UK Horse Racing Tips: Killarney

SPECULATRIX concedes a penalty on her hurdling debut, but showed quite useful bumper form last season and contests this winnable maiden. By the same sire as Allaho and a 115,000-euro three-year-old, she won on debut in February and again showed capable ability in finishing sixth in a Grade 2 Aintree bumper. While ultimately well held at the Punchestown Festival, she is proven on soft ground and encouragingly reappears at an early part of the winter season. Modest Flat performer Fair Damsel and Spanish Maid are closely matched on Tipperary form in May but shouldn't trouble the selection, while stablemates Ad Caelum and Love Like This have place claims.
Prediction : 1st Speculatrix 2nd Fair Damsel 3rd Spanish Maid

Most of the form horses won't be suited by likely testing conditions and while GEKKOTA would prefer good ground, he has form on soft and ran well last month. He returned from almost a year off this summer and a reproduction of his Galway effort would give him sound claims. Four-year-old Nicholas Street has been absent since running well on handicap debut in July but has, at least, run on testing ground. Capable chaser Kings Halo is undoubtedly well handicapped in this sphere and while he relishes testing conditions, needs a longer distance and made his seasonal reappearance in this race last year - finishing fifth. Eastmore, Say It So, Due Course and Bayou Belle have been running well, but on summer ground.
Prediction : 1st Gekkota 2nd Nicholas Street 3rd Kings Halo

AL GASPARO is top-weight but is a previous C&D winner and, crucially given likely testing conditions, has form on heavy ground. He routed his rivals in winning here in May and while well held subsequently at Galway, ran well in a winners' race at Worcester last month and won't be too inconvenienced by the ground. Lieber Nicc's best form has been achieved on a sound surface but he was placed on soft last January, while Master Otis disappointed at Galway but had previously shown useful handicap form at Fairyhouse and has also been placed on soft ground. Chutzpal's recent form is on a sound surface.
Prediction : 1st Al Gasparo 2nd Lieber Nicc 3rd Master Otis

A chance is taken that IRON ALLEN might return to form because he could be well suited by conditions. Winner of a soft-ground unplaced horses' maiden at Naas last December, the ex-winning point-to-pointer remains somewhat unexposed over staying distances and although he has top weight, he contests a winnable handicap for new connections, under an experienced 5lb claimer. In theory, Temptationinmilan is well handicapped in this sphere as he is rated 108 over fences, but is a 13-race hurdles maiden. He does have form on testing ground so should compete. Technology ran well on his Irish debut in August, but has been well beaten in three previous UK runs on testing ground.
Prediction : 1st Iron Allen 2nd Temptationinmilan 3rd Technology

ANOTHER OCANA will have plenty of help from the sky this weekend as he makes his seasonal reappearance on suitably testing ground. A dual point-to-point winner, he seemed better than ever when reverting to a similar distance to this, scoring at Limerick last April, and while his lack of a recent outing is a small concern, he might still defy a 7lb rise. Ten-time winning 10-year-old Itsalonglongroad continues in good form and is ground-versatile, but his mark has climbed back to 108 following his recent Ballinrobe success and he hasn't competed at that rating for over two years. General Clermont has good recent form and has placed on yielding to soft, although he wouldn't like really testing conditions.
Prediction : 1st Another Ocana 2nd Itsalonglongroad 3rd General Clermont

THE GREAT UNKNOWN can make a winning start to her chasing career. A close-up third on her sole point-to-point run, the Henry de Bromhead-trained mare showed up well in some decent maiden hurdles over the winter. Although failing to get competitive when sent off favourite on her recent handicap debut at Tramore, the five-year-old was entitled to need that first outing since April. Pictures Of Home, who has plenty of experience over fences, has to be of interest in first-time blinkers. The Ted Walsh-trained gelding is a strong stayer who will see out every yard of this trip. Roscommon second Fremantle Doctor is entitled to come on from that initial run over fences. The winner of that aforementioned race franked the form with two subsequent victories.
Prediction : 1st The Great Unknown 2nd Pictures Of Home 3rd Fremantle Doctor

Given the excellent form of the Eric McNamara stable, MY FRIEND THE WIND has to hold strong claims. Twice a winner over hurdles, the nine-year-old looks nicely treated off a chase mark which is 13lb lower. Although yet to get his head in front over fences, the gelding has been placed on two occasions. Following a promising fifth in a handicap chase at Ballinrobe last month, he should be spot-on for this assignment. The locally-trained Definiteadare can readily be forgiven a below-par run at Tramore as he was running from 14lb out of the handicap. Back in his own grade, with Michael O'Sullivan remaining loyal, Charles Coakley's gelding has to be respected. Da Big Fella, owned and trained by the race sponsor, is sure to have been laid out for this particular meeting.
Prediction : 1st My Friend The Wind 2nd Definiteadare 3rd Da Big Fella