race should hold up in terms of form and both horses should provide fairly solid form yardsticks further into the season.

I took a keen interest in the third race of the day as I had been keeping an eye on a couple of the runners featured. Premier Hero was sent off as favourite, but I felt that the second and third favourites had a better chance of winning. Maricko Bay looked to be the best bet in the race, as the highly consistent Mission Possible, would be lumping eleven stone eleven pounds on heavy ground, which he had shown little form on, as opposed to the sub eleven stone that Maricko Bay would be carrying, equally, on possibly unsuitable going. As the race developed my fears about the weight on Mission Possible were allayed, as the consistency he had been showing in recent runs was rewarded with due success. Maricko Bay and Premier Hero followed closely home. The first two should appreciate better going and both should continue in the same vain. Premier Hero’s trainer Shane Broderick has his stable in fine order and it may be possible for him to find a similar opening in a race of the same standard, whilst it may be possible for Mission Possible to step up in class and land a better handicap after this good weight carrying performance.

Irish Nation’s performance in the second maiden hurdle of the day was much superior to that of his stable mate in the first. Irish Nation appreciated the trip and according to Denis O’Regan he will again appreciate further and a much more galloping track, placing the emphasis on his stamina. Holly Tree continues to frustrate back in second. He will find an opportunity eventually but would be better left alone. Mick Finan who finished back in fourth may be worth watching out for over further. In this heavy going he attempted to make a lot of the running. I’d see two and a half miles or slightly further as his trip and he may do better if tried in a handicap. Of those in behind I watched for any signs of life in Jack Ingham but it seems he is not on good terms with himself at the moment and is best left watched.