29-Dec-2008

As long as Give It Time has recovered from her exertions in the Tara Hurdle at Navan two weeks ago, she should go close to winning this. It is not ideal that she has to concede 6lb to main danger Pomme Tiepy, but she is a classy mare, as she proved when she travelled better than anything down to the second last in the Lismullen Hurdle, before being out-gunned by top class geldings. She will be more at home back against her own gender today, and the better ground will be in her favour. She went off far too fast in the ground in the Tara Hurdle. She should be much better ridden with more restraint today.

Ruby Walsh probably didn’t go fast enough on Pomme Tiepy when she got beaten in a three-mile contest at Cork on the same day as the Tara Hurdle, and he is unlikely to make that mistake today back down at two and a half, so Give It Time is probably going to have to be at the top of her game to beat her. But Jessica Harrington’s mare remains most progressive, and she is the most likely winner of the race in my book as long as she has recovered from that hard race at Navan. At 3/1 the chance is worth taking.

GIVE IT TIME WON (SP 3/1)

29th December, 2008