Our Conor

9th-Feb-2013

I think that the betting is a little wrong here, I don’t think that there is as much between the top three as the betting suggests, and I am backing Our Conor at 9/2 or 4/1.

An 84-rated horse on the flat, Our Conor was most impressive in winning on his hurdling debut at Navan in November, and he followed up with a thoroughly professional performance to beat Stockton’s Wing in the Grade 3 juvenile hurdle at Fairyhouse on Hatton’s Grace day.

He was due to run in the Grade 2 juvenile hurdle that Blood Cotil won at Leopardstown over Christmas and, if he had, there wouldn’t have been much in the betting between him and Willie Mullins’ horse. He was an 11th hour scratching though, and Blood Cotil went and won the race impressively.

It is on the back of that run that Blood Cotil has been put in shorter than Our Conor for today’s race, and there is no question that he is an exciting juvenile. However, he may not have as much in hand of Our Conor as the market suggests. Even on a line through Stockton’s Wing, beaten two and a half lengths by Our Conor at Fairyhouse, beaten three lengths by Blood Cotil at Leopardstown, there is not much between them.

It may be that the market has been influenced by the fact that Blood Cotil’s race was more recent and more high-profile, and by the fact that he is trained by the all-conquering Willie Mullins. However, Dessie Hughes is a top class trainer too, and he reports Our Conor to be in fine form.

The other Willie Mullins horse, Diakali, may be an even bigger danger than Blood Cotil. He looks like the stable’s number one, and he put up a wholly likeable performance in beating some useful juveniles at Fairyhouse last month. However, this is a big step up in grade and, while he may take it in his stride, he still has to do it.

OUR CONOR WON (ADV 9/2, SP 100/30)

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