8.20pm Roscommon Tips & Betting Preview 12/06/2017

Heavy ground is likely to make this three mile trip into a proper test despite the sharp track. Read on for our experts runner by runner guide and tip for the race.

IN SUMMARY: Auvergnet was impressive in the Killarney National, winning comfortably from a mark of 118. Another nine pounds up the weights shouldn’t stop him, but he does throw in the odd poor run and for all that he is the right favourite, he is short enough. Whatareudoingtome in owner JP McManus’ second colours would also have a solid chance if he is able to straighten up his jumping while Static Jack is open to more improvement than the majority of these. One who looks well overpriced is DEFINITE SOLDIER who won at Wexford last season, in a race which has worked out well. The track should suit his front running style and 20/1 looks far too big.

1 KANSAS CITY CHIEF – Runner up behind Auvergnet in the Killarney National last time, now six pounds better off for a three and a half length beating. Lightly raced for his age, his two best career efforts have come stepped up to this sort of trip, fitted with cheek pieces. He handles soft ground fine although his heavy ground form is poor and he is open to more improvement despite having to carry top weight in this competitive handicap.

2 MOUNTAIN KING – Won on heavy and soft as a novice hurdler for Phillip Hobbs but his two handicap chase wins have both come on much quicker ground, He has run just the once over this trip, well beaten off at Navan last November. He has slipped back to a mark a pound below his most recent winning mark but his unproven stamina is too big a risk to be supporting him on such soft ground.

3 ON FIDDLERS GREEN – Produced a career best when winning at the Galway Festival last July from a mark six pounds lower than this. Won a maiden hurdle on heavy ground at Limerick so the ground needn’t be a concern but his form at three miles has seen just a single decent run from three efforts and that was on good ground, looks to need a considerable step up now.

4 DAMUT – Yet to get in the first three in seven runs over fences, he did finish fourth in a better contest than this at Leopardstown in January. Three of his top four career RPR’s have come on soft/heavy or heavy so he is likely to relish the underfoot conditions. The majority of his best form is around two and a half miles but he has been staying on to decent effect so although he is yet to make an impression over three miles, chances are he can be competitive at it.

5 YES TOM – At his best when the mud is flying, he is without a win over fences since February 2015. He is eight pounds lower for that victory now but at the age of twelve, he looked on the downgrade in 2016 and without a run since July, he looks a very unlikely winner of this contest.

6 AUVERGNET – All five wins have come on deep ground, including when taking the Killarney National last time out. He has been much improved since joining Enda Bolger, primarily over the banks, but on his outing at the Cheltenham Festival, he had the look of one potentially thrown in returned to regulation fences last time. Nine pounds higher now is unlikely to stop him if in the same form again but is short enough for one who has thrown in more than a few abject displays in the past.

7 SMOKEY JOE JOE – Finished a well beaten tenth of eleven in this race last year, though that was run on good to firm. The much softer conditions are certainly in his favour but he has won just the once over three miles and that was in a point to point way back in 2010. His last two wins over two miles six furlongs suggest that he is worth another go at the trip but he is still four pounds higher than his most recent win and he is thoroughly exposed.

8 NET D’ECOSSE – His sole win in ten starts in Ireland came on soft/heavy ground but that was over two miles. He tried his hand at this trip at Fairyhouse in April where he looked to be a non stayer. He is lightly raced and open to better but this is going to test his stamina and that weakness looks too big a negative to be able to support him.

9 BEARLY LEGAL – Eleven year old is still three pounds above his most recent winning mark in January 2016. Soft ground is no concern and he has won over three miles when scoring in a point to point. Hasn’t been seen since March but has run respectably off the back of a break in the past and although he is an unlikely win option, he can be given an each way squeak.

10 STATIC JACK – Very lightly raced with just nine starts under rules, a winner both on soft ground and over three miles already in his career. Only a six year old, he looks a staying chaser for the future, getting tapped for toe after making a mistake at Down Royal last time. He has run just the once in a handicap, pulled up from a mark of 113. He has a ten pound higher mark to contend with here which naturally makes life tougher but he has far more potential than the majority of these.

11 GEORGES CONN – Just a solitary win to his name from twenty six starts, with seven runner up efforts and eight thirds adding to the impression that he is a difficult customer. The trip and ground won’t be any problem, running a sound third under these conditions behind Auvergnet and Kansas City Chief at Killarney last time. A two pound rise for that doesn’t make life easy for him but he boasts his usual each way chance.

12 AURORA BELL – Hasn’t won since April 2015, just clinging on to land a Fairyhouse handicap by a short head. He is still four pounds higher than on that occasion but has no issues with the ground or with his stamina. He wasn’t really in the hunt on any of his three starts last season but was sent off favourite in two of them so would appear to be thought capable of better.

13 WHATAREUDOINGTOME – Has fallen or unseated on three of his last six starts so his ability to jump round has to be a significant concern. He won two starts ago over three miles and five furlongs at Fairyhouse on good ground so there are no concerns over his stamina. Wins on soft and heavy show conditions will also be no hindrance to him, and if he is able to jump round, should be in the firing line but that is a big if.

14 CURRAGH GOLAN – Returned from a break to land a Down Royal handicap in May. That was on good ground as the majority of his better form has been. He stays better as he has got older, scoring at Listowel last September over three miles but at the age of twelve off a career high mark, it would be a surprise to see him home in front.

15 CAROLE ROSE – Landed a course and distance handicap by a nose in May, pushed up three pounds for that effort. She scored on soft ground at Limerick in April and the combination of this trip and ground could allow her to defy this new mark. Still only seven years of age and in a deeper contest than she is used to would make it look a tough ask but a place at 20/1 wouldn’t be the biggest surprise.

16 DEFINITE SOLDIER – Bold front runner is five pounds higher than his last win but his prominent tactics should be a big plus round this track. His three career wins all came on good ground but he has placed on soft, including last time over hurdles at Killarney. The form of his Wexford win last season could hardly have worked out better, runner up Abolitionist now eighteen pounds higher in the weights and third, Kings Wharf, eleven pounds superior now. If he can produce a similar effort, a price of 20/1 is far too big.