UK Horse Racing Tips: Clonmel

NED'S LEGACY was beaten 29 lengths on debut but ran quite well and should improve. Held up off the pace at Tramore, she finished well and while ultimately well beaten, the winner and runner-up were experienced and the selection is open to vast improvement. Top weight Je T'ai Porte is a 73-rated dual flat winner and while a keen-goer, showed improved form when making the running under a similar penalty at Kilbeggan. She is experienced but soft ground is concerning. Phil's Choice ran out when looking likely to win at Limerick in November and while she returned to form in a recent Grade 3 bumper, would prefer good ground. Stormy Outlook debuts over hurdles but will be well schooled and has soft-ground, middle-distance flat form, so might place. Up And Out has placed form in similar maiden hurdles but prefers a sound surface.
Prediction : 1st Neds Legacy 2nd Je Tai Porte 3rd Phils Choice

PONT AUDEMER faces older horses but has already run well in handicaps and remains unexposed. An easy-to-back winner at Limerick in January, his two subsequent runs were satisfactory with the Navan form working out well and he should continue to progress. Grange Walk is rated 33lb higher over fences and while very capable in that sphere, was beaten from today's same rating in his last two hurdles, although his latest run was when a useful third over course and distance last November. New Ross doesn't look ahead of the handicapper and would prefer a sound surface while Tom McGreevy has useful recent form but would prefer good ground. As Tears Go By is possibly best watched on reappearance on handicap debut. Morning Logic was hampered before finishing well held at Punchestown while reappearing Boom Boom Boom needs a sound surface.
Prediction : 1st Pont Audemer 2nd Grange Walk 3rd New Ross

WASTHATOK won well on jumps debut recently, having shown promise in useful bumpers. He seemed to improve at Kilbeggan and can progress further jumping-wise. Stuzzikini won a Kilbeggan maiden and the Punchestown charity race and while his rider claim 5lbs, nonetheless has enough weight tackling a capable selection. Western Comandor won a Down Royal maiden in which Stuzzikini pulled up in March (the third-placed horse showed himself in a better light subsequently) and should be competitive from his 116 rating. Gentleman Joe, Listed-placed on the Flat, has been a shade disappointing over hurdles but had plenty horses behind him in a useful Fairyhouse handicap last month. Estepona Sun reappears following a layoff, would prefer good ground and hasn't won for almost three years.
Prediction : 1st Wasthatok 2nd Stuzzikini 3rd Western Comandor

Lowly-rated but unexposed flat performer ALL IN PEDER bumped into a now four-time hurdles winner on jumps debut at Aintree last June. That third-placed horse was a previous winner and while All In Peder was recently beaten on a heavy-ground flat handicap, could be suited by this extra distance, on a sounder surface and is now race-fit. Fameaftertheglory has been unable to concede his bumper-winners' penalty over hurdles and was well held at Kilbeggan recently. Evesham Road finished ahead of Marv Michael in a recent bumper, where the third-horse improved to win well subsequently. Both are closely matched although Marv Michael has a better profile being a debut winner (beating two subsequent points winners) at Kinsale and should improve from that Cork reappearance. Skradin was a beaten favourite in an ordinary contest here in March while Power Hour has been running well but also has plenty on his plate. Itso Vango would prefer good ground and reappears in a first-time tongue-tie.
Prediction : 1st All In Peder 2nd Evesham Road 3rd Marv Michael

LILIAN BLAND has improved recently and ran well over course and distance last month. Ground-versatile, she won a point-to-point in February and bumped into now 21lb higher-rated Mighty Jeremy here in April. Rathnaleen Kal ran well on handicap debut at Tipperary, finishing ahead of third-placed Go Gill Go and fifth-placed Leading The Way (which had chased home Mighty Jeremy at Cork in March) and the trio should each again compete well. Aliunde finished reasonably well in a similar Downpatrick race recently while Duke Otto has claims on best form but is a 14-race maiden.
Prediction : 1st Lilian Bland 2nd Rathnaleen Kal 3rd Go Gill Go

LA HACIENDA's hurdles' form is poor but is a capable flat handicapper. She pulled up on her only previous handicap hurdle run at Kilbeggan in April 2022 but subsequently improved her flat rating to 86, winning useful handicaps at Leopardstown, Galway and Killarney and likes easy ground. Sunwalk was last rated 72 on the flat and while also beaten long distances over hurdles thus far, drops markedly in grade on handicap hurdle debut. Andstand has proven handicap hurdles form and while well held at Tramore, is now tried in first-time blinkers and is suited by soft ground. Bella Union shaped with promise in bumpers but faded at Fairyhouse in February. Ventnor is a 26-race maiden who was well held at Leopardstown. Third reserve I Am Spider Man would be a notable runner having won at Sedgefield last October but would prefer a sound surface.
Prediction : 1st La Hacienda 2nd Sunwalk 3rd Anstand

STILYKER reappears following another long layoff but looks well handicapped. He improved to win for Willie Mullins last June and while scoring by just a neck, the runner-up has since improved his rating by 24lb. His winning rider Paul Townend is in America for the Iroquois Hurdle and soft ground isn't ideal, but Stilyker will be ready on reappearance. Near-neighbour Criminal Mischief, a chasing type, won an ordinary course maiden in March and while he ran satisfactorily on handicap debut at Tramore (finished ahead of Tramore-specialist Craic Eile), might struggle to beat an on-song selection. Lucky Zebo's maiden hurdle form was unexciting and is 8lb higher than when winning at Kilbeggan but should get involved. Bumper winner Ballycashin makes her handicap debut following a break while Solitary Man steps up in trip on handicap debut. Clairmc has bits of form but is a 12-race maiden.
Prediction : 1st Stilyker 2nd Lucky Zebo 3rd Criminal Mischief

OLD GROUND has an excellent pedigree and represents the champion trainer. All six of her siblings to-have-raced have won and each has shown smart form, including half-sister and top class racemare Colreevy, herself a Grade 1 bumper winner. Silver Lark has form and while she disappointed at Down Royal in March, beat a subsequent Kilbeggan winner into third at Thurles in February. Little Green Lady is out of a nicely related bumper winning mare while John Gleeson is a notable booking for Jimmyies Dream, a sister to four-timer winner Happy Jacky, but who makes a belated debut aged six. Midnight Fairy is out of a hurdle-winning dam.
Prediction : 1st Old Ground 2nd Silver Lark 3rd Little Green Lady