Paul Ferguson has two selection today, Lyreen Legend in the 15.55 (Thur) and Hit The Headlines in the 4.30 (Ludl); Compare odds and bet
The race of the day on Thursday comes from Thurles and in the shape of the really competitive Grade 2 Boylesports.com Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle, in which Folsom Blue is a short-priced favourite with the sponsors as he goes in search of a four-timer.
Conor O’Dwyer’s five-year-old arrives he on a roll and is greatly respected but, in receipt of 3lbs and at the prices, he is taken on with Lyreen Legend (3:55) whose latest two seconds read really well.
A winner at Naas and Navan earlier in the season, he has most recently been seen chasing home Cheltenham Festival hopefuls Monksland and Boston Bob in Grade 2s back at Naas and at Leopardstown on Irish Champion Hurdle day.
Dessie Hughes’s son of Saints Des Saints deserves to score at this level and was trading at 2/1 with the sponsors on Wednesday evening.
Back on home soil Hit The Headlines (4:30) is worthy of support in Ludlow’s Bet At Corbettsports.com Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.
Nicky Henderson’s lightly-raced six-year-old won a bumper on debut last term before disappointing at Newbury and it’s been a similar story this season, winning impressively at Huntingdon before finishing a disappointing third at Kempton.
The son of Flemensfirth has had almost seven weeks to recover from that run and, on an what looks an appealing opening mark (121), he is worth giving another chance to with Bet365 offering 3/1 overnight.
Again, the favourite in this contest is respected and, on a line through Alan King’s No Substitute, Themilanhorse definitely has the beating of Hit The Headlines. He finished well in front of the selection last time, having earlier finishing fifth behind Themilanhorse at Warwick.
On that strict piece of form Hit The Headlines looks up against it, but I’m pretty sure he didn’t give his true running last time and a track like Ludlow may well suit him, as Barry Geraghty will allow him to bowl along and get in to a nice rhythm.
Thursday’s selections:
3:55 Thurles Lyreen Legend (2/1 Boylesports)
4:30 Ludlow Hit The Headlines (3/1 Bet365)
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- AL FEROF won Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 10-1
- BENSALEM won Stewart Family Handicap 5-1
- BOBS WORTH won A Bartlett 15-8, 4/4 for year
- CAPTAIN CHRIS won Arkle Trophy 6-1
- FIRST LIEUTENANT won Neptune Investment 7-1
- (plus Grade 1 in Ireland 16-1)
- JAMES DE VASSY won Lanzarote Hurdle 8-1
- LONG RUN won King George 9-2, Gold Cup 7-2
- OSCAR WHISKY won Aintree Hurdle 6-1
- Peddlers Cross (Fighting Fifth Hurdle)
- Medermit (Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase)
- FINIAN’S RAINBOW (Maghull Novices’ Chase)
- WISHFULL THINKING (Manifesto Novices’ Chase)
