Gavin Cromwell
Gavin Cromwell’s William Hill blog: Listowel Harvest Festival Day Five, Six & Seven preview
William Hill ambassador Gavin Cromwell previews his runners across the final three days of Listowel’s Harvest Festival.
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Thursday, Listowel
We have six runners at Listowel on Thursday, starting with Lau And Shaz in the two-mile Mares Maiden Hurdle (2.15pm). We obviously persevered with her for too long in bumpers last season, because I thought she was showing enough to win one.
She’s been working well at home and we’re ready to go hurdling with her. She jumps well, she seems ready to start off and hopefully she’ll run a nice race here.
We have Luker’s Tipple in the Listed Handicap over two miles (3.25pm). He’s new to the yard having joined from Andrew Kinirons. He’s a tricky type of horse but he’s been working well at home so we’re looking forward to his debut run for us. He’s quirky, but if he does things right then he should run well and have every chance.
Fool Me Once takes his chance in another Handicap Hurdle later in the day (4.00pm). We’re stepping back to two miles with him and he may want a little further, but race conditions elsewhere didn’t really suit and we want to get a run into him. That said, on slower ground with cheekpieces on he should run well.
We’ve got three runners in the two-mile-four-furlong Handicap Hurdle (4.25pm). Noticebox has been freshened up since his poor run the last day. The trip is ideal for him and the ground shouldn’t be a problem. He’s in good form at home so we’re hoping he’ll run a big race here.
I Am Mimi steps up in trip here which is a small concern and the drying ground will do her no harm. Eoin Staples claiming seven pounds will be a help and he’s working well at home.
We also run Malina Girl. We’ve fancied her over hurdles a couple of times because her mark is much lower than it is over fences, but she just seems a lot better over the bigger obstacles. She even looks like a hurdler physically, but it’s clear she’s a much better chaser.
She is in good form at home and we’re looking forward to getting her season started here. Eoghan Finegan claiming seven off her will help and even if it’s not her day, it’s still a good starting point to get a run into her and get her ready to go chasing again.
Friday & Saturday, Listowel
We have eleven horses declared across the final two days at Listowel, with nine on Friday and two on Saturday. First on Friday, we run Deanery Charlie in the Maiden Hurdle over 2m2f (1.23pm). He was well back on his first start. He was very green that day and I still don’t think he’s quite there mentally, so he’s probably best watched.
Fool Me Once runs on Thursday but we also have him declared in the 2m2f Ladies Handicap Hurdle (1.58pm). We’ll have to see how Thursday’s race goes and that’ll decide whether he runs again. He’ll have the seven-pound claimer on board which will help his chance, but we’ll have to wait and see how Thursday goes.
We’re pleased to have three runners in the William Hill Each Way Extra Listed Handicap Hurdle (3.08pm). Serienmond is towards the top of the market and he’s probably our best chance. He’s on an okay mark and he’s in here off a nice weight. He hasn’t run for a while but we’re happy with his work at home and we’re expecting him to run well.
Come On The Lads will need plenty of pace in the race to give him something to aim at. A reproduction of his winning run at Galway would certainly put him in the mix here. He had a run out at Laytown over seven furlongs and it didn’t really suit him, but he came out of it fine and he’s ready to go here.
Stuntman Steve was a course and distance winner here over the summer but he’s been a bit out of form since. We’ve freshened him up and he certainly has the potential to run a big race, it’s just hard to know which horse will turn up. He’s in good form at home, but it just depends on which version of him turns up.
Then we have Whiskey Serenade and Sights Unseen in the 2m6f Mares Handicap Hurdle (3.43pm). Keith rides Whiskey Serenade off an opening mark of 96. I wouldn’t say she’s thrown in off that mark, but she should have a good chance. We’re happy with her work at home and conditions should suit here.
I fancied Sights Unseen to run well over fences a couple of times, but it just doesn’t seem to be for her, so we’re back over hurdles here. Hopefully that’ll sharpen her up again and she should be up to running well here.
Due Course is the first reserve in the 2m3½f Handicap Chase (4.18pm). If he is to get a run then he could go well, although the ground would be my only concern. He has a couple of other entries and if the ground goes soft then he probably won’t run here.
We have Lennon Grove in the Mares Bumper (4.52pm). She’s a nice mare who won her last point-to-point. It’s her first run in a bumper so whatever she does she’ll improve for. She goes well at home and I expect her to run well.
Our first of two runners at Listowel on Saturday is Struck Oil in the Maiden Hurdle over two miles (2.10pm). He’s been well back on his last two starts and this is his first run of the season, but he did strengthen up a bit over the summer so hopefully he can run well.
Then we have My Good Pal in the 2m6f Handicap Hurdle (3.55pm). He’s been running consistently well, but he just didn’t stay the last day on soft ground. He’s come out of it well and we’re hoping he’ll be competitive off his current mark.
