Helorhiwater may be worth a flutter

It's a pretty ordinary eightrace card at Clonmel this afternoon but with Helorhiwater running in the Mountain Handicap something very out of the ordinary may yet happen.

The mare is hardly an exceptional talent but she and her apprentice rider Shane Kelly, 19, put in an exceptional show when winning at Ballinrobe last Thursday.

Starting at 10 to 1 for a 0-60 handicap, Helorhiwater's chance appeared to have gone before the half way mark when Kelly's saddle slipped. Remarkably, though, Kelly managed to keep the partnership intact to such an extent that with him clinging to the mare's neck, Helorhiwater galloped on to beat Clashbeg by three parts of a length.

Helorhiwater again tackles two miles but today's race is a 0-75. That brings in a number of decent animals, at their best, including Weld's old favourite Treble Bob. This teak tough little gelding was a fine novice hurdler, running third in a Sun Alliance and winning at Punchestown, but hasn't reproduced that since.

He ran quite sweetly, though, in Cheltenham's Coral Cup and was a very decent flat handicapper when his wins included the Leopardstown November Handicap. Jockey Pat Smullen will earn his fee but considering Helorhiwater won despite the circumstances last time, she looks certain to go close if there are no dramatic repeats.

Another apprentice in the news at Ballinrobe last week was Steven Curtis, 15, who won the second race of his career on Back To Bavaria swooping late to beat The Director. Curtis carried 6lbs overweight then and Back To Bavaria gave every indication of appreciating the extra furlong she gets in today's Nenagh Handicap. A more slimline Curtis is likely too.

In the opener, the Templemore Maiden, the John Oxx-trained Sadlers Wells gelding Colombian Green should like the two-mile trip. He looked to have a race at Cork won on his seasonal debut but wandered and could only manage a third to Iron County Xmas. Colombian Green should improve for that run.