Downpatrick Racecourse: preview and tips for Friday’s seven-race Summer Jumps card
The Summer Jumping season continues apace at Downpatrick on Friday with a seven-race offering for punters heading to the track.
The action kicks off at 4.50pm with a two-mile and five furlong maiden hurdle for horses aged five and older before coming to a close at 8.17pm as a field of 13 take on the two mile and a furlong bumper.
Read below for the full preview and selections for each race on the Downpatrick card on Friday courtesy of BoyleSports, who offer the latestxa0horse racing odds.xa0
The opening contest on the card sees a field nine take on the maiden hurdle over the two-mile and five furlong trip (4.50). Penny Express, who is bred well and trained by Gordon Elliott, gets the nod in the opener off the back of a fourth in a Tramore novice hurdle last time out and this step up in trip should suit.xa0
13 runners will tackle race two on the card at 5.25, another two-mile and five furlong contest, this time a 0-100 rated handicap hurdle. This race represents a great chance for the Gavin Cromwell-trained Sights Unseen to get off the mark, having posted a very good effort when fourth in a two-mile handicap at Clonmel last time out.
Butchers Bill is a low-mileage five-year-old and represents the main danger for the Elliott yard, a respectable sixth of 17 in a Naas handicap hurdle 36 days ago.xa0
Race three on the Downpatrick card (5.57) is a seven-runner maiden hurdle for horses aged four and older which can go the way of Sea Of Doubt for the Ian Donoghue team, who didn’t show much in bumpers but has looked progressive since being sent over hurdles, culminating in an excellent second in a Tramore novice contest 26 days ago so is taken to go one better here and get off the mark.
Queenofthelodge looks the way to go in race four on the card (6.32), another runner who was a very good second last time out at Clonmel and can go a place better at Downpatrick. Of her rivals, Letters To Juliet is taken to follow the selection home off the back of a career-best win in a Bellewstown handicap hurdle last time out 27 days ago.xa0
Person Of Interest is very much of interest in race five on the card (7.07) as nine runners take on the 0-100 rated handicap chase over two miles and three furlongs, while the penultimate race of the evening (7.42) can bring a second win on the card for the Elliott yard with General Hubble, not suited by the test of stamina when last seen in November when finish fourth but can resume winning ways back at a more suitable trip here.xa0
Finally, the card comes to a close with the 13-runner mares bumper over the two-mile and a furlong distance, with preference in the finale heading the way of Kenisa Sport, a twice-raced maiden that was vastly improved when second in a bumper at Down Royal a couple of months ago.xa0
Downpatrick selections – Friday
4.50 – Penny Express
5.25 – Sights Unseen
5.57 – Sea Of Doubt
6.32 – Queenofthelodge
7.07 – Person Of Interest
7.42 – General Hubble
8.17 – Kenisa Sport.
