Summer Jumps racing is back at Tramore this midweek with a seven-race card on Wednesday afternoon.
Racing gets underway at 3.35pm with a two-mile handicap chase before the action comes to a close with a two-mile and five furlong handicaps hurdle at 6.50pm.
The action kicks off at 3.35 as a field of nine head to the start for the two mile handicap chase. Mater Matuta has two wins from three runs this season and is switched to chasing here after a successful handicap hurdle win at this track at the August Festival. Just Jacob, trained by Gavin Cromwell, is a previous course and distance winner and was a good third of ten in a Ballinrobe handicap last time out.
The second race of the afternoon sees a field of eight taking on the two-mile six furlong beginners chase (4.10) and the Edward O’Grady-trained Ceroc should certainly be right bang amongst it, having hit the frame in three of his last four starts. Of his rivals, Iris Emery - from the dominant Willie Mullins yard and with top jockey Paul Townend booked to ride - rates the biggest threat of the field having finished third of ten in a Tipperary beginners chase on July 2.
Race three on the card (4.45) is the 0-12 rated handicap chase for horses aged four and older, with 17 of them set to take on the two mile and six furlong trip. Loup De Tallane posted a career best at Kilbeggan two weekends ago when landing a 14-runner handicap hurdle and makes his chase debut here, with big things expected from the Eoin Griffin runner. Fellow last time out winner Calahill is the danger, scoring at Downpatrick 23 days ago which also was a career best outing.
Picture Of You, for County Waterford trainer Henry De Bromhead, looks the one to beat in race four (5.20), bouncing back to form when second in a Kilbeggan contest on September 6 having struggled at Tipperary on their penultimate run and with top jockey Rachael Blackmore on board here, has strong claims to get off the winning mark.
A field of 13 is set for race five of the afternoon (5.50) which is a handicap hurdle for horses rated between 80 and 116, and First Dare can get back on track for trainer Liz Doyle after a less than stellar first outing on the Flat, having been a previous course winner at Tramore and was largely consistent over hurdles prior to the switch to the Flat.
The penultimate race on Tramore’s card sees a field of 16 head to the start for the two mile and five furlong maiden hurdle (6.20). High profile trainer Gordon Elliott sends He’s Ultimate for his first race in seven months to Tramore, plus has booked reigning Irish Champion Jockey Jack Kennedy to ride, so is very much on the shortlist for race six.
Finally, the card comes to a close with an 80-95 rated handicap hurdle over two miles and five furlongs (6.50), with preference in the finale heading the way of Scottish Dancer for trainer Eoin Doyle, who has finished second and third on his last two runs and both of those have been at Tramore.
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