‘This is a rarity’ – Aidan O’Brien runner makes handicap debut off 66 at Killarney

Aidan O’Brien and his all-conquering Ballydoyle yard are the dominant force in Irish Flat racing and there’s no doubt about that. Historically he hasn’t focused too much on handicaps but O’Brien has definitely targeted them more so far this year. His battalions of regally bred horses often attract special interest from the handicapper so the vast majority of his runners don’t qualify for the lesser handicaps.

With that in mind, it could be significant that he runs a handicap debutante at Killarney on Wednesday that has an opening mark of just 66. The horse in questions goes significantly up in trip and could well be one to watch. Check out our free tips page for daily content across British and Irish racing.

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8.20 Killarney

Gleaning has shown very little in her four starts to date and you can certainly see why she’s been allotted a substantially lower opening mark than most of her stablemates. Her best effort to date came on debut at Thurles in October, where she was beaten by just shy of 10 lengths over a mile.

One look at her pedigree will tell you that she should be winning races, especially at this sort of level. It’s noteworthy that her dam is related to some useful sorts, including Ocavango who has gone on to have success as a stallion.

Perhaps the switch to handicaps can bring about a change of fortunes for this filly. It’s too early to give up on her and she’s in receipt of a hefty 12lb allowance here. The substantial step up in trip is also noted, as her previous run came over an extended 1m2f and the extra four furlongs could make a significant difference.

This situation is a rarity and the filly is lightly raced enough to suggest that there’s better to come. Aidan O’Brien is undeniably a genius and if anyone can turn her form around, it would be him.

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