The Price Is Right: Stick it on Stamp at Fairyhouse, says Kevin O'Malley
By Kevin O'Malley, www.tote.co.uk
A pair of horses likely to be trading at very tasty prices for their respective races at Fairyhouse on Thursday are the focus here.
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While likely to be the complete outsider of the field, I wouldn’t let him go unbacked at too big a price. For a start, there’s only nine horses to beat here, so it's a little less competitive than the majority of events of this kind at present.
This lad went off at 66/1 for a Leopardstown maiden last time out and didn’t run up to form, but trainer Donal Commins reaches for a first time hood now and perhaps that will help the horse settle. He ran to a mark of 72 first time out in a heavy ground maiden at Limerick, before recording a fast time - again in deep ground - at Naas next time out last November.
That run, backed up by a decent speed figure, suggests this horse is capable of winning a handicap from his current mark of 79. Others in the field perhaps have saucier profiles, but Willywampus is capable of outrunning his odds.
2.30 Fairyhouse: STAMP OF AUTHORITY
There are a few to like on the form and figures here, but only one I like at the weights in relation to them and that is Stamp Of Authority. It just so happens he’s forecasted to be a decent price and it would be nice to see him make some progress from a seasonal return run at Naas five days ago.
Despite being free and keen in mid-division in the early half of the race, the Tom McCourt-trained veteran travelled up quite sweetly rounding for home, before weakening in the closing stages.
It’s not unreasonable to expect a more polished run second time up and this drop to seven furlongs can only help him finish the race off, should the opportunity to challenge present itself.
It wouldn’t be the first time he’s come forward quite a bit for his first run after a break and the 5lb claim of Andrew Slattery brings his racing weight down to 8st 12lb. His most pressing opposition are all carrying substantially higher weights here, so if Stamp Of Authority is in the mood it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see him go well.
