Fran Berry's Irish racing preview and tips for Thurles

Recommended bets, Thursday October 8

1pt e.w. Emphatic Answer in 2.15 Thurles at 9/2

1pt e.w. Brilliant Question in 4.15 Thurles at 8/1

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Thurles takes centre stage in Ireland this afternoon and it was only last year that Flat racing returned to the venue for the first time in around 16 years. They used to have two or three meetings around the autumn time but with the introduction of Dundalk they moved away from it.

But it's a decent Flat track and Vintage Crop actually won his first Flat race there before going on to win the Melbourne Cup, while Aidan O'Brien's Peaceful won this maiden - the first race today - last year so there's a bit of history when it comes to producing decent winners.

The 2.15 does look a decent two-year-old maiden again and O'Brien's Madonna will be a warm order under Seamie Heffernan. She ran perfectly fine on debut, looking a bit green, at Navan but for me EMPHATIC ANSWER is a good bet against her.

We put her up here at an each-way price on her last start at Punchestown and she was ultimately very well supported and went off the 5/2 favourite. I was a shade disappointed on the day but in hindsight there were valid excuses as she just looked to lack a gear having been ridden prominently over seven furlongs there.

The ground was called soft but most riders on the day were suggesting it was more like heavy so all things considered she did run well and gained that extra bit of experience will stand her in good stead today.

Monday - the subsequent Listed winner - was making her debut when back in fourth in that Punchestown race and the second has run well since too. Back up to a mile on better ground today (it's yielding but they call it the 'all-weather grass track' in Ireland) and even another drop of rain on the current yielding conditions will leave it perfectly fine for this filly.

It's a track where experience counts for a lot and, as I've said before, I do like Joseph O'Brien's juveniles after a run or two. At the general 9/2 I'm happy to back her each-way and pay the small fine if she runs well without quite getting the job done again.

The other bet I'm keen on is BRILLIANT QUESTION in the Littleton Handicap over a mile and a half.

I'm not entirely convinced by a couple of these at the top of the market, namely Clonard Abbey and Franno, who is a tricky filly to say the least (!).

Brilliant Question is 8/1 with Sky Bet who are paying four places and that's worth interest. She was quite unlucky on her second start of the year. Not unlucky, perhaps, but she finished off well to be third. I don't know what happened at Killarney as that was very testing ground and she bounced back at Limerick, travelling well and finishing third.

The second was just beaten in Killarney the other day so the form looks okay and a 1lb rise isn't an issue. She moves well so this trip will be fine and although she's been a bit in and out, if she's going to win a race it's this one and I'm pleased to see her easy in the betting as I'd have her a fair bit shorter.

Posted at 1025 BST on 08/10/20

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