Paul Ferguson has one selection for us on Thursday; The Westerner Boy in the Gowran Park 3.25. Compare odds and bet.
Gowran Park’s Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle looks the classiest contest of the day on Thursday, with the rejuvenated Bog Warrior stepping up to 3m for the first time to take on last year’s winner Zaidpour who often appears at his best over slightly shorter.
The former beat Solwhit (impressive winner on Saturday) last time and arrives here on a roll, but having not proven himself over this trip, today looks a watching brief with him trading around 11/10 overnight.
The Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase is the best betting heat on the card and Cheltenham cross-country winner Outlaw Pete was well supported at the head of the market last night.
The drop in trip is a slight concern with him, however, and preference is for another JP McManus runner, Tony McCoy’s mount The Westerner Boy (3:25) who looks worthy of each-way support at double-figure odds (10/1 with SkyBet and Bet365 on Wednesday evening).
A heavy ground point-to-point winner, the six-year-old looked a smart prospect when winning a Fairyhouse bumper last January (also on soft to heavy) by 20 lengths for Mags and Patrick Mullins.
Snapped up by McManus after this, he only ran once over hurdles in May, before heading over fences in October. Off the mark at the third time of asking, he beat Marasonnien (a G1 winning hurdler who has since run well behind Lord Windemere over much shorter) by 25 lengths on heavy ground at Navan.
The selection clearly relishes both testing ground and this sort of trip, though he does arrive here having pulled-up last time. That came in Grade 1 company over Christmas, however, and he will appreciate the drop in class.
Colm Murphy has only saddled three horses over jumps since the turn of the year, with Mister Hotelier and Quito De La Roque winning and Dangan Daylight finished a half-length second in a Grade 2 novice chase. The Co Wexford trainer clearly has his string in fine form and The Westerner Boy looks capable of going well in what looks a competitive affair.
Thursday’s selection:
3:25 Gowran Park: The Westerner Boy (each-way 10/1 SkyBet)
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Last Year’s Book Results – Leading Prospects:
- SPRINTER SACRE – Unbeaten – winner at Aintree & Cheltenham
- SIMONSIG – Winner at Aintree & Cheltenham
- CINDERS AND ASHES – 10/1 winner of Supreme Novices Hurdle
- BOBS WORTH – 9/2 winner of the RSA Chase
- MENORAH & SILVINIACO CONTI – Both Aintree Winners
- SIR DES CHAMPS – Unbeaten inc 3/1 Jewson Cheltenham Winner
- FINGAL BAY – Won 4 times inc Challow Hurdle
- RAYA STAR – 10/3 winner at Wetherby, 12/1 Ladbroke Hurdle winner, 15/2 Scottish Champion Hurdle winner
- AMBION WOOD – 14/1 EBF Final Sandown winner
- CHAMPION COURT – 6/1 G2 Dipper Novices Chase winner
- PALACE JESTER – 14/1 winner at FFos Las
- SWINCOMBE FLAME – Hat-trick winner inc Lanzarote Hurdle at 9/2
- TEAFOR THREE – 5/1 NH Cheltenham Chase winner (Manifesto Novices’ Chase)
