Our pundit and website tipster Dave Nevison shares his three top tips for Thursday’s action, with every moment from Hamilton Park, Leicester, Killarney, Leopardstown and Epsom live on Racing TV and Racing TV Extra.
He’s improving and ran well on handicap debut last time to be second to a very well-backed favourite. Raised just 1lb for that effort, he should be able to win a race of this nature and this time against older and exposed horses.
The addition of a first-time tongue and the booking of Danny Tudhope are no negatives, either.
He looks on a good mark judged by handicap debut last time and he can open his account in this moderate race.
Ireland’s Eye stayed on past beaten horses when sent off at a massive price on debut in a hot race at York, while he needed the run or perhaps didn’t quite get the trip on his reappearance this term. He then got bogged down on heavy going on his penultimate start.
Ireland’s Eye may benefit from a slightly more patient ride this time with several here who like to go forward, but a good run looks assured and the yard have hit form in the past week or so with a couple of winners.
He went into the tracker after his reappearance when, despite being the outsider of the field, briefly moved into a challenging position after a four-month break at a competitive Newmarket evening meeting. A lack of peak fitness probably told and he has been given almost a month to get over that run.
The handicapper has not dropped him for that effort but the form looks strong (winner gone in again since) and Rhys Clutterbuck takes off a valuable 5lb here.