Cork Kicks off with 8 Flat races – Previews and Betting

Preview: Racing Home For Easter Festival 2024 – Cork Fillies’ Maiden

As the spring season unfolds, the Racing Home For Easter Festival at Cork beckons racing enthusiasts to its verdant embrace. The festival’s curtain-raiser, the 1:15 Fillies’ Maiden, promises to be a showcase of emerging talent, with ten 3-year-old fillies set to compete over 7 furlongs on heavy ground.

The Field: A Blend of Promise and Pedigree

The racecard is adorned with a mix of seasoned runners and intriguing newcomers, all vying for the maiden victory that could set them on a path to greatness. The going is heavy, adding an extra layer of challenge and ensuring only the most resilient will prevail.

National Lady – The One to Beat  Trained by Ger Lyons and ridden by C. T. Keane, National Lady enters as the favourite. With a rating of 82 and two third-place finishes in her previous outings, she’s shown she has the mettle to handle the competition.

Go Big Or Go Home – The Challenger –Now under the tutelage of Paddy Twomey and piloted by W. J. Lee, this filly has shown promise in England and could be ready to step up on Irish soil. Half-sister to top-class sprinter Battaash.

Dakota Girl – The Newcomer to Watch Jessica Harrington’s charge, Dakota Girl, is a half-sister to three winners and could be the dark horse of the race, ready to make a statement on her debut. €43,000 yearling, Sioux Nation filly

Lavender Haze – The Bolger Hopeful  Representing the Bolger stable, Lavender Haze has the benefit of experience and could be peaking at the right time to make an impact.

The Verdict With the heavy going at Cork, stamina and grit will be as crucial as speed. National Lady’s proven form on the track makes her the one to beat, but the allure of horse racing lies in its unpredictability. Keep an eye on the newcomers who might just seize the day and herald their arrival with a stunning victory.

 This 7-furlong challenge, broadcasted on RTV, is set to test the mettle of its participants on a track described as heavy, demanding both stamina and speed.

The Line-Up: A Quintet of Equine Aspirants

The race presents a compact yet competitive field, each runner with their own narrative and ambition:

Action Plan – The Soldier’s Call progeny, trained by Gerard O’Leary, comes off a 22-day rest, ready to improve on past performances, First run since leaving K. R. Burke

Edvard Grieg – Andrew Slattery’s charge, a son of Zoffany, looks to compose a winning performance after a 198-day interval since his last outing

One Look – This €65,000 yearling, Gleneagles filly, representing P. Twomey’s yard, boasts a victory in her sole start and will be one to watch under W. J. Lee’s guidance

Mags  Kieran P. Cotter’s hopeful, – a daughter of Footstepsinthesand, seeks to step up after a 167-day break, with R. P. Whelan in the saddle

Still Rolling – J. S. Bolger’s entrant, sired by Awtaad, aims to gain momentum after two starts without placing

Anticipation Builds

With the going heavy One Look seems the odds on favourite 1/14  (but these can be beaten) This race is more than a test of speed; it’s a battle of endurance.

The 14:55 race at Cork presents a competitive field of nine runners, each bringing their own form and potential to the 7-furlong challenge on heavy ground. Let’s take a closer look at the contenders:

• Simply Sideways (9/2) – A seasoned runner with five wins last year, she’s coming off a recent race that should have her in top condition for today’s event.
• Spanish Tenor (14/1) – This course and distance winner is a veteran of the field and will be looking to recapture past success.
• Scholarship (11/2) – After a winning return last spring and a good second in September, he’s been off for six months but is worth watching on his return.
• Joe Masseria (3/1) – Last year’s winner of this race, he’s expected to be sharper today and could be a strong contender with Colin Keane aboard.
• Independent Expert (16/1) – Known to perform well fresh, he’s returning at a slightly higher mark but could still be in the mix.
• Coumshingaun (14/1) – Despite a less impressive last outing, he could show improvement today.
• Ramiro (15/4) – With a solid second in his last race, he’s one of the tips of the day and could be a key player.
• Sirjack Thomas (8/1) – Another tip for today, he’s looking to improve on his recent form.
• Secret Magician (16/1) – With a mixed bag of results, he could surprise if he finds his best form today.

 With €25,075 on the line, nine runners are set to compete on a challenging track with heavy going and stalls at the centre, making for an unpredictable and exciting race.

The Contenders:

• Real Force (7 9-9), trained by Colin Keane, is coming off a win and will be looking to capitalize on that momentum.
• The Highway Rat (6 9-9), with W J Lee as the jockey, has been consistent and could be a dark horse in this race.
• Yosemite Valley (4 9-9), trained by the legendary Aidan O’Brien, is another strong contender with a good track record.
• Ocean Quest (4 9-7) is the non-runner that had potential but will be missed in this lineup.
• All Lies Ahead (6 9-4) and Amazon Lady (4 9-4), both trained by W McCreery, will be looking to make an impact.
• Easy (4 9-4), an interesting entry by Andrew Slattery, could surprise us all.
• Fast Response (5 9-4) is out of the race but was one to watch.
• Shaaden (4 9-4) and You Send Me (4 9-4) are also in the mix, with the latter having favourable odds.
• She’s Quality (3 8-7), the youngest in the field, could be the one to provide an upset.

Betting Forecast: The betting forecast sees Ocean Quest leading the odds at 3/1, followed closely by You Send Me at 4/1 and The Highway Rat at 9/2. Yosemite Valley is not far behind at 11/2, making it a tightly contested race.

The Lineup:

• Amazonian Warrior (2 9-7), ridden by David Egan and trained by Adrian Murray, is a Blue Point colt with a speedy pedigree. The yard has already had a 2yo winner, which bodes well for this entrant.
• Jack Major (2 9-7), with Oisin McSweeney in the saddle for trainer Miss Jennifer Anne Lynch, is a Profitable colt whose dam was a 7f 2yo winner.
• Monotone (2 9-7), trained by J S Bolger and ridden by Rory Cleary, showed promise when finishing third at the Curragh 12 days ago. That experience could prove invaluable here.
• Political Power is a non-runner but was a Wooded colt with potential.
• Beeswings (2 9-2), another entry from John S O’Donoghue’s stable, will be guided by Andrew Slattery.
• Irish Acclamation (2 9-2), from the yard of Donnacha Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Gavin Ryan, is an Acclamation filly with a pedigree suggesting speed.
• No Straight Swaps (2 9-2), also trained by John S O’Donoghue and ridden by Ronan Whelan, completes the lineup.

Betting Forecast: The betting forecast is led by Amazonian Warrior at 2/1, followed by Monotone at 9/4 and Irish Acclamation at 3/1¹. These odds reflect the potential seen in these young horses and the excitement they bring to the race.

Amazonian Warrior at 2/1 for AMO Racing David Egan Adrian Murray combo seems the one to beat

the tote ‘Never Beaten By SP Handicap’, is a 5f sprint that will test the speed and agility of a diverse field of competitors. With the going reported as heavy, it’s sure to be a challenging race for the horses and jockeys alike.

The Field:

• New Definition (4 10-0), although a non-runner, was one to watch with a rating of 92.
• Stag Night (6 9-13), trained by W McCreery, is coming off a strong second-place finish and will be looking to go one better.
• Mickey The Steel (6 9-12), has shown consistency and could be a threat with a rating of 90.
• Never Shout Never (4 9-10), has had success over this distance before and could surprise.
• Gustavus Weston (8 9-5), the veteran of the field, brings experience and a solid rating of 83.
• Two Stars (4 9-4), is another contender with a recent fourth-place finish to build upon.
• Mehman (5 8-12), Magical Vision (7 8-11), and Mount Ruapehu (4 8-11), all have ratings in the mid-70s to low 80s, suggesting they could be competitive.
• Goal Exceeded (3 8-10), the youngest in the field, has a rating of 86 and could be the dark horse of the race.
• Run Forrest Run (6 8-8) and Mymomentintime (5 8-7), round out the field and will be looking to make an impact.

Betting Forecast: The betting forecast has Stag Night leading the odds at 5/2, followed by Two Stars at 5/1 and Goal Exceeded at 11/2. These odds reflect the form and potential of the horses in what looks to be a closely contested race.