There’s a nice little card at Listowel this afternoon and the ground is good, with some rain forecast in the afternoon. It might be too late for the soft-ground lovers, though, so I’ve three bets starting with SHEER BRAVADO in the Feale Handicap at 2.45.
The Jim Bolger-trained three-year-old looks the bet against favourite Hell Left Loose, who is a likeable horse but a real soft-ground specialist and I certainly don’t think the rain will come in time for him.
Sheer Bravado had three okay runs in maiden company, but his handicap debut was extremely good at Gowran last time where he was beaten just over three lengths in third.
Drawn in stall 13, that was a big negative over seven furlongs at Gowran and of the first eight home he was the only drawn in a double-figure stall.
He ran on well in the last furlong after running green and, crucially, it was a 0-83 handicap, but he drops into a 0-65 today thanks to the assessor dropping him 2lb to 64.
He’s got a decent enough draw in stall nine and the general 9/2, getting four places, or 5/1 without the concession, looks very fair indeed.
The feature race is the Listed Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes and the favourite, Njord, has had a tough time of things recently and he’s another that’s very effective with cut in the ground.
On better conditions he looks vulnerable and Keats is another I’m happy to take on after a very poor run in handicap company last time out.
The one that could take advantage is Joseph O’Brien’s SAGRADA FAMILIA who is worth an each-way bet at 10/1.
She’s got a very good draw in stall two and has run against some very good horses in maiden company including Epona Plays and So Wonderful.
The daughter of Golden Horn found her niche over today’s distance of nine furlongs at Punchestown last time when making all to win easily.
Versatile regarding ground, she should be ridden prominently and she could be hard to pass.
Finally, a win bet in the nursery at 5.00 that has attracted only seven runners.
SNOWY OWL, the only Galileo in the race, looks the one to be on as I have reservations over the favourite, Magnanimous, due to the trip and San Martino, as there is a bit of a question mark about the general form of the Aidan O’Brien juveniles at the minute.
I thought Snowy Owl did very well to win at Killarney recently in a messy race where he got up late on and an opening mark of 85 might be quite lenient.
His price has gone a little bit, but I still rate him a bet at 7/2.
Posted at 1120 BST on 22/09/20
