Bucket To Shake It Out At Tipperary

A winner on Friday night set up what could be a good weekend for trainer Niall Madden who looks to have strong chances at Tipperary’s all jump card on Sunday.

Boots and Slippers to double up
Shake The Bucket will have his 91st start on the track this afternoon and the admirable 10-year-old can add a 13th win on the track in the Packie Downey Memorial Chase.

Shake The Bucket’s last win came on the all-weather at Dundalk back in September but he was unlucky not to add to that at both Kilbeggan and Wexford on his last two starts but it should be third time lucky over fences for him this season despite the burden of top weight.

A top of the ground horse, the only concern would be if the Munster track got too much rain,

but he’ll have the best of the ground on the chase track and it shouldn’t be an issue.

Half an hour later, the Maddens will give a chase debut to the rapidly improving Pass The Ball. An emphatic winner the last day, Pass The Ball absolutely bolted up at Tipperary off a mark of 85 and was given a massive 16lbs hike by the handicapper afterwards.

The conditions of this beginners chase is for horses who had a hurdle rating of 102 or less so he sneaks in under those rules and should continue his winning ways.

Pass The Ball is a three-time winner in point-to-points this season so he is well primed for an assault at the bigger obstacles and he ticks an awful lot of boxes here.

O’Brien run to continue
Joseph O’Brien has some good chances at Tipperary with Persistent in the handicap hurdle and Themistocles in the bumper, but his best chance of a winner on Sunday would look to be Boragh Steps in the six-furlong auction maiden at Fairyhouse.

The daughter of Footstepsinthesand made an encouraging debut at the Curragh last weekend finishing third behind Dawn Delivers and his father’s Magical and that looked encouraging enough to suggest she can take a maiden of this calibre.

One at a bigger price at Fairyhouse is Adrian Keatley’s Mo Henry. A two-length winner at Naas last time when Keatley’s horses were just coming back to form, Mo Henry is in here with top weight but Danny Sheehy again claim a valuable 7lbs and at 7/1 he is worth taking a chance with over the hat-trick seeking Tom Dooley who appears again looking for a third win in 12 days.

Recommended Bets:
Boragh Steps (8/13) – 2:25 Fairyhouse
Shake The Bucket (10/3) – 3:35 Tipperary
Pass The Ball (Evens) – 4:05 Tipperary

*Prices correct at time of publication