First Race Meeting At Down Royal On Tuesday 23rd January 2024
Racing is back for 2024 at Down Royal and a competitive seven-race card will be greeting punters heading to the Lisburn track on Tuesday.
The card gets underway at 12.40 with a maiden hurdle before rounding off at 3.00 with a 3m handicap chase and all races will be shown live on Racing TV.
The opening maiden hurdle sees 14 runners head to post and Staffordshire Knot for trainer Gordon Elliott looks the one to beat, having landed a bumper at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day and following it up with a third on debut over obstacles at Cork just over a fortnight ago.
The main danger looks likely to come from Grooveykindoflove, who was a 40/1 shot fifth in a novice hurdle on debut and should improve here.
Race two of the afternoon should go the way of Soldante, who scored an excellent third at Cheltenham on his last run in early December and holds claims to go two spots better here, while My Gaffer also has good form in the book with a decent tenth in a 23-runner handicap hurdle at Leopardstown on his last run.
The third race on the card 1.45 sees course and distance winner Kalanisi Dubh return to Down Royal off the best win of career to date, landing a 15-runner handicap at Clonmel in early December. Timeless Piece can push him close at Down Royal, who is yet to score over hurdles but is dropped into handicap company for the first time for the Elliott yard.
The midway point of the Tuesday card is reached at 2.20, with a 2m1f handicap hurdle for horses rated between 80 and 95, where the selection is Cramers Valley after a solid showing second at Naas on his last run.
Ask Anything, for top trainer Gavin Cromwell, should have the run of things in race five (2.55), a course winner at Down Royal when last seen on the track on Boxing Day, while race six (3.30) looks a straight fight between Navan winner St Denis’s Well and Monoxide.
The finale is an eight runner handicap chase at 4.00 and the selection here is Positive Thinker, who has two wins from six runs this season and also a creditable second in a Limerick handicap when last seen 38 days ago.
Down Royal selections – Tuesday (via Cheltenham Betting Odds)
12.40 – Staffordshire Knot
1.10 – Soldante
1.45 – Kalanisi Dubh
2.20 – Cramers Valley
2.55 – Ask Anything
3.30 – St Denis’s Well
4.00 – Positive Thinker
