Wexford Races: Preview and tips for Saturday’s bumper eight-race card

Racing returns to the track at Wexford this weekend with an eight-race Summer jumps card for punters heading to the track on Saturday…

The card gets underway at 1.40 with a mares’ maiden hurdle over the 2m4f trip before rounding off in the early evening at 5.45 with the bumper – a Flat race ran over Jumps rules.

The opener (1.40) sees top jockey Rachael Blackmore get the ride on Time For Tea, who arrives at Wexford with the best form of any of the 17 runners based off her fourth of nine in a Down Royal novice hurdle contest last December but will need to shrug off a disappointing effort at Fairyhouse following that up. Of her rivals, Gordon Elliott’s Pallas Athene is worth watching brief in much calmer waters here with cheekpieces on for the first time.

Race two (2.15) is another big field of 17, this time for a mares’ handicap hurdle over the 2m4f distance. Lovely Reaction, trained by Thomas Mullins, is very much in the frame having won a hurdle race at Leopardstown in March and followed up with a third of seven at Cork six weeks ago. Kiltealy Park rates as the main danger, a winner at Wexford at the track’s last meeting and makes his debut in handicaps this time around.

Diamond Dollar can show he is much more capable than when disappointing at Limerick last time out when heading to post for race three on the Wexford card (2.50) for trainer Charles Byrnes in the 2m1f handicap hurdle. Chosen Shant is still a maiden after 22 runs under rules but a good third in a Naas handicap last month was a big improvement and could be right up there once again.

The midway point of the Saturday card at Wexford arrives with the 2m1f handicap hurdle in division two at 3.25 and can go the way of the Eric Larkin-trained Depeche Mo, who needs to bounce back from a ninth-placed finish over fences at Tramore last time out, reverting back to hurdles here. Junot heads the dangers with cheekpieces on for the first time and heading over obstacles for the first time as well off the back of an eighth of 14 in a Gowran Park handicap last time out.

Another runner switching to hurdles is Western Zara, who should be right up there in race five on the card (4.00) in the three-mile handicap hurdle for trainer Paul Nolan. Themanintheboots can be there or thereabouts as well for trainer Gordon Elliott, twice a winner last season and third last time out at this course and another Nolan runner, Tranquil Sea, is trending in the right direction off the back of a decent second at Wexford’s last meeting.

The Elliott-trained Magic Tricks looks the one to beat in race six (4.35) as seven runners take on the two-mile novice chase with Elliott’s eight-year-old arriving fresh off a fine win at Down Royal on May 6, while race seven (5.10) is slightly more competitive, with preference for veteran Seangoell, who has two seconds in his last three starts.

The eight-race card comes to a close with the bumper at 5.45 over the two mile trip and the selection is for Dermot McLoughlin’s Amanha second over course and distance last month and can go one better this time. Powerhouse retainer Willie Mullins, who is always worth backing in a card-ending bumper, has Lady Gooner in this one but needs to vastly improve from a ninth of ten finish at Limerick in April to be in with a shout.

Wexford selections – Saturday (via horse racing odds)

1.40 – Time For Tea

2.15 – Lovely Reaction

2.50 – Diamond Dollar

3.25 – Depeche Mo

4.00 – Western Zara

4.35 – Magic Tricks

5.10 – Seangoell

5.45 – Amanha