Saturday Irish Racing: Raining Winners at Gowran?

Punters should keep the faith with Henry de Bromhead’s improving Dharma Rain, who can make amends for a narrow defeat on her handicap bow.

15:45 Jumps Racing Returns To Gowran Park October 5th Handicap (D.I)

James Barrett has his string in fine form with a winner and a plethora of places from his runners in recent weeks, and he can gain another success with the consistent veteran Lake George here. Ridden by the yard’s apprentice Daire Davis, the ten-year-old gelding will effectively be competing off a mark of 40, and given he’s a winner of seven handicaps off much higher marks in the past, that looks sorely tempting. It’s true that he’s not quite the force of old, but he tends to beat more than beat him in handicaps still, often finishing just behind the place-getters, and there isn’t much wrong with his attitude, as he showed with a battling third of 15 to Aunty Audrey in a C&D handicap earlier in the month. That was just his second start of the season and he’s been dropped 5lbs despite running well both times. He’s again nicely drawn to take a position towards the inner, and his experience helps to negate his young rider’s lack thereof.

Tip:

Back Lake George @ 

16:20 Jumps Racing Returns To Gowran Park October 5th Handicap (D.II)

Dharma Rain looks the best bet on the card in the second division of this mile handicap, and I was pleasantly surprised to see Henry de Bromhead’s filly get an initial mark of 57 after catching the eye a couple of times in maidens, and she was not at all knocked about at either the Curragh or Killarney, shaping like a non-stayer in the latter event over a mile and three. She duly improved on her handicap bow to finish second to Shifted Strategy at Listowel dropped to a mile, and she looked more professional all round, battling gamely having made much of the running. She will find that run aiding her development even more than those that went before, and looks well up to defying a minimal rise in the ratings with Declan McDonogh maintaining the partnership.

Tip:

Back Dharma Rain @  (NAP)

16:50 Gowran Golf Membership 2019 From €499 Apprentice Handicap

Not an easy race to unpick, but it may be worth chancing handicap debutant Newlyn for man of the moment Patrick Prendergast. The daughter of Casamento is related to winners over further, but she didn’t seem to stay after making a promising mid-race mover at Listowel over a mile and a half last time, and the drop to an extended nine furlongs will suit on that evidence. That was the second successive race in which she had been forced to cover a lot of ground out wide, and while she still looks a work in progress, she is definitely better than the bare result of those maiden races. She appears quite well drawn if showing the requisite speed to hold her pitch in the early stages, and could be one to keep on the right side this autumn.

Tip:

Back Newlyn @