IT doesn't say a lot for the overall quality of this weekend's racing that what looks like the safest bet runs in a claimer but that seems to be the case with Ballylennon Mist at Clonmel this afternoon.
Claiming races by their very nature tend to attract some of the roguish and downright indolent of the sport but Ballylennon Mist looks to be a happy exception and can win her second claimer of the season.
The first came at Killarney a month ago when, although a drifter in the market, she sliced through the soft ground to put seven lengths between herself and Sabre Dancer. In itself it wasn't a performance to shake the world but it did prove she goes on soft ground and knows how to win. In today's context both will be important factors.
There is also the factor that the form of her only subsequent run at Dundalk has worked out well. There, she finished fifth to Nymph In The Sky in a handicap and the second, third and fourth from that race have all won since. Ballylennon Mist could start at pretty short odds today on the strength of that but taking everything into consideration, she should win.
Racing starts at Clonmel with the June Handicap where leading apprentice Eddie Ahern can continue his good recent run of success courtesy of Executive Decision, trained by Michael Grassick.
Ahern secured a run up the inner for this gelding at a critical time in his only race of the season so far at Ballinrobe 17 days ago and the pair shot clear to beat the apparent hotpot Hayward by two and a half lengths. Executive Decision should have come on from that sufficiently to beat the busy Le Ciel.
The Beginners Chase has an interesting runner in Solvang, who has been sent straight to fences by David Kiely, with Charlie Swan a significant booking to accompany him. The five-year-old does have point-to-point experience but really impressed when winning the Powers sponsored bumper at Fairyhouse in April.
Solvang subsequently finished down the field to Arctic Camper in the valuable Punchestown bumper but that's best ignored today. Against this opposition, Solvang looks to hold far too much promise.
A question mark against Apache Twist in the maiden hurdle is that he hasn't run since the end of March. However it looks to be the only significant question mark, as that effort was a good three-quarter length second to Persian Dream and there are formlines from that which suggest Apache Twist should have the beating of his likely main danger Rainbow Era.
Tomorrow, the show moves on to Cork where Quinze looks the stand-out bet in the novices hurdle. Pat Hughes's gelding landed a gamble in style at Naas just under a month ago,
That Naas race also provided enough evidence to suggest that Try For Ever may be worth another chance in the Donnelly Bookmaker Maiden Hurdle.
The most valuable race of the day is the £10,000 Donnelly Handicap where Jim Bolger's fine run in handicaps can continue successfully with Dream Project.
It was by a diminishing two lengths that the colt went down to Le Ciel at the Curragh at the start of May and since that was Dream Project's only race this season, it's reasonable to expect improvement. There will have to be, as this is a trappy little contest where Trapped, who put in a promising effort her last time, will be a dangerous opponent. Nevertheless, Dream Project is marginally preferred.
Impressionist is selected to beat Bismarck in the EBF Maiden, while his trainer Aidan O'Brien can complete yet another double with Glorious Gale.
