Elementary, Watson? No!

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Jan 18, 2009 | by Paddy Power

ALL eyes will be on Fairyhouse this afternoon with the big race of the day the Normans Grove Chase.

While not quite fielding the cream of the crop, this two-mile Grade 2 chase has nevertheless attracted a small but select field of just below top-class two milers.

The head of the market will be dominated by Watson Lake, Thyne Again, Scotsirish and Mansony with my money likely to be behind Thyne Again to make the necessary improvement for a win.

Even though Thyne Again had an interrupted preparation before his third place in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase and the trainer said he would improve for that.

Watson Lake has shown the best form this season.

The Paul Carberry ridden horse will prove popular on the back of his Fortria Chase win at Navan and his close second in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown's Christmas festival.

Ruby Walsh's mount Scotsirish won the Hilly Way Chase at Cork before Christmas impressively but this is a step up in grade again.

Mansony has not looked the horse of old recently and looks held by Watson Lake on their form against each other this season.

Half an hour before that, ten will go to post for the novice hurdle where we'llbe expecting the winner to come from either Copsiano or Clan Tara.

Copsiano receives a 5lb allowance from Clan Tara which will make him attractive to punters, especially as he should be fresh having not run since finishing second to Robin Du Bois at Cork in November.

Although that form has not been boosted since.

In contrast, the lightly raced Clan Tara improves with every run and has the pick of the form with his third place behind Mikael D'Haguenet at Naas two weeks ago.

If he has sufficiently recovered from that run he should prove too good for Copsiano.