Determination looks answer

Millions may be being invested in dreams at Goffs but up the road at Fairyhouse today, the bread and butter reality for the vast…

Millions may be being invested in dreams at Goffs but up the road at Fairyhouse today, the bread and butter reality for the vast majority of racehorses is emphasised by an eight-race card.

Three flat handicaps, two maiden hurdles and a bumper follow the opening two divisions of the Kilcloon Maiden, and it may be with the two-year-olds that the realistic betting opportunities lie.

The recent seven furlong race at the Curragh won by Tender Offer looked a better than usual maiden and that theory can be boosted by Determination and Garcia Marquez.

These two finished fourth and fifth respectively behind Tender Offer and both can take a leg of today's contest.

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Determination was briefly stuck for room at the furlong pole on his debut but it was still an encouraging effort while Garcia Marquez should be better suited by the forecast "good" going based on his debut second to the subsequent National Stakes winner, Sinndar.

Determination's trainer Jim Bolger can also take the nursery with the topweight Beaver Lodge who won a lot easier than his two length margin over Maura's Choice at Listowel might suggest.

An interesting runner in the three-year-old maiden hurdle is Silverware, who failed to justify some decent bets over the course and distance last time behind Eagle Legal but looks another that will be suited by slightly better ground.

Allstars Rocket goes in the apprentice handicap only four days after overcoming trouble in running to take a seven furlong 0-50 race at Down Royal. Despite that interference, Allstars Rocket ran out a length and a half winner from Carol's Chapel and this consistent sort should again go close.

Tomorrow's scheduled card at Tipperary has been abandoned because of ground conditions. What was to have been the fixture's highlight, the Group Three Coolmore Concorde Stakes, has been transferred to the meeting at Cork on Saturday.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column