Jump Racing ~ Tuesday 31st July

[Edberg]

4.00 Galway MOUNT COLAH 4pts win @ 5/1 bog (Paddy Power and Boylesports) Very interesting 6yo gelding trained by Cosgrave who won a PTP in 2011 and shaped very well so far under rules with 1 success, 1 second and 1 third in bumpers, 1 second in a 25-runner field over 2m on soft/heavy on his hurdles debut at Navan in November, 3rd at Fairyhouse in a similar race in December over 2m4f (soft/heavy) and back from a break won in very good style his last two starts over hurdles: a maiden at Down Royal over 2m (soft) 5 weeks ago and a novices' hurdle at Sligo (2m, good) 16 days ago, form that has been boosted by the runner-up (beaten at level weight at Sligo) that won in good style next/last time out in handicap off 118 (upped to 122 now). Mount Colah is a progressive type and his latest win showed how good he is and can be since he had a big fight for the lead but stayed on gamely and won going away even if blundered the last flight. He has to beat two tough horses in Saint Gervais and Zuzka that are representing top connections but the John Kiely-trained 7yo doesn't seem a fighter and I can't see him winning over 2m here at Galway against such a progressive type who should be able to get an easy lead here, while Zuzka represents Willie Mullins with Ruby Walsh on board and won two bumpers and won very easily a mares' maiden at Sligo last time out but beat nothing and previously seemed surely not a champion in the making when third on hurdling debut at Gowran. Not easy to be so confident when you are opposing a Willie Mullins-trained horse and a John Kealy-trained one especially with a young 7lb apprentice jockey on board (who was on Mount Colah since his win in PTP in 2011) against Barry Geraghty and Ruby Walsh but I really liked the way this horse won his last two races and both market leaders seem a bit over-rated imho so the value should be on our side.