Misty may be Magical in strong Oaks challenge

COURSING

 

The 95th National Coursing Meeting commences this Friday as all roads lead to Clonmel following a truncated qualifying season which proved fruitful for many local kennels.

Ahead of the festival, the Horse & Jockey Oaks will harbour our hopes for celebration come the conclusion of the festival on Sunday evening at Powerstown Park.

With four qualifiers alongside Buggies Rose, who occupies the first reserve position, we can most likely look forward to a five-strong challenge in the Oaks where Sandra Guilfoyle’s Magical Misty (Adios Alonso/Chubbys Ruby) may just hold the strongest credentials.

Defeated at final stage on debut in her home meeting at Nenagh, she was a hugely impressive winner on her next outing at Borrisoleigh when displaying pleasing progression. Defeating Buggies Rose in the final there, her form was boosted when that Stephen Noonan owned Oaks reserve went on to victory at Borris In Ossory.

A further confidence builder arrived in the shape of Brian Brussels’s Bambis Only who qualified at Johnstown, having been defeated by Magical Misty in Nenagh. From the renowned breeding kennels of the O’Meara family’s Chubbys line, who invariably excel on the demanding Powerstown Park stretch, the Pat Guilfoyle trained hopeful now heads for slips at a venue which is likely to bring out her very best and looks value in the market at 25/1. From the bottom quarter, she faces Ramstown Jenny in the opener and if successful, we will learn much more in the second round when likely to face outright favourite Scientific.

Our remaining three qualifiers are all pitched in at 33/1 for the Oaks and a sleeper in the market could well be Shane Lee’s Skimcoat Hanna (Coolavanny Bingo/Fire Height Lily). Narrowly defeated in the final of the Sevenhouses qualifier which was held in Nenagh, she progressed from that debut experience to score convincingly in the Ballinagar Trial Stake next time.

 

To reach more, see this weeks Nenagh Guardian