A tremendous money-spinner for Ado McGuinness and Dooley Thoroughbreds, Saltonstall should book his ticket to Saudi Arabia by landing tonight’s Hollywoodbets Horse Racing Race in Dundalk.
McGuinness is sending Harry’s Bar for the $1.5 million Saudi Arabia Airlines Dirt Sprint (six furlongs) next week.
And, if things go well tonight, Saltonstall will also be on the plane to Riyadh, for a $1 million conditions event while another McGuinness inmate, Bowerman, will be heading for Doha for a Group 2 event over a mile (on February 19).
A battle-hardened six-year-old, Saltonstall is bidding for a four-timer here having scored at Limerick (in October), Naas (the listed Glencairn Stakes, in November) and in a one-mile conditions event here in November.
To be ridden tonight by 7lb claimer Cian MacRedmond, Saltonstall has never won over tonight’s trip – an extended mile and a quarter.
Having won back-to-back renewals of the Colm Quinn BMW Mile at Galway over an extended mile up the Ballybrit hill, he has every chance of seeing it out on this surface.
Rated 111, Saltonstall looks a cut above his four rivals and is expected to outpoint the Jim Bolger-trained Bold Approach.
The Eddie Lynam-trained Major Power, a course and distance winner last February, returned after a 10-month break to run a cracker against the progressive Whatharm recently and has excellent prospects in the featured Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap.
The Fozzy Stack-trained 82-rated Blue Cabochon will be expected to shed her maiden tag in the opening five-furlong event.
And Joseph O’Brien has double prospects with Melliferous and Devil’s Outlaw in the other maiden action.
Peter O’Hehir's tips
4.00.Blue Cabochon
4.30.Melliferous (Nap)
5.00.Top Line Tommy
5.30.Saltonstall
6.00.Major Power
6.30.Amazing One
7.00.Sideshow Bob
7.30.Devil’s Outlaw
Next Best
4.00.Brother In Law
4.30.S’all Good Man
5.00.Laura Bullion
5.30.Bold Approach
6.00.Bobby K
6.30.Masalai
7.00.Ranger Bob
7.30.Benavente
Double : Melliferous and Major Power.
O’Hehir’s Longshot : Herculaneum (5.00.)
