Clonmel Horses to Follow on Tuesday: 'Worthy of an each-way bet' The jumps season is back in full swing and on Tuesday Clonmel hosts an eight-race card and here we focus on division one of the competitive William Hill Each Way Extra Challenge Series Handicap Hurdle. Run over 2m31/2f and with soft ground forecast, this handicap will take a bit of getting so it should help to back a horse who is suited by the conditions. A full field of 16 have been declared for Tuesday's race with three reserves waiting in the wings and we have picked out the two most interesting runners to follow. Selection: True Destiny Next Best: Great Island Form on soft ground is of the essence Veteran campaigner True Destiny has raced mostly on decent ground over the course of his career, but the ten-year-old son of Mastercraftsman has plenty of solid form on soft and is worthy of an each-way bet at likely good odds. Noel Kelly's gelding hasn't tasted success since landing a 2m4f handicap hurdle at Sligo in June 2023 off a rating of 95, but he has run some big races in defeat in the meantime and is now 4lb below his last winning mark. Fourth of 17 in a 3m handicap hurdle at Naas back in April, he was sent off favourite when filling the same position at Sligo next time, before a pair of third-placed finishes at both Downpatrick and Perth in the summer. True Destiny came back from a 145-day break when running no sort of race at Downpatrick at the end of last month, but he was very weak in the betting and had an inexperienced rider aboard on the day. With the cobwebs blown off, it would be no surprise to see a much better showing from the selection. There's a chance that he could find one or two too good again but he should offer decent each-way value. Great Island is no back number here Another who is of interest, again at likely good odds, is the Eoin Griffin-trained Great Island, who will be ridden by valuable 7lb claimer Calum Hogan. Just like True Destiny, this nine-year-old hasn't tasted success since 2023 when winning a Gowran handicap hurdle over this sort of trip in the mud from a mark of 90, the exact mark he is running from today. It was a demolition job that day when winning by 16 lengths and he hit the frame off 102 on his next two outings, so if he can recapture that level of form, he is certainly well in here. Clearly, Great Island has had his issues as he has seen the track only three times since Christmas of 2023, but he ran well for a long way when seventh of 21 at Punchestown last month off the back of a lengthy absence. He is likely to build on that promise now and in what is a very open-looking contest, he's another who should offer good each-way value.
