Listowel racing tips: Best bets on Saturday, May 31

One of two Saturday offerings comes from Listowel, with a National Hunt card from 14:25-18:00 at the Co Kerry venue as part of their three-day Whit Weekend meeting.  

Enda McElhinney has selections for all of the action at Listowel on Saturday afternoon exclusively for Planet Sport readers. 

Don’t forget to check out the full racecard, results and live odds in Planet Sport’s racing live centre.

Good luck and please gamble responsibly. 

(Please be aware selections could become non-runners after article’s first publication) 

Listowel selections in full:

14:25 Shecouldbeanything

15:00 Syracus Du Houx

15:35 Heroes Rise

16:10 Sainte Baol

16:50 Ceroc

17:25 Sheephaven Flyer

18:00 La Note Verte 

14:25 (Listowel) Shecouldbeanything 

Anna Bunina is approaching two years without a win now and probably best overlooked again despite favourable terms. Gordon Elliott saddles two, with Shecouldbeanything readily preferred under Sam Ewing.

She ran well in Listed company (third) at Killarney last time out and finds a good spot here, back at a track where she was third in a €60k Listed contest at the Harvest Festival in September.

15:00 (Listowel) Syracus Du Houx

Sionnach Eile can build on last month’s hurdles-debut third at Killarney over a similar trip but she was beaten almost 40-lengths there and might find Syracus Du Houx too strong now.

Oliver McKiernan’s gelding is 0-3 hurdling but was fifth behind  the Supreme Novices’ winner Slade Steel at Naas in November first up and finished clear of the rest when second to Gavin Cromwell’s Fenway Park at Punchestown recently. He should oblige.

15:35 (Listowel) Heroes Rise 

Joseph O’Brien’s How About No is a leading contender in this Shay Rooney Opportunity Maiden Hurdle after his jumping-debut second at Killarney recently where he bumped into a promising winner.

Heroes Rise was third at Kilbeggan last month over 2m3f (good), making some good late headway and could make the most of getting 8lb from the aforementioned How About No.

16:10 (Listowel) Sainte Baol

Plenty of these have to prove their well-being. Sainte Baol was a point-to-point winner early last year but has taken time to find her form since joining Gordon Elliott.

Most of her runs have come on heavy going under Rules and last month’s Ballinrobe fourth (2m1f, good to yielding) was more pleasing. She should be suited by the rise in trip now and a mark of 102 looks attainable.

16:50 (Listowel) Ceroc

The Paddy Woods Handicap Hurdle will see last month’s Cork winner Anyway attempting the follow up, while All For Rachel is another last-time-out scorer.

Eddie O’Grady’s Ceroc won at Cork (2m4f, yielding) and Wexford (3m, yielding) in May last year and, after a poor run at Fairyhouse on heavy going in March, went very close at Killarney last time back on this sort of surface. He has sound claims off the back of that.

17:25 (Listowel) Sheephaven Flyer

Ex-Henry de Bromhead inmate Sheephaven Flyer was rather unlucky to unship John Gleeson at Downpatrick eight days ago after they suffered interference in a maiden hunters’ chase when going well.

Emmet Mullins opts for a spin over hurdles here and with Conor Clarke taking a handy 7lb off in the saddle, it could be a rewarding visit to the Kingdom.

18:00 (Listowel) La Note Verte

The Gordon Elliott-trained filly Bective Queen is one to note on debut but preference is for La Note Verte for Willie and Patrick Mullins.

The Australia filly represents top connections and ran well for a long way at Fairyhouse in March in a €60k contest before tiring on testing ground.

The champion trainer had two of the first three home in that race and should have a good handle on what sort of improvement this filly will make on decent ground.