Clonmel, Friday 5 June 2026: Tips and Best Bets

Clonmel, Friday 5 June 2026: Tips and Best Bets

A seven-race card at Clonmel on good ground with light rain threatening to ease things through the afternoon. Three races here stand out for betting purposes, and there are some genuinely interesting angles if you’re willing to look past the market movers. The Epsom Derby kicks off tomorrow at Epsom Downs, so make the most of the jumping action while it lasts this side of the summer break.

7:20 — Bulmers Strawberry & Lime Hurdle (2m3½f)

Selection: King Of Kingsfield — 7/2 (Boyle Sports, Betfred, LiveScore Bet)

Gordon Elliott has been ticking along at 13% over the last 14 days, and while that’s not his sharpest form, he saddles two here and King Of Kingsfield is the more interesting runner at a price. This lad had a solid chasing campaign last season, winning three times from seven starts, and he’s well capable of reverting to hurdles on a mark that is the highest in this field. His hurdles RPR of 142 is comfortably clear of the opposition, and the Spotlight sums it up: he’s in the mix.

The concern is his Newbury and Aintree runs at the back end of the season, both in Grade company, both below his best. Strip those out and focus on what he showed over fences, and you have a horse that arrives here well treated. Good ground suits him fine according to the comment data. At 7/2 in a six-runner field, there’s no each-way case, but as a win bet he represents the value in the race.

Farren Glory at 13/8 is solid enough, a dual hurdle winner including a Grade 1 Royal Bond, and the Ballinrobe run last time was creditable. But the weight-for-age concession that helped him at Ballinrobe is gone here, and he’s likely to want softer ground than today’s good surface. Thecompanysergeant leads the market at 2/1 and has claims on the Ballinrobe form, but that race now looks like it reverses cleanly with conditions level.

5:05 — Bulmers Original Maiden Hurdle (2m½f, 17 runners)

Selection: Whats New — 2/1 (Boyle Sports, Betfred)

Big field, wide-open maiden, but the form figures don’t lie. Whats New has placed in several maiden hurdles stronger than this, and his RPR of 116 is the best in the race by some distance. The Spotlight flags him as “not the most trustworthy individual,” which is a fair warning, but on class alone he ought to dominate this company.

His Killarney run, where Earthwatch finished 6.5 lengths behind him in fourth, reads particularly well when Earthwatch returns here as the second market pick. The Flat form at Gowran last month suggests he’s fit and moving through the summer in decent nick. Andrew Slattery’s yard is running at a modest 7% over the last 14 days, which gives you some pause, but the horse’s figures are simply too good to ignore against this quality of opposition.

John Shinnick rides Johnny Rambo in this race at 33/1, and while his Clonmel course figures are exceptional (19% wins, A/E of 1.84), the horse’s profile doesn’t justify following the jockey stats this time. Whats New at 2/1 is the play, win only.

6:45 — Talbot Hotel Clonmel Maiden Hurdle (2m½f, 15 runners)

Selection: It’s All Clear Each-Way — 5/1 (Boyle Sports, Betfred, LiveScore Bet)

This is the most open race of the night, and the place terms across a 15-runner field at 1/5 the odds make each-way punting attractive. It’s All Clear catches the eye at 5/1 on the back of progressive bumper form. The Spotlight notes he improved markedly at Kilbeggan and here at Clonmel over 2m in bumpers, with the tongue-tie going on for his hurdles debut. Horses that show progressive bumper form at the track they’re returning to on their jumping debut are always worth respect.

The market favourite This Songisforyou at 13/8 has bags of flat ability and the strongest profile on paper, but his jumping has let him down before, including a disappointing run on his second hurdle start back in 2023. He’s been absent from hurdles since and made mistakes when he last tried. At 13/8, you’re laying a lot of faith in that jumping holding together. The value case is firmly with It’s All Clear at the forecast price.

In The Trenches has been placed endlessly without winning in 33 starts and the 2/1 price looks too short for a maiden who’s never found the finishing line. Holy Joe from the Elliott yard is interesting if the unseating at Downpatrick left no mark, but you’re going on trust there. It’s All Clear at 5/1 each-way offers genuine each-way value with three places on offer.

Today’s NAP

King Of Kingsfield — Bulmers Strawberry & Lime Hurdle (7:20, Clonmel)
Odds: 7/2 — Boyle Sports (others: 7/2 Betfred, 7/2 LiveScore Bet)

The highest-rated horse in the field returning to a sphere where his figures are clearly the best in the race. Good ground is no concern, the Ballinrobe form puts Thecompanysergeant and Farren Glory roughly where we want them at the weights, and Gordon Elliott has two bites at the apple here with the yard still active. At 7/2 in a competitive six-runner field, this is a fair each-way price that reflects neither his RPR superiority nor his class edge over a field without another standout performer.