Irish racing tips: Sunday February 23
0.5pts e.w. Patter Merchant in 3.50 Naas at 10/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4,5)
The expectation going into this weekend was that most form relevant to Cheltenham was already in the book but not a bit of it as Punchestown on Thursday produced not one, but two horses pushing for Festival favouritism in Jade De Grugy and Gameofinches, along with wins for William Munny and High Class Hero, both outside players in their races.
Today’s meeting at Naas will hardly be as significant but the final Pertemps Network Group Handicap Hurdle (Qualifier) at 3.50 could play a part in the Final with 10 of the 19 runners entered at Cheltenham. Whatever about the makeup of that race next month, there is solidity to the claims of PATTER MERCHANT this afternoon and he makes each-way appeal.
He was a decent bumper horse last season, making his track debut soon after a point win last Christmas when narrowly winning at Leopardstown from the subsequent Champion Bumper fourth, and while not in the same form off a break at Easter in another bumper, he looked a promising staying novice when winning on hurdles debut at Galway last October.
Since then, he has run in a series of races that placed little emphasis on stamina, initially dropping back to two miles for the For Auction then finding himself in steadily run Grade 2 over two-and-a-half at Navan in December, neither race suiting him.
A handicap hurdle over the same trip at Leopardstown over Christmas was better though still didn’t get to the bottom of him but upped to three miles at the DRF he put up a career-best when fifth in the strongest race he has yet faced despite having a wide trip and racing a little closer to the pace than ideal.
This afternoon’s race has a similar ratings bracket, but it would be a surprise if it were as strong at the DRF contest (replay below) given the horses involved in the finish there.
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Of the rest, his stablemate Lucky Lyreen has been frustrating, but this ground may be his thing (his form figures with heavy in the going read: 43211), while outsider Cato’s Revenge is not without at chance.
He was making a move into things when unseating three out in this race last year and finished strongly when sixth on his most recent start at Ballinrobe having been badly hampered at the second last. That run was back in May, however, and fitness is a worry.
In the William Hill Top Price Guarantee Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle at 2.20, Bacchanalian and Shoda could be a little shorter but choosing between them is difficult while Declan Queally may be able to pull one of his party pieces in removing the hood from A Tipp For Gold in the Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at 2.50. The trainer is 8 from 38 with 15 places for a level stakes profit of 29.79 points when the hood comes off one of his runners.
The opening maiden hurdle at 1.50 should be won by Willie Mullins though Hello Jack may have paid for going with Kiss Will in the middle part of the race last time and is somewhat interesting while Balko d’Ange looked an unlucky loser last time and should be right at home on testing ground in the William Hill Keep Your Raceday Positive Handicap Hurdle at 3.20.
Published at 0930 GMT on 23/02/25
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