BEST of the BETS

5:15 Downpatrick - The Trigger has been in fine form, winning 4 races last month, first one over fences then three over hurdles, back over fences now, I think he will be thereabouts but feel the handicapper may have finally caught up with him so at price of 6/5 I am going to oppose him. I have taken a small chance on his stablemate DA BABA ELEPHANT (8/1), selection hasn’t won for nearly 2 years and all 5 of his wins have come when favourite but he looks a good each way option in this. He finished 8 1/2 lengths behind The Trigger here in March over half a mile shorter but is 10 lbs better off today, and is entitled to finish much closer especially with the longer trip to suit (has won at up to 3 mile 1).

Liam Lennon also runs two, including the 2nd favourite Maureen’s Star, her 2nd over c&d off 80 last year gives her some chance but she has since been well beaten off lower marks here and is fully exposed, it’s his 2nd runner Pegase Amour that may be of more interest. He is still a maiden but has only 11 runs (only 4 over fences), well beaten over hurdles on reappearance and he needs to improve a lot as his earlier form is nothing to get excited about (one 2nd place over fences came in a very poor race), but I can’t completely rule him out because of the low mileage. And interestingly, his half-brother was also trained by Lennon and he got his first win on 11th start when well backed winner of a handicap chase here at Downpatrick over shorter, so I am having a saver on him just in case. Of others, Mlily may do a bit better now chasing but she really needs to as she is a 23 race maiden.

Selection - small e/w on Da Baba Elephant @ 8/1, saver on Pegase Amour @ 14/1

Good luck.