With Clonmel now just a month away we’ve reached the business end of the season and the North Cork Cup in Millstreet could go a long way towards deciding just who lines up in Powerstown Park in the Champion Stakes and the Champion Bitch Stake.
North Cork Cup– Draw and Betting
Colossal Impact- 6/1
Son Of Steel- 10/1
Jonnie One- 6/1
Austerity- 6/1
Skellig Eoin- 3/1
Cracking Lord- 6/1
Lahard Leader- 8/1
Storming- 4/1
Chetwynd Amy- 10/1
Lochbo Zola- 4/1
Shanavulin Eva- 10/1
Chow Chow- 6/1
Jeru Melody- 4/1
Come On Bella- 10/1
Oilean Smile- 10/1
Notgivetopaddy- 8/1
Front Runners
Leading the betting at the minute is Skellig Eoin and he looks like he’ll feature in Clonmel at the minute given that he currently occupies the 9th spot in the table. Eoin began the season in good form winning the Morrissey Cup in Cashel and beating his first round opponent Cracking Lord in the semi-final in the process. He then claimed the Cup in Freshford with Go Home Hare withdrawn from the final following his fatal injury. Eoin’s form has dipped a little since however losing in the opening round in Doon to Make Peace and in Roscommon to Last Emperor. He’s the 3-1 favourite here but could face some stiff opposition.
In his quarter Storming looks like the most pressing danger having improved markedly this season to the point where he reached the semi-final in Glanworth only to be beaten by Cuddly Man. The son of March Is On and Beautiful Smile won a duffer in Kilflynn to start the season and reached a semi-final in Galway and Oranmore on his second outing losing to Last Emperor. He could prove a handful here but has a tricky opening round himself against Lahard Leader who had reached the semi-final in Lixnaw.
Austerity won the Cup in Charleville and has a live chance in the top quarter of the draw but he meets Jonnie One who has found some form of late. After reaching the third round in Abbeydorney he reached the final in Ardpatrick and comes in here on an upward curve.
The bottom half features two ladies desperate for points to see them into the Grace Bruton Champion Bitch Stake. Both Chow Chow and Lochbo Zola need at least two points to give themselves any chance of competing in Powerstown as they come in here on 6 points. Chow Chow was a winner in Ballyheigue before reaching the final in Doon. She’s been in good form this season and will take some beating. Lochbo Zola lost out to Duchess in the final in Glin before winning again in Charleville.
Their main challenge in the bottom half looks to be Jeru Melody who was competing well in her last outing in South Clare last week before losing out to Fives Treasure in the semi-final. A similar performance will certainly put her in contention here.
The Crooked Slipper 