Weekend NAP - March 1st

Leopardstown 3.25 - Romarca

Last Week: An Cathaoir Mor, WON @ 2/1

Season to date: +2.25

It seems that everyone is talking about the post-racing gallops at Leopardstown tomorrow but my own interest is on the seven races taking place beforehand, all of which have winners to be backed in them and all of which are much less competitive than the action from Prestbury Park on Tuesday week.
The 15-runner handicap hurdle is a lot less competitive than the field size suggests and Romarca looks the value at a tissue price of around 7/1. Her overall profile of 1 win from 17 starts isn't convincing but it masks the fact that she's run screamers in her 3 runs at Leopardstown - a 16/1 second to the decent Raise Your Heart on the flat in July 2007, a 50/1 fifth (promoted to fourth) behind the classy pair River Liane and Made In Taipan at this meeting last year and an excellent second at the same price to Savitha on Hennessy Day. That race has already worked out well - the fifth and sixth chased home the well-handicapped An Cathaoir Mor last weekend, pulling 21ls clear of the fourth while tenth won a decent event at Fairyhouse last Saturday - and given the zeal with which Romarca travelled that day, the return to the minimum trip has to be a positive. This will be just her third run in a handicap so she's still open to improvement, and there's every chance she'll come on for what was her first run in two and a half months last time.
In the other big handicap, the Mick Holly, Major Sensation looks a solid favourite. This has been a strong race for trends followers down the years and he looks a perfect fit, being an unexposed,Arthur Moore-trained runner (3 wins in the last 10 renewals) with course form and rated between 110 and 120. He ran a cracker when the handbrake was let off for the first time over fences last time and while his stamina over the trip is an issue, he's a half-brother to stayers Mini Sensation and Shotgun Willy.
Phoenix Run is also worth a few quid in the opening maiden. The 2m6f trip appeared to catch him out last time and he will enjoy this drop in distance and he travels much better in his races than his market rivals Qualviro and Uimhiraceathair. Mask Of Darkness could be on his 'job' but this looks much tougher than the Chepstow race he was third in last time.