The 18:55 at Killarney on Monday is available as a free Race Pass, which means logged-in customers can view all our premium comments and ratings.
The highlight on the second day of Killarney’s three-day meeting is the An Riocht Chase (18:55), a Grade 3 contest over two and a half miles which has attracted a field of eight smart or useful chasers with the top stables represented.
This can go to one of the three mares in the line-up, Effernock Fizz (Timeform weight-adjusted ratings 170), trained by Cian Collins. Although she was given a break in the winter, she’s been heavily campaigned in the last 12 months or so but has proven a tough front-runner and won a handicap hurdle at Killarney last August which gives her the ‘Horses For Courses’ flag.
Her two wins since have come in Britain as she won the Welsh Champion Hurdle from out of the weights at Ffos Las in October and landed the odds against two rivals in a mares’ novices’ chase at Ludlow in February. All her recent starts have been in Britain, in fact, and she ran well at Cheltenham last month in a Grade 2 mares’ novices’ handicap when three lengths second to Walk In Clover, typically going with plenty of zest but no match for the much more lightly-weighted winner in the end.
‘Hot Trainer’ Willie Mullins won this with Easy Game last year and has good prospects again this time with top-rated Saint Sam (175) who nonetheless has to concede almost a stone to the selection. He has raced mainly over hurdles, winning a well-contested minor event at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve, but made a successful return to fences at Tramore last month when facing a simple task against two rivals in another minor event. He didn’t need to be near his best there but had some smart form as a novice, including when third in the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown.
Telmesomethinggirl (171+) represents another ‘Hot Trainer’, Henry de Bromhead. She was a smart hurdler, winning the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, but her jumping hasn’t been polished enough so far for her to prove quite as good over fences. It was only a rival’s error which allowed her to win a two-finisher beginners chase for mares at Naas in January and she only got as far as the second fence in the Future Champions Novices’ Chase at Ayr last time, but she’s good enough to be in the money with a clear round.
Busselton (166) was in good form for Joseph O’Brien last autumn, winning the Kerry National at Listowel and shaping well before fading into fifth behind Le Milos in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, but his two runs this spring following a break haven’t been as good and he was pulled up when a 50/1-shot in the Irish Grand National last time.
‘Hot Trainer’ Gordon Elliott is double-handed with Fils d’Oudairies (165) and Call Me Lyreen (158). The former has been in good heart over hurdles of late and was in receipt of 5 lb from the odds-on Saint Sam when beating him three and a half lengths in a minor event at Leopardstown in March. He also ran well when fifth under top weight in a two-mile handicap at the Punchestown Festival won by Bialystok last time and has some good form to his name over fences with Joseph O’Brien from earlier in his career, including finishing runner-up to Envoi Allen as a novice. Call Me Lyreen has more to do in this company, especially as he’s out of form at present. He won twice last summer and ran a creditable second in a novice chase over this course and distance in August which earns him the ‘Horses For Courses’ flag.
Minx Tiara (163) is a useful mare but she’s up in grade here after finishing second in handicaps at Gowran and Cork on her last two starts. This is also a stiffer task for Dollar Value (164§) who has refused to race in the past, though was in good heart early last season, including when easily winning handicap chases at Downpatrick and Sligo. However, he hasn’t run over jumps since the autumn and was well held at Navan on Saturday on his latest Flat start.
Timeform analyst’s verdict
Effernock Fizz is an appealing alternative to probable favourite Saint Sam. She put in a good round of jumping when runner-up in a Grade 2 Cheltenham handicap last month and could take some pegging back if allowed her own way out in front. Saint Sam landed the odds in a three-runner affair at Tramore and he won’t go down without a fight. Telmesomethinggirl is best of the rest.
Timeform weight-adjusted ratings
175 Saint Sam
171+ Telmesomethinggirl
170 Effernock Fizz
166 Busselton
165 Fils d’Oudairies
164§ Dollar Value
163 Minx Tiara
158 Call Me Lyreen
Race Passes are the ultimate form guide, providing Timeform analysis, Flags and ratings for every runner in every race in Britain and Ireland. Subscribers have access to additional features that add extra levels of insight, including complete performance histories, an extensive form archive and unlimited use of horse, jockey and trainer searches.
Just log in and click here to view the full card and Timeform analysis for the 18:55 at Killarney on Monday. You can subscribe to Race Passes to access every race here.