Street Value

(John Flavin)

Cork, January 6th

Off the back of his gruelling performance to win the Porterstown, Street Value was an intriguing entry in a two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase at Cork on Saturday. He had won over this course and distance before, but so strong was his staying performance at Fairyhouse, it seemed hard to imagine he could be as effective here, but he ran a fine race in third, racing up with the pace for much of the journey and giving way to couple of faster horses in R’evelyn Pleasure and Baldur’s Gate late on. Speaking in Racing Central page in this paper last week, John Flavin was of the mind that this race would bring Street Value on, so well does he take his racing, and that the Thyestes was the plan, and on this evidence he could be a player at Gowran. He loves soft ground, stays well and looks to be in the form of his life. (RG)

Answering

(Tim Doyle)

Clonmel, January 11th

Answering was no match for Jimmy Du Seuil in the extended two-mile maiden hurdle at Clonmel on Thursday but there was plenty to take from his effort in second. He raced keenly in front for most of the race and it wouldn’t have surprised at all if he fell back further once taken by the winner in the straight, but he stuck to his task well and comfortably held on for second. Previously he was beaten 23 lengths by the winner in the maiden hurdle won by Asian Master at Thurles, and while the Mullins horse won smoothly, this looked an improved effort from Anserwing, who seems to be going in the right direction. A lightly-raced nine-year-old, he qualifies for a handicap mark over hurdles now. (RG)

Knockarina

(Charles Byrnes)

Cork, January 6th

Familiar Dreams’ breakthrough bumper win at the sixth attempt at Cork last Saturday served as an example of how consistency and experience can take a mare quite the way when keeping to their own sex bumpers, provided they have shown on more than one occasion the potential to win such a race. Anthony McCann’s successful five-year-old had been second in three previous bumpers and put her battle-hardened profile to good use for a first success from the front. The runner-up, Knockarina, trained by Charles Byrnes, could be one to do similar at some stage in a mares’ bumper on the evidence of her last two runs, finishing a decent third when sent off 80/1 at Fairyhouse prior to this effort. She pulled five lengths clear of the third at Cork and looks to be getting the hang of things. A country mares’ bumper should be within her grasp somewhere along the way if continuing this type of consistent form, though she will probably remain a little vulnerable to flashy types from bigger yards. She has potential. (MB)

Quai De Bourbon

(Willie Mullins)

Clonmel, January 11th

It might have been a relatively low-key affair that Quai De Bourbon won at Clonmel on Thursday but he looks just the type to excel beyond this sort of level and make the leap into better company for Willie Mullins and Gigginstown House Stud. In a week that was light on top performances prior to yesterday’s rescheduled Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle card at Naas, this effort was effectively the pick of the rest of the action as the French recruit managed to see off relatively useful stablemate Westport Cove over an insufficient trip. Perhaps an ease in the ground will be important to the winner but that is not a definite by any means yet and he has now had the four runs over hurdles, making him eligible for major handicap hurdles in the UK. The handicapper shouldn’t go overboard with this effort given the runner-up ran to a Racing Post Rating of 117 in his only hurdles win (Timeform gave 122+). With a step up in trip from this extended two miles bound to suit, Quai De Bourbon could be a lively contender for something like the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham in March if connections follow that path. (MB)