MICHAEL - Listowel 4.25 Kerry National - 3 miles - 18 run (3 reserves) - Yielding (rain)

 

As Sean has mentioned this race and others today are stacked with new Handicap horses over hurdles and fences who are graduating quickly from Novice / Maiden status and at around 6 or 7 years of age have their best days surely ahead. Too often in the past few seasons in these Regional Chases and bigger chases we've had a field full of regressive out of form types living off past glories, thankfully today and future entries elsewhere suggest a whole new crop of exciting talent is sweeping in.

 

The likes of Stealthy Tom, Life in The Park , Ash Tree Meadow and Authorised Art all hold very good claims here and will surely come on for the experience. The likes of Ciel De Neige may have more to offer, but I narrowed the field down to 6 horses in my shortlist and 4 of them stand out to battle for enhanced places (with a couple of those £1 e/w at big prices to follow)

 

I think at the very front it's impossible to choose between the possible scope of SALVADOR ZIGGY 1-1-1 on current form and stepped up here for it's real acid test and the slightly more experienced  AIN'T IT A SHAME who has run well fresh before, will welcome rain that may not suit Salvador Ziggy quite as much and who looks sure to appreciate the 3 miles which is probably its optimum trip for now.

 

Elliott and Mullins together with De bromhead have a number of entries and just behind the top 2 I most like GEVREY and THE GOFFER for Elliott both at nice each way prices. This could be the ideal trip for GEVREY who has the benefit of a pipe opener over Hurdles and THE GOFFER will welcome any rain with gless and has more substantive form already at the trip, in this Going and off a nice mark. I'm particularly interested to see them go for a first time tongue tie which could have a significant impact at the business end of the race if it improves the horses wind even marginally.

 

If you want a couple at big odds for £1 e/w to enhanced places that many are offering both HURRICANE GEORGIE who seems to stay all day and might pick off a lot of these if the pace is frantic and BORN BY THE SEA who was 5th in this race in 2021 and who has matured now and should be at optimal form at this stage of its career should outrun Odds and possibly nick a place.

 

Tips (1) Ain't That A Shame / (2) Salvador Ziggy / (3s) The Goffer / (4s) Gevrey - small £1 e/w if you wish on Hurricane Georgie + Born By The Sea