Clonmel 1:49 Result

Vaureal won last time out (form 5425-1) carrying this same stable's colours, and is clearly progressive having strung together improving efforts before scoring. OR of 105 looks competitive in this field, and he's dropping back in trip/class context suits a fit, lightly-raced sort who's plainly going the right way. Keith Donoghue takes over, a booking that suggests confidence from a yard (Ian Patrick Donoghue) that also has the top-rated St Denis's Well in the race but that one is a 186-day absentee returning from a break with a scratchy recent efforts (16P29), making him risky fresh off a long layoff despite the headgear change. Nelson Muntz (OR 113) is the next highest rated but his runs read 430-56, i.e. fading, and 83 days off; not fancied to find more. Stepdance has an each-way profile but her form figures (558-P) are modest and she was pulled up last time. Dairy Force is in-form (253F62) with a recent run 13 days ago and Elliott yard always competitive, but the odd fall in that sequence and being asked to race against one clearly on the up in Vaureal nudges me the other way. Overall, Vaureal's trajectory — placed, placed, won — with a confident big-name booking for the stable's in-form string, gives the strongest case of a horse still ahead of the handicapper and fit to follow up.