IT MEANS waiting until the final race but Shannon Spirit and Nina Carberry can send punters home happy from day five of the Listowel Festival. Just eight line up for the bumper but six of them are winners including Shannon Spirit who won his debut at Thurles last January.
There was enough in that for Tom Hogan to fancy his chances in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and Shannon Spirit was a 14 to 1 shot for the bumper championship only to fade quickly a half-mile out.
Ultimately he beat only two home behind Cue Card but he remains a horse of some potential, a remark that applies to a few of these including the Killarney winner Laganbank and Ross Bank who scored at Sligo.
It’s over two years since Promising Times has been seen while Bullock Harbour has been busy during the summer. However, Shannon Spirit can deliver on the promise he showed last season.
Gordon Elliott has worked the oracle with Shopfrontspecialist this summer, getting three wins from six starts and it could be worth betting that Paul Carberry’s mount can recover from a third flight fall in Perth last time to strike in the featured €42,500 handicap hurdle.
Slieveardagh and Dreamy Gent clash again after dominating a finish in Killarney but Shopfrontspecialist gets a sizable chunk of weight from both.
Aidan O’Brien has just the one runner today but Big Occasion should be a major player in the mile-and-a-half handicap despite topweight. The Sadler’s Wells colt scored at Tipperary in June and sports blinkers for the first time today. With Joseph O’Brien’s claim, Big Occasion could be progressive enough to carry the weight.
John Oxx and Fran Berry have already scored at the festival this week and Swing Pattern could be another winner for them in the seven-furlong maiden on the back of a Killarney second to Phot Opportunity.
Willie Mullins reintroduces Uncle Junior to action after more than two years off in the Beginners Chase. That lay-off could be important against the 116-rated Wise Old Owl, who can get his head in front after three second placings.
