Mystic Unicorn and Iron Fist were the two sharpest movers in the bookmaker markets on Tuesday morning, each attracting sustained support across the board.
Mystic Unicorn heads to Southwell after three runs in restricted maiden company, while Iron Fist returns to yielding ground at Listowel with Shane Foley aboard for Jessica Harrington. Their recent form lines are different, but both have enough in their records to explain why punters may have looked again.
Iron Fist — 17/2 from 25/1 @ Listowel, 15:32
Iron Fist’s price has shortened from 25/1 all the way down to 17/2 ahead of the third day of Listowel’s Harvest Festival meeting. He contests the 3.32 for Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley.
The four-year-old gelding contests the Listed mile on yielding turf. He is drawn in stall two, with Foley riding for Harrington. His record thus far includes wins at Killarney over 1m on soft ground and at Clonmel over 1m1 1/2f on yielding-to-soft ground. He was also third in a Curragh Premier Handicap over 1m2f in May.
Those turf performances with ease in the ground are plausible context for the interest ahead of a yielding-ground Listowel race. Meanwhile, Foley and Harrington have five wins and 22 placed runs from 65 Listowel flat runners together; their most recent Listowel win came the previous day. They are an established local pairing.
Trainer & Jockey recent & course form
• Trainer: Jessica Harrington
• Recent: 39 runs · 5 wins · 14 placed · 12.82% win rate
• Listowel: 121 runs · 12 wins · 44 placed · 9.92% win rate
• Jockey: Shane Foley
• Recent: 38 runs · 6 wins · 15 placed · 15.79% win rate
• Listowel: 234 runs · 23 wins · 78 placed · 9.83% win rate
• Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley combined
• Previous fortnight: 27 flat runners together · 5 wins · 11 placed · 18.52% win rate
• Listowel flat record: 65 runners together · 5 wins · 22 placed · 7.69% win rate
• This Listowel meeting: 4 runners together · 2 wins · 3 placed, including wins with Storm Ready and The Austrian on Sunday.
Mystic Unicorn — 11/1 from 25/1 @ Southwell, 18:00
Mystic Unicorn also started at an opening price of 25/1, but has seen her price drop to 11/1 for the evening meeting at Southwell.
The two-year-old filly runs in a Class 4 restricted maiden over 7f on standard Tapeta, drawn two, with Darragh Keenan riding for Michael Keady. Her three recorded starts have all been in restricted Class 4 company.
There is a possible all-weather angle at play. Mystic Unicorn finished fifth at Lingfield on her second start, beaten four and three-quarter lengths over 6f, and then finished fifth again at Yarmouth over 7f. The return to an artificial surface and a similar trip may have prompted fresh market attention.
Trainer & Jockey recent & course form
• Trainer: Michael Keady
• Recent: 11 runs · 1 win · 2 placed · 9.09% win rate
• Southwell: 37 runs · 2 wins · 10 placed · 5.41% win rate
• Jockey: Darragh Keenan
• Recent: 29 runs · 1 win · 3 placed · 3.45% win rate
• Southwell: 314 runs · 29 wins · 69 placed · 9.24% win rate
• Michael Keady and Darragh Keenan combined
• Previous fortnight: 4 flat runners together · 0 wins · 0 placed
• Southwell flat record: 6 runners together · 0 wins · 0 placed
• Recent rides together came at Yarmouth, Lingfield and Leicester.