Ireland today

Irish racing continues to be badly affected by the very wet weather and today´s Sligo meeting has been abandoned. There is however N.H. racing at Tralee, the second day of a 3 -day meeting which replaces the Tralee festival which also had to be abandoned a month ago. That meeting was billed as the last ever at Tralee as the land has been sold for development, but the situation now seems unclear as the local authority has not approved the plans. The most interesting race today is the 2 1/2 mile handicap chase at 18.05 CET, in which Macs Flamingo (Pat Fahy / Barry Geraghty) can possibly repeat his 2007 victory. He holds Emotional Article (Tom Taaffe/ I.J.McCarthy) - runner-up then, but now worse off at the weights - on that form, and also Dom Fontenail (Martin Brassil/ Ruby Walsh) on Galway running. The handicap hurdle at 17.30 over the same trip also looks very open, with several last-time-out winners, including Cool Running (Christy Roche/ Alan Crowe), who still appears to be on a lenient handicap mark.

Betting forecast:
1.Race: Mel Del - Courting Shinney - Ladbrokes Lad
2.Race: Nell`S Oscar - Cruising Katie - Dunroe Lady
3.Race: Conem - Lucky At Last - Cool Running
4.Race: Dom Fontenail - Dashing George - No Full
5.Race: Leanne - Merveilles - Loup Du Saubouas
6.Race: Clan Tara - East Beach - Howistheform
7.Race: Mister Top Notch - Pires - Prince Erik