UK Horse Racing Tips: Bellewstown

LOVE MOCHA should improve plenty from her first 'official' run at Dundalk last October. She had already had a spin in a barrier trial before her debut but still looked very green when asked for an effort in the straight, eventually finishing fourth to Malleymoo. The Awtaad filly should be a bit more streetwise now and is fancied to turn the tables on Fast Tara, who was a length-and-three-quarters in front in third that day. Johnny Murtagh's charge was having her second outing then and ran a solid race to finish third. Her sire's progeny tend to go well in soft ground. Gunsight weakened tamely enough on his final start last year in Gowran but had been runner-up in Killarney before that and would be a big player on that showing.
Prediction : 1st Love Mocha 2nd Fast Tara 3rd Gunsight

RHYTHM KING has winning form in testing conditions and may prove the pick here on his return to action. The Elzaam gelding was beaten favourite for the Birdcatcher on his final start last season, finishing mid-division having been well supported. He had been second to recent winner Duke Of Leggagh prior to that in Galway having won in Gowran the time before. All those runs came with plenty of cut and that looks a big plus. Master Garvey ran well to finish third in heavy ground at Naas last weekend and he has to be on the shortlist here. The Dragon Pulse gelding remains on the same mark. Knockmore Prince has been knocking on the door on the all-weather but faces much different ground conditions now.
Prediction : 1st Rhythm King 2nd Master Garvey 3rd Knockmore Prince

ELMOS FIRE has been afforded some clemency by the handicapper and is interesting on the pick of last year's form. The New Bay gelding bumped into a well-treated filly when beaten less than a length on handicap debut at Killarney on soft ground. He went one better in a Listowel maiden next time before proving expensive to follow in subsequent handicaps. Inclined to be a bit fresh and keen in those races, if Andrew Kinirons has managed to get him to settle down over the winter, he can win more races this term. The Bog Bank, fit from the all-weather, has an excellent record over course and distance, including two victories, and has to be considered even though testing ground may not be ideal. James Henry, runner-up in a Dundalk handicap and a claiming maiden over C&D last term, starts off for a new yard here but lacks a recent outing and is unproven on the ground.
Prediction : 1st Elmos Fire 2nd The Bog Bank 3rd James Henry

A handicap in effect and you can be sure Eamonn and Alan Delany will have ESCAPING THEJUNGLE primed to try and register a second win at their local track. She slammed Polar Bear by over four lengths here last September before finding only one too good in an all-weather nursery. She ran a good race on rain-softened ground at Navan earlier last season so might handle conditions. Polar Bear went on to win a 6f Naas maiden on soft ground last back-end and has a 9lb pull with the selection from their running over C&D. Sam's Xpress has rocketed up the ratings after two easy wins at Dundalk and the main question mark against him is his ability to translate that form to testing ground on turf. Lovejoy was well behind the selection at Dundalk last term but showed a liking for soft ground when winning on debut at Navan.
Prediction : 1st Escaping Thejungle 2nd Polar Bear 3rd Lovejoy

TAWAAZON is being kept busy but has been in cracking form since joining James McAuley. Back-to-back wins at Dundalk have seen his all-weather mark rise to 85 and he runs off 70 here, 3lb higher than when chasing home a well-treated rival at Navan on Wednesday. He handled testing ground well there and will just need the breaks from stall one. Stable companion Tai Sing Yeh is another with a strong work ethic and has run fourteen times, including two further wins, since beating Tawaazon over 6f at Dundalk in October. 5f around here is likely to be too sharp for him, though. Iva Batt is a speedy filly on soft ground at her best as shown when winning at Naas last term. She's 4lb lower now but might be better for this stable debut with headgear left off. All five wins for Inishmot Prince have been at Dundalk but he had some creditable runs in big-field turf handicaps last season.
Prediction : 1st Tawaazon 2nd Inishmot Prince 3rd Iva Batt

THEONEWEDREAMOF ought to go well with heavy ground very much the order of the day. Gavin Cromwell's filly made up a lot of ground to be placed over 1m6f on testing ground in the Curragh at the end of last season. She is switching back to the Flat after a stint hurdling during which she won on soft ground at Punchestown in January. Bolero was runner-up over an extended 1m3f at this track in September. She signed off with placed efforts in heavy-ground handicaps at Navan (over a similar trip) and at Galway. Deep Sigh won on soft ground in Britain and makes her Irish debut for John McConnell. She is up in trip, but her dam was placed over 1m4f in France which gives hope that she will stay. Carslake showed an aptitude for heavy ground when third in a maiden hurdle at Cork last week. He could get in the mix off a lowly mark. Noel Meade is in good form and his Too Bright is another to consider.
Prediction : 1st Theonewedreamof 2nd Bolero 3rd Deep Sigh

STAR KISSED is very hard to get away from. She has been pipped by a head in both of her starts to date including over this trip in Cork. Her last run at Killarney in October confirmed her ability to act on soft ground. She is a half-sister to a five-time winner who excels on slow ground. Gordon Elliott's Teagarden Jazz has shown definite ability in a trio of maiden hurdles won by very useful horses. She will handle the ground and is likely to be staying on stronger than most. The Gossiper won a bumper on heavy ground a couple of years ago. He has been lightly raced since, but did pick up another two bumpers. Teagarden Jazz's stablemate, Douglas Dc, was placed in a maiden over this trip at the Curragh in October which gives him claims.
Prediction : 1st Star Kissed 2nd Teagarden Jazz 3rd The Gossiper