Gowran Park - 16/2/08

[WoodyTHFC]

2.30 Quatre Heures 15 pts Good hurdler in youth, grade 1 winner and nice debut run over fences behind the talented Clopf when long way clear of third. Form got a slight boost when fourth ran well in second the other day. Likes testing ground and Mullins continuing to do well. Hairy Molly interesting rival but form in bumpers and hurdles suggested it was more a stayer. 3.05 De Valira 7.5 pts e.w Anticpating first run this season. Good novice form last year on different kinds of ground. Won a couple of grade 2s indeed and travelled well enough in the Supreme at Cheltenham before a slight error and anyway there was an excuse in that the trainer's form was desperate then and indeed he has mentioned that since then. Form around that run stands up well, regularly beat the CH fav. Sizing Europe more than once. Maybe a 'prep' for Ch but i imagine they will want a good enough run and could be a darkhorse for the CH and I had a bit of 50/1 the other week and this will give a fair idea.

[RuleBritannia]

Re: Gowran Park - 16/2/08 2:00 May not be the best vaue horse of the day, and perhaps my selection is based on the hope that he will go from here and be the main threat to the "big 2" in the Gold Cuo, but Kicking King, who we are led to believe is as fit now as he was when winning the Gold Cup, is THE class horse on display today and for me personally, it will take something special from the rest of the field to beat him. 3:05 On paper imo there is not a great deal between the favourite Jazz Mesenger and a few of the other horses in this race, the one who is standing out to me is the very useful Louanos, who showed real promise of a return to form LTO, when 4th to the brilliant Sizing Europe. If she puts her best foot forward like she did then and the way she ran last season, she will take all the beating, aso given the weight she takes off the rest of the field. I rate De Valira as the main danger.