2023 Cork Hilly Way Chase Meeting Tips – DS
2023 Cork Hilly Way Meeting Preview and Tips
Although we didn’t get to see Constitution Hill, it was still a pretty decent afternoon of action on Saturday. We landed places with our NAP Gustavian at 14s and Knight Of Allen at 16s. Red Rookie was backed off the boards but ran a shocker, as did Undersupervision, who was also ‘backed’. Now, we switch our attention to Ireland for the 2023 Cork Hilly Way Chase meeting. A Grade 3, a pair of Grade 2s and a couple of handicap hurdles to get stuck into. Check out Dave Stevos’ thoughts below.
1.15 Cork – Stayers’ Novice Hurdle (Grade 3)
To be brutally honest, each way betting opportunities are thin on the ground in today’s graded races. Small fields are the order of the day, including in this three miler. Five will go to post and with rain forecast in the early hours, I’d imagine there’ll be at least some heavy in the ground description.
The favourite is Mahon’s Way for De Bromhead and Blackmore. By Walk In The Park, this 5yo P2P winner got off the mark under rules at the second attempt. He was beat 5L on debut over 16f on soft at Naas and he got off the mark at the same track four weeks ago upped to 19f (sft). However, he beat a 250/1 shot by 5L in that contest and he was beaten 30+ lengths on his next start.
Stronger Form
The next best in the betting is Search For Glory. He has much stronger form in the book. He has finished third in Grade 3s at Clonmel (24f sft) and Navan (20f sft/hvy) and he sets a pretty decent standard. Bar that Clonmel 3rd, he hasn’t fared well on his other two starts at three miles but this flat track offers hope that he’ll stay.
Solitary Man and What Path filled the first two positions in that order in a Listed hurdle here last time. The latter horse was conceding 4lbs to the winner and 2.5L separated them. They are both rated 135 now but off level weights this time, you’d have to fancy Enda Bolger’s charge to uphold that form, though the pair of them would probably prefer nicer ground.
Huge Odds
One or two of the market leaders have questions to answer here if the ground gets really heavy. What Path is 0/3 on soft, unraced on heavy and all his wins are on ground with good in the description. Solitary Man was well beat here on heavy in a maiden hurdle last year, his sole attempt on that type of ground. Search For Glory is proven on it, but will he stay? Mahon’s Way is also untried on it.
On ratings, Sarah Beara has no chance but she shaped a lot better than a 110 mare at Thurles last time. She was bang there with the 128 rated Will Do coming to the last and with her weight allowances, she might not be as far away from these as her mark suggests.
Sam Curling’s charge has run well in a P2P on heavy and I’d imagine Philip Enright’s plan here is to sit quietly out the back and pick up the pieces late on if the others falter to hopefully get some black type. This is a speculative one and there is a chance she may not love the ground too, but odds of 150/1 are big enough to warrant a chancy e/w interest for small stakes.
2023 Cork Hilly Way Meeting Tip: Sarah Beara e/w @ 150/1 (half stakes)
1.45 Cork – Mares’ Novice Chase (Grade 2)
Not much in the way of interest here from an e/w perspective. Silent Approach will be hoping it lashes rain tonight but this test may be a touch too sharp for her. Heia was beat 16L on heavy last time out and while she has ability, all her best form is on much better ground than this.
Hauturiere has won on heavy, as has Harmonya Maker. She put Brandy Love to the sword on her chase debut at Gowran (16f hvy) and she could be the one to beat. Zenta had top class form over timber last season but this is her chase debut. If it turned heavy, it may not be ideal for her.
This is a race best watched for me. No bet.
2023 Cork Hilly Way Meeting Tip: No Bet
2.15 Cork – Hilly Way Chase (Grade 2)
Jonbon advertised the strength of El Fabiolo’s Cheltenham win at Sandown on Saturday. Willie Mullins’ son of Spanish Moon is a proper two mile chaser and with a rating of 172, he’ll probably only need to be 80% fit to take care of business today.
Who’ll chase him home? I thought Fil Dor ran a promising race last time at Naas on his seasonal return. Maskada beat Rebel Gold on heavy over 19f at Limerick a year ago and I’d expect him to uphold that form. Vanillier wants 3 miles and that leaves Jungle Boogie.
He has won all three of his career starts, all on different ground. Formerly with Willie, he is now a 9yo and he hasn’t run for 708 days. He is clearly a horse with ability and Henry can ready one so it is interesting that Blackmore rides. However, surely he is best watched today and I’m happy to sit this one out altogether. No bet.
2023 Cork Hilly Way Meeting Tip: No Bet
2.45 Cork – Bar One Handicap Hurdle (116 = 12st)
He hasn’t been seen for over five months but even so, I think Cregane Ned is worth a second look in this handicap hurdle. Locally trained by Paul O’Flynn, this horse has run well fresh plenty of times in the past. His P2P win came after a three month break and he was a fine 4th at Thurles after 196 days off in November 2021.
His only rules win came in March 2021 over 19f on heavy ground at Clonmel. Surprisingly, he has only had one handicap hurdle run at Cork and that was over 20f on yielding. He shaped well for a long way before fading and on today’s ground, 17f should suit him much better.
5lb Claimer
Seamus Cronin takes off 5lbs and he has yet to ride a winner over jumps. He has ridden 24 flat winners across the pond though so he has a bit of experience.
With his claim Cregane Ned is effectively in off 97, 5lbs lower than when a good third on his last handicap hurdle run at Limerick (20f hvy). If he is fit and ready to go after his break, hopefully Cregane Ned can make a bold bid from the front at odds of 16/1.
2023 Cork Hilly Way Meeting Tip: Cregane Ned e/w @ 16/1 (4 places) NAP
3.15 Cork – Novice Handicap Hurdle (80-102)
Glorious Singer is a maiden after 22 starts but she has shown enough on a couple of occasions to suggest she has a race in her. She has finished second in a couple of maiden hurdles, her best effort coming on heavy ground at Limerick when 12L behind future Kim Muir winner Angels dawn.
Glorious Singer produced one of her better handicap hurdle efforts last time out at Tramore (21f sft). She was up with the pace all the way and while she got headed a couple of furlongs out, I thought she showed a nice attitude to just get back up for fifth late on.
The daughter of Fame And Glory is 6lbs better off with the winner of the Tramore race, Blossom De Mai. She has 5L or so to find with Magic Conqueror and 3L to find with C’est Rien, all of whom are single figure odds today. In July she was beat 5L in a handicap hurdle here over 17f (yld) off 89, if she can repeat that off 9lbs lower, hopefully she can sneak into frame at odds of 25/1.
