Jump Racing - Sunday 8th Jan

[witchita44]

:welcomeAfter no racing in Ireland for 5 days and a poor Saturday card at Thurles it's nice to see a competitive card at Naas! 12.40: SPORTSMASTER,well supported and unluckily brought down by two loose horses when travelling well at Leopardstown a fortnight ago will hopefully gain compensation in this easier race. 1.10: FLEMENSTAR never came off the bridle at Navan latest and should reverse hurdles form with Lambro(2m chase on heavy is not the same as 20 furlong hurdles on good ground). 1.40: DEDIGOUT needed every inch of this trip to win last time.Likely to be made to make the running again here,in this better quality field,I'd prefer not to get involved;the horse looks like a 3m chaser for next season to me. 3.40: Stables of Mullins/Weld/Harrington represented in this bumper with well-regarded types, so could be quite informative. Happy punting!!!

[Edberg]

Re: Jump Racing - Sunday 8th Jan 1.10 Naas Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Novice Chase (5yo+) Winner €14,300 Soft To Heavy 2m FLEMENSTAR @ 11/10 skybet I was very impressed by all the performances of Flemenstar in his young career so far. This 7 yo gelding owned by Stephen Curren and trained by Peter Casey started his career in point-to-point in 2010 winning very easily his second start at Loughanmore (UR in his first race at the first hurdle when already sent off favourite). That was a 3m race and the ground was Yielding to Soft and Flemenstar won easily, 20l ahead of Faith Keeper. His first start under rules was at Navan 11 months ago in a 2m Pro/Am bumper (heavy ground) finishing 4th in a race won by Mullins' favourite, Lord Gale. Flemenstar's next out was again over 2m at Navan (soft/heavy ground) and his debut over hurdles ended with a nice win with A E Lynch on board. Flemenstar started well tracking the leaders, jumped well to make headway and lead before 3 out, winning eased down 9l ahead of Mullins' favourite, Rattan. His next start was at Fairyhouse festival at the end of April in a race won by Mullin's Lambro Flemenstar finished 4th, just behind Last Instalment, 3rd that day and atm the best novice chaser in Ireland, and well ahead of Gift Of Dgab, 5th that day and another young star of the Gigginstown House Stud who was competing in a Grade 1 event (Racing Post Novice Chase) at Leopardstown 10 days ago. After the summer break Peter Casey sent his 6 yo chasing and Flemenstar was second behind Bog Warrior in his first start over fences at Navan. Bog Warrior, who fell lto but was odds on favourite to win the Racing Post Novice Chase grade 1 at Leopardstown on Boxing Day, was considered the best Irish novice chaser this season and has already won a novice chasers' grade 1 at Fairyhouse one month ago. Last time out Flemenstar competed in a beginners chase at Navan (2m1f soft to heavy) and was really impressive. Made all jumping very well and was eased down before the run-in winning by 19l. He has to beat 5 rivals today. On The Loose and Cottrelsbooley have nothing to do with the best horses of this race and it's useless to underline their weak chances today. Westmeath, trained by Paul Nolan and ridden by Davy Russell, represents the mighty Gigginstown House Stud but won just a couple of weak events so far and last time out he was very disappointing finishing last of 6 at Galway when sent off favourite in a novice chase Grade 3 at the end of October. Westmeath jumped really bad that day and was blowing hard after the race (he finished 60l behind the winner). Surely he had some problems and is supposed to be fit again since he's represented in this kind of contest but it's hard to see him beating the likes of Flemenstar today. Monastrell represents another powerhouse of Irish National Hunt world. The 7 yo is trained by Noel Meade and his jockey as usual will be Paul Carberry. The son of Terimon has 3 wins at his name: a bumper, a maiden hurdle and a beginners chase at Naas 10 weeks ago but he failed to impress in tougher contests finishing 5th of 16 but 19 1/2 lengths behind Last Instalment 9 months ago at Limerick in a quality novice hurdle and 5ht of 6 last time out at Punchestown in a novice chase Grade 2 at the end of November (54l behind the winner Days Hotel). Monastrell makes even less appeal than Westmeath. So the real danger looks Lambro, a 7 yo son of Milan trained by Willy Mullins and ridden today as usual by Ruby Walsh. Lambro has achieved 4 wins and 2 places in his 7 starts under rules and beat Flemenstar, as comment above, in a Grade 2 novice hurdle at last year Easter Fairyhouse Festival. Lambro started his career over fences with a nice win here at Naas two months ago beating Shinrock Paddy (4 1/4l) and Stonemaster (21 1/4l) so he has everything on paper to challenge my selection and beat him again but at the moment I rate Flemenstar a better chaser and with a more solid form.