Knockaire Stakes Tips & Betting Preview

Race Time: 2.20pm Meeting: Leopardstown Day: Sunday 25th October
Distance: 7f Full Race Name:  Bet Online At thetote.com Knockaire Stakes (Listed Race)

Some interesting horses are all set to go to post for this seven furlong Listed race headed by David “Dandy” Nicholls’ Sovereign Debt (4/1) complete with the interesting jockey booking of Chris Hayes to do the steering. An ultra consistent sort (and this each way option), the six year old has finished in the first three home in his last six races, and eleven of his last twelve so he clearly owes both supporters and connections nothing by now. Last time out he was runner up to Energia Davos in the Group Three Darley Stakes at Newmarket so today represents a small drop in class, but he does have to give weight away and may struggle to win.

Tested (9/4) just about comes out best at the weights according to my poor maths,  and representing the tried and trusted team of Pat Smullen riding for Dermot Weld, he may well start off favourite. He was disqualified after beating Sovereign Debt (see above) by a shot head but meets that rival on five pounds better terms today and ought to win quite comfortably, especially if the first time blinkers have the desired effect and keep him on the straight and narrow.

Seven furlongs is a specialist distance in our view making course and distance winners worthy of a second look, and when they are trained by Jim Bolger, possibly a third! Steip Amach (7/1) is his number one contender judged on jockey bookings and he is the only CD winner in the eight strong field, though to be fair that was exactly exactly a year ago to the day. Last time out he was third to (you guessed it) Tested and Sovereign Debt, beaten close to two lengths at the post, and as he is only two pounds better off with the disqualified winner, there is no real reason why he should reverse that form, and a place may be the best he can really hope for.

Naturally on home soil Aidan O’Brien is represented and assuming Joseph O’Brien had the choice, then The Happy Prince (100/3) is the Ballydoyle number one. Amusingly, he was fourth in the same race behind Tested, Sovereign Debt, and Steip Amach at Tipperary and then beaten over six furlongs at The Curragh and is clearly one of the stable’s lesser lights and is one we can easily oppose at the weights today. A son of Rip Van Winkle, he is bred to be better than that but then again. It’s an inexact science and he seems sure to be over bet when you consider his all-powerful connections.

To end with, official ratings may not point to the chances of Iveagh Gardens (12/1) but we have always liked the four year old filly who is lightly raced and thus open to further improvement. Admittedly she has not been seen since May when she beat subsequent Champion Stakes runner up Found two lengths on heavy going, and although we are not naive enough to take that at face value, it ought to be more than good enough to win this IF she is fully fit after over five months off the track of course.