Horses for Courses

Sky,

Emmet Mullins’ stable star and last year’s winner Noble Yeats could be aimed to retain his Aintree crown with Sean Bowen aboard. Bowen, who has won on him twice since after the owner’s son Sam WaleyCohen hung up his boots after the win last April will ride the 8-Y-O gelding in Saturday’s Cotswold Chase where he is vying for favouritism with Protektorat, third in the Gold Cup. The 2020 King George winner Frodon with Byrony Frost is also in what appears to be a high class field but take the Irish horse to win.

A field of 18 has been declared for today’s Thyestes Chase in Gowran, with 14 of the 18 entries coming from three yards. Gordon Elliott has declared half the field with nine; Willie Mullins three to run and two reserves; Henry de Bromhead relies on Gabby’s Cross.

Mullins has won the race on eight occasions, including four of the last ten, and of his three in the final field the lightly raced 11-year-old Carefully Selected, is preferred by Paul Townend. Elliott has top weight Escaria Ten and he has every chance but his Pencilfulloflead with Rob James claiming 7lbs, who has had his problems, finished fourth on his comeback in the

Handball

Clonmel Oil Chase and could win on that form. Barry Connell’s Espanito Bella and Henry de Bromhead’s Gabby’s Cross are not out of it if you are looking for some value.

Typhoo is odds on for Elliott in the Galmoy Hurdle and should account for his five rivals. The only danger to him appears to be Sean Mulryan’s Longhouse Poet who won at Limerick over the Christmas and is in form.

In the Beginner’s Chase, Sir Gerhard makes his chasing debut taking on four runners. WP Mullins’ 2021 Campion Bumper and 2022 Ballymore Novices Hurdle is having his first run since being defeated at Punchestown Festival last April but will be odds on.

Racing News

David Christie added to his already formidable team of hunter chasers at Thurles on Sunday with Ferns Lock accounting for WP Mullins’ Billway. Christie’s gelding is only 6-Y-O and with Barry O’Neill in the saddle easily beat last year’s Cheltenham winner by 20l. Christie trains four of our best hunter chasers when you add in Vaucelet, winner of the Stratford Champion Chase, Wing Leader, winner of five of his last six track races, and Limerick maiden winner Ulti- mate Optimist. Be careful with your ante post bets, a no runner no bet option is a must.

Entries for the five handicap races and both Grade 2 bumpers at next weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival have been released. Two-time Festival winner Joseph O’Brien’s A Wave Of The Sea, WP Mullins’ Gaelic Warrior and Gordon Elliott’s Favori De Champdou feature among the handicap entries along with more recent big-race scorers. The likes of Stuart Crawford’s Lily Du Berlais, Elliott’s Better Days Ahead, Tom Mullins’ Fascile Mode and WP Mullins’ Fancy Girl catch the eye in the bumper races at Leopardstown on Saturday and Sunday, February 4th and 5th. Joseph O’Brien’s Banbridge will be in action in the Irish Arkle and the better ground and drop in trip will suit the gelding.

With the flat season on the horizon, the Aidan O’Brien trained 2-Y-O Little Big Bear is Europe’s 2022 champion juvenile, achieving the highest rating since O’Brien’s Pinatubo, with 128, in 2019. The son of No Nay Never was allocated a rating of 124 in the annual 2-Y-O classifications, 5lb superior to the runners-up, both Group 1 winners, stablemate Blackbeard, who won the Newmarket Middle Park Stakes and Andrew Balding’s Chaldean, winner of the New-

by Tom Red

The time sheet of now open for the Flynn’s Bar Spring League. To enter, long into BRS and place your name. The league will consist of six weekly rounds in a 9-hole Stableford format. Entry fee is €30 which will be deducted from your competitions purse once teams are picked. There were over 120 participants last year and with €1,000 in prize money it is hoped to have similar numbers in 2023.

Results of last weekend’s Gents’ competition: Cat 1 Paul Kelleher (22 points); Cat 2 Sean Duignan (19); Cat 3 Gerry Curley (17).

The club has a new website! Log on to www.carrickgolf.ie.

Roscommon

Liam Bagnell was the winner of last Sunday’s Men’s 15-hole competition with 36 points with Andrew Lawlor runner-up with 35.

The sheet for the Ladies’ Spring Matchplay is now up in the locker room. The format is Foursomes in February, Fourball in March, and Singles in April. The draw for teams will take place at the end of January.

market Dewhurst. He is the 12th O’Brien-trained horse to be named the top two-yearold and is the best since the 128-rated Pinatubo in 2019.

Little Big Bear was beaten on his debut at the Curragh, and is unbeaten since. The colt easily won at Naas and crossed the channel to win the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot. He stepped up to Group 3 at the Curragh winning the Anglesey Stakes and ended the season with an impressive victory in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes, also in the Curragh. He remains on track and ante post favourite for the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas, which will be held on May 6th despite a clash the coronation of King Charles

Point-to-Point News

Racing is scheduled to return to the Northern circuit on Saturday at picturesque Tyrella in Co. Down under the mountains of Mourne and overlooking the Irish Sea with 85 entries. There are two meetings in the south on Sunday, at Cragmore near Askeaton in Limerick with 119 entries, and the second at Ballyvaddock outside Midelton in Cork with 141 entries. The Tyrella meeting is scheduled for 12 pm with Sunday meetings away at 12.30 pm.