Alan Thomson’s Tips: Hibou in a hurry at Curragh

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PUNTERS who followed me had a handful of winners yesterday with 14-1 Nakeeta the best of the bunch.

Here are my Sunday tips and let's hope for some more success.

Punters who jumped aboard the Iain Jardine bandwagon have been travelling first class lately and the Carrutherstown trainer casts his net at the Curragh this afternoon with HIBOU (4.20) in the 30-runner Irish Cambridgeshire.

The gelding caught my eye shortly after he arrived at Scobie's yard from Charlie Appleby and has been a welcome source of income on a few occasions in the past two seasons.

Hibou is something of an enigma and can throw in the odd wobbly but there has been absolutely nothing wrong with his attitude recently. He was sent off a 16-1 shot for a good Class 2 handicap at Hamilton (soft) last month and after being niggled along four out, and looking to be going nowhere, Hibou engaged turbo charge under David Nolan's urgings to catch Mark Johnston's useful Masham Star.

Jardine then sent him across the Irish Sea to run in an ultra-competitive handicap at the Galway festival and Hibou found only Willie Mullins's handicap snip Riven Light too strong at the finish.

Brian Ellison's Dream Walker was held in third and is now 1lb worse off with Hibou. Dream Walker had the worse of the draw at Galway, however, so it could be another close call, with Hibou preferred.

With 30 runners, surely he’ll get his favoured fast pace to attack late and although last night's early 12-1 has been gobbled up there is still a bit of value in his current price.

Back on home shores there is an excellent card at Goodwood which features an interesting Group 3.

Bookmakers make course and distance winner Dutch Connection a short-priced jolly and there is no doubting he is the class act in the race following a sound effort in sixth behind Adian O'Brien's three-year-old Spirit Of Valour at the Curragh.

On his only other start this season, Dutch Connection ran sixth to Ribchester in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. Charlie Hills's gelding boasts a course and distance victory over Home Of The Brave in last year’s Lennox Stakes and the prevailing quick ground is ideal.

Despite all those positives the suspicion remains that Dutch Connection is not quite firing on all cylinders, although that could well change today now dropped in grade.

A three-year-old filly won this event 12 months ago and TOMYRIS (4.30) may be the better each-way option.

She gets the sex allowance and hasn't fared too badly in useful company this season, running third to Al Jazi and Eternally on unsuitable soft ground at Glorious Goodwood.

Tomyris didn't stay a mile when sixth to Winter in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and Roger Varian's filly remains open to improvement back down in trip.

There is a cracking Class 2 three-year-old handicap on the undercard and ANYTHINGTODAY (3.20) may be the answer to a real brain-teaser.

Josephine Gordon found herself trapped behind two weakening rivals at Newmarket and Anythingtoday lost much of his momentum having to switch wide. It wasn’t a bad run (third) under his 6lb penalty for an emphatic Bath victory and although there are reservations over this much quicker ground, Hugo Palmer’s gelding looks overpriced around 15-2 in places.

Roger Charlton's Eynhallow was impressive when accounting for Buzz at Sandown in July but looked a bit one-paced when failing to match strides with Silver Ghost on a return trip to the Esher track. Perhaps the softer ground didn’t suit and he could be better served by today’s underfoot conditions (official going description is now good, good to firm in places).

I wouldn’t dream of talking you off any of the other runners in a fascinating and very open affair. Whatever happens, future winners will come out of this contest.

BELIEVE IT (3.55) has a big chance in the amateur riders' handicap if his suspect stamina holds out. Believe It is a prolific winner on the all-weather at Kempton, usually at around a mile, but Richard Hughes steps him up to 1m 2f under top weight. Believe It proved he was no back number on turf by posting a fine effort in defeat at Brighton last time and his bold front-running style could have this field under the cosh early in the straight.

It will then be a case of trying to hold on under his competent rider, who has ridden two winners for Nicky Henderson over jumps recently.

Stanley finished third in this race last year, ahead of today's rivals Wordismybond (fourth), The Gay Cavalier (sixth) and Victor's Bet (seventh). There is no reason why he won't confirm those placings.

Biotic finds it hard to win but is very consistent. He finished just behind a trio of three-year-olds at Salisbury 11 days ago, conceding weight, and that will have teed him up nicely for today. I think he'll run well.

Recommended bets

• Curragh (4.20) – Hibou ew (8-1, sportingbet)
• Goodwood (3.20) – Anythingtoday ew (8-1, McBookie)
• Goodwood (3.55) – Believe It (3-1, McBookie)
• Goodwood (4.30) – Tomyris ew (5-1, bet365)

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