Racing/Galway Festival preview: Sheer Tenby is the the oldest horse in this evening's €130,000 McDonogh Handicap, but age still might not stop him from pulling off his own little bit of Ballybrit history.
Only Pinch Hitter in 1981-82 has managed to double up in the second day festival feature, but Sheer Tenby is bucking to do the same a full four years after his greatest hour here.
That 20 to 1 success in the 2001 McDonogh remains the highlight of a 34-race career that has yielded eight wins to date and which may just have one last hurrah in it at a big price.
Admittedly the last of three starts this year was at the Curragh and resulted in a very poor show behind one of tonight's big fancies Deerpark. The winner is now 12lb higher in the ratings and Sheer Tenby has been largely forgotten. But that Curragh effort could be worth ignoring.
It actually came on the back of a fine run over six furlongs just days before which indicated a horse still with plenty of fire in him. The infamous "bounce" factor might have reared its head.
Sheer Tenby is now racing off a mark just 4lb higher than when he won in 2001 and Michael Cleere takes a valuable 7lb off.
Throw in a stalls position of 13 which is far from unlucky around here, plus a love of quick ground, and it looks like there will be some each-way value kicking around here.
Deerpark will still be a major player as will Bective Ranger who represents the Peter Casey team that was successful with Palace Star last year.
Bective Ranger's third to Definate Spectacle and Tropical Lady at Leopardstown would read well in any company.
Napper Tandy, a one-time Classic hope for Jim Bolger, has his first start for new trainer Tom Cooper, while Michael Kinane, a five-time McDonogh winner, is on Major Title for Michael Grassick.
Others to consider are Babble On and Alone He Stands, but there will be worse value outsiders this week than Sheer Tenby.
There will be no such fancy prices about The Foyle in the opening maiden hurdle, but Tony McCoy's first venture into Galway 2005 looks like it could be a winning one.
David Wachman's horse was a bumper winner on fast ground on his debut but a sole jumps start to date at Thurles in November ended in a poor fifth.
However, The Foyle was found to be in respiratory distress after that and the run can be forgotten.
Aidan O'Brien is not averse to sending high quality juveniles to Galway and the future Group One winner Sunspangled got off the mark in the seven-furlong fillies maiden in 1998.
Today the Ballydoyle trainer is represented by the Sadler's Wells filly Alexandrova who didn't enjoy the best of luck on her Curragh debut.
Slowly away she stayed on nicely for sixth and had one of tonight's main dangers, Dermot Weld's Summer Scent, behind her in eighth. A 12 of 15 draw will give Séamus Heffernan plenty of options on how to ride her and Alexandrova is taken to account for Mrs Snaffles and Summer Scent.
Happy To Chat looks like a typical Dermot Weld favourite that the Galway punters like to tuck into and after three runner-up placings to date this evening's seven-furlong maiden should be right up his street.
Eskimo Jack is a ratings standout in the two and three-quarter mile conditions chase but even a 123 mark doesn't make him a good thing around here.
A better option could be the Willie Mullins-trained Lasquini Du Moulin who is bang in form having won a novice chase last time and a Tipperary hurdle before that.
The six-year-old has it all to do on the book with Eskimo Jack, but that may not tell the full story.
The draw will be of considerable importance in the seven-furlong handicap and none is better off in that regard than Moon At Midnight.
Robbie Osborne's horse also ran a good second to Enfield Chase on his last start and can make his presence felt in an ultra-competitive heat.
SELECTIONS:
5.00 THE FOYLE
5.35 LASQUINI DU MOULIN
6.10 OODACHEE
6.50 SHEER TENBY
7.25 ALEXANDROVA (Nap)
8.00 MOON AT MIDNIGHT
8.35 HAPPY TO CHAT
Double:
ALEXANDROVA
and THE FOYLE
