Clonmel 2.25
SEAN - Clonmel 2.25 Handicap Hurdle - Heavy - 14 run
A few in here with solid chances.
Full Noise is favourite, it's won at 3 miles on Yielding ground and at 2 miles 5 furlongs on Yielding to Soft ground but no form on Heavy and up to a mark of 98 as Odds On favourite is really on a hiding to nothing!
Coole Arcade is a 2 mile winner on heavy but i'm not totally convinced about it at this trip and if it's a truly run race it may just be done for stamina in the closing stages even with Rachel Blackmore in the saddle. Costalita at a price has Course and Distance winning form prior to a long lay off and would be worth monitoring to see how much ability remains for a real punting Yard. Close Enough too at a price is a moderate horse but whose best run has been over this trip in heavy Going and possibly worth a small investment IF one of the 3 I put up is a non runner.
The biggest danger to my selections would be The Higher Road who was a runner up last time out with some P2P experience over 3 miles but I'm not totally convinced about the race it was a runner up in.
IF it runs again after just a 5 day break MRS WATSON whose best 2 runs have been over Course and Distance and also over 2 miles and 5 furlongs in heavy would definitely be worth a shrapnel bet and if it doesn't run I'd have that bet on CLOSE ENOUGH.
My pair against the field though for more substantial investment would be BETTERASK JJ who won a poorer race last time off a mark of 80 but who'll bring that confidence and proven form at the trip and further in heavy from some solid P2P form off effectively a mark just 4lbs higher. There is no substitute in these conditions for an in form horse who relishes the mud!
The dark horse who looks ready now to fulfill clear potential is ARDERA RO. A 3 mile P2P winner best in Heavy conditions and this is a step up in trip under Rules after some patient handling and a mark of 97 could prove to be very competitive.
TRACKERS - Ardera Ro + Betterask JJ (shrapnel - Mrs Watson with a run / if n/r 6 Close Enough @ 33/1