Month: February 2018

With the festival looming ever closer, most trainers have their horses wrapped up in cotton wool so to speak, but the show goes on for others. It’s getting last chance saloon stuff for our young pretenders across the water to step up to the plate in the two big races in Kempton on Saturday. Firstly the Pendil novice chase only has four going to post with the Paul Nicholls trained Cyrname installed @ 4/6 favourite. On to the Adonis juvenile hurdle,  seven declared here, Redicean from the Alan King yard @ 4/5  looks smart enough but both these two jollies would want to win with their head in their chest to worry any of the Irish big guns in a few week’s time. A nice 3m handicap chase on the cards also, a real mixed bag of characters in the line up here but the one that sticks out is the coincident Master Dee @ 7/1, trained by the popular Irishman Fergal O Brien who is based in England and doing a good job with his string, the booking of Barry Geragthy is also a major plus. The Eider chase over a gruelling 4m also take’s place in Newcastle, the Sue Smith trained Hainan fits the profile of this race for me and @ 8/1 is a fair enough price.

The racing at home this weekend sees the usual card at Dundalk Friday where the Joesph O Brien’s Dream Point is the one to be on in the Fillies Maiden. On to Fairyhouse Saturday and then Naas Sunday. Going to start off with the Juvenile hurdle Saturday, a very interesting runner is the Tom Mullins trained Cristal Icon making a quick reappearance after a very eye catching performance behind Sadlier last week in Gowran Park, beaten 28L but that does not tell the story for me, having showed little or nothing on the flat maybe this is his game, so a close eye on the market is called for here. The feature of the Fairyhouse card is the Bobbyjo chase with only six going to post. Bellshill @ 7/4F coming back from a 346 day absence is way too risky and if you can excuse Mala Beach @ 2/1 for his last run in the Irish Gold Cup pulling up after a mile, was jumping out to the right on that day but never going a yard. I can see these two flip flop in the betting and the Elliott trained runner is the one for me.

Nice interesting card in Naas on Sunday where a couple of races catch my eye. Starting off with the 2m4f handicap chase with 8 going to post, the Paul Nolan trained Fitzhenry will go off short enough favourite in this but with the other seven very close together in the betting, Joesph O Brien’s Arkwrisht  always an interesting horse for me, got a bad ride in the Kerry National in September,  a race for me he should have won. The 2m graded chase has five declared and Doctor Phoenix, American Tom and Ball D’Arc been the three that count, the Mullins trained American Tom tongue tied for the first time is the one for me, has lots of ability but holding something back for himself maybe the tongue tie is the key. To finish off, the 2m handicap hurdle a strong fancy for Chateauneuf Du Pap, having her first run for Ellmarie Holden the last day when winning at Tramore and only going up 2lbs with Rachael on board again, he’s a very solid each way bet for this event.

With the Cheltenham preview scene well under way and things coming together for our own night in Meanus on the 08^th, btw nearly 30 booked on the bus as we speak. Place’s running out so if interested please get in touch. Great night’s craic to be had. Follow everything on the website just click on the Cheltenham Preview Night, Facebook and Twitter also.

Bets:

Master Dee @ 7/1 ew (3.35 Kempton)

Hainin            @ 8/1 ew ( 2.45 Newcastle)

Chateauneuf Du Pep ew  (4.15 Naas Sunday)

P/L  Horse Blog + €110.  Sports Blog + €127 both to a €10 stake.

Another double price winner last week. Kalashnikov doing the business for us at advised odds of 12/1. Looking at the race, he was  one of the first horse’s to come under pressure, but will stay further in future and the better ground in Cheltenham will be a serious advantage for this fellow, with a strong pace to work off.  Forever Gold our other pick just did not get going after his fall last time out. He was very sluggish over the first few obstacles and was soon behind. Not going to be easy to solve the handicaps this weekend but sure we’ll give it a go or not…….

Going to start across the pond this weekend with both Ascot and Haydock.  Very disappointed with the quality on show. The grand national trial at Haydock only sees nine lining up with Blacklion trying to give the field lots of weight. The Tom George Wild West Wind might be the one to put it up to the top weight. While in Ascot the feature is the Ascot chase over 2m 5f. A bit more quality here. Top Notch currently @ 2/1 fav just over Waiting Patiently @ 9/4 which is now trained by the late Malcolm Jefferson’s daughter Ruth. Eddie Harty takes over Coney Island for a go of this, think he was hoping for better ground but needs to get a run into him.  For me Top Notch holds the aces but the price is not appealing. Our main bet was in the handicap hurdle on the card but sadly does not go, but there will be another day out for the Liam Cusack charge Snugsborough Hall.

Dundalk holds its usual Friday night fair with another competitive card. Saturday sees the Red Mills card in Gowran Park with the 2m 4f chase being the feature and of course Douvan does not line up leaving five contenders, Our Duke @ 13/8, Presenting Percy @ 15/8, A Toi Phi @ 9/2, Valseur Lido @ 13/2, Ballycasey @ 20/1.  The way I look at it is Our Duke was the talking horse at the start of the season but nothing’s going right for him on the track and it’s on the track that races are won!! Presenting Percy just blows me away everytime I see him. Talking about the gold cup next year, what’s wrong with having a crack this year, A Toi Phil a good winner of the Kinloch Brae at Thurles in desperate conditions, Valseur Lido was fancied to run a good race in the gold cup in Leopardstown a few weeks ago and finished upside the favourite here, and Ballycasey does not count on his recent form. Presenting Percy is the one they all have to beat. The 2m hurdle see’s Mick Jazz currently a very short favourite @ evens, the opposition doesn’t look up to much saying that Mick Jazz is being kept busy and picking up lot’s of prize money for his connections, way too short for me again. The handicap hurdle looks interesting with Call The Taxie reverting back to hurdles after a fall and a pulled up in the Thyestes, if none the worse for those might go close for Rachael. Sunday’s card in Navan starts off with a very interesting maiden with Pallasator lining up again for the Elliot team.  Hearing good words about the Mullins trained Antey while Noel Meade’s Dis Donc is finding it hard to get his head in front on the line. Only a disappointing four turn up for the Boyne hurdle, with the Elliot and Russell team having the favourite Diamond Cauchois.  Also in the 2m novice chase only four go to post. The Ten Up novice chase has five and you could make a case for either one, so I won’t. Sadly this weekend I don’t have anything at double figures to get stuck into and as a wise man said to me once don’t give one for the sake off it.

P/L  Horse Blog  + €110.  Sports Blog  + €147 both to a €10 level stake.

Really, Brian Kavanagh, really! That’s all we’re hearing in the racing media about the breaking news last Friday that the HRI sold the rights to Racing UK from 2019-2023, leaving our good friends in ATR land up shit creek without a paddle. Mr Kavanagh the chief executive of HRI (Horse Racing Ireland) was ratified for his position for a third term without advertisement last year, a semi state organisation which is supposed to be limited to a single term of seven years, but as the guy in the lotto ad who bought the island for Ireland says “sure we’ll sort it out”. Mr Kavanagh’s annual salary of €247,000 is only good enough to pay for 823 annual subscriptions to Racing UK as we speak, it’s costing around €300 per household. Brian has done a lot of good things for the industry over the years but this is a head scratcher. At the moment no one knows what’s going to happen. All the speculation is, are RUK going to have a second channel, yes is the answer but is it going to be under the red button, channel called RUK Extra I hear.. All these things have to be sorted going forward in the next few months, they only think RUK have said it’s going to be rebranded. On the positives of moving to RUK, pictures will be in HD and for me that’s massive. Lydia Hislop is also a big plus as a presenter and a big priority for them is to get Gary O Brien. The conclusion to this saga is a long way off yet but let’s give them a chance and see what they come up with.

Late Wednesday afternoon John Moloney chairman of AIR (Association of Irish Racecourses) has come out and said 95% of all Irish racing will be shown live, 5% is a good bit missing, my calculations 363 race meetings in 2018, so that means 18 meetings. I think ATR only missed the Down Royal meeting on Stephan’s day but I could be wrong.

What a weekend of racing we had with the Dublin festival. As per usual we have more questions than answers but that’s why our game is so good. On Saturday Min winning the 2m chase but all the talk after was the big drift of Yorkhill on the machine, questions are asked.. Footpad was too good for Petit Mouchoir on the day but you have to be happy the way the second ran going forward.  The highlight for me on a personal level was Patrick’s Park who we tipped up on the blog last week winning @ 6/1 which we advised @ 14/1 expertly ridden by our good friend Rachael Blackmore. Supasundae victory in the champion hurdle over Faugheen again leaves us with more questions. Jessie is adamant that Supasundae is heading for the stayers. What happened Melon, is he just not up to it and for Faugheen, I’m not putting him on the scrap heap yet.  For me, if he turns up on the day of the champion hurdle, Willie will be happy with him and that’s good enough for me, needs a bit of sun on his back!!

Sunday’s racing was top notch, Mr Adjudicator winning the juvenile, Samcro the novice, watch out for Duc Des Genievres up in distance. Monalee was spectacular at his obstacles. I thought Dounikos ran really well in this. The Gold cup was not a great race but the result was something special. Reading the stories of Edwulf, where he came back from after collapsing at Cheltenham and the jockey Derek O Connor, one of the best amateurs in the business, as Davy Russell said they have to make a film about it.

This weekend’s racing has the usual Friday night fair at Dundalk, Naas on Saturday and Punchestown on Sunday. Going to concentrate on the grand national trial in Punchestown on Sunday. As you can imagine a tough puzzle to crack, the two horses for money during the week, Childrens List from the Mullins yard and White arm down the bottom of the weight for Tony Martin, a dangerous man in this sphere. Gordan has a few entered with ATR’s Gary O Brien, Folsom Blue and Space Cadet look the pick.  Another one to consider is Mall Dini who is been aimed for the four miler in Cheltenham, but the one  I’m going to plum for is Forever Gold, unseated young Chris Timmons at the last in the Paddy Power Chase when placed at best. I think he’s a solid each way bet @ 14/1. Sure to give you a run for your money. The Betfair hurdle takes place in Newbury on Saturday and they’re going 9/1 the field with 24 runners. Good luck in finding the winner in this competitive handicap. Going to give a tentative shout to Kalashnikov @ 12/1 running in his first handicap. This will either bomb out or run a cracker!

Bets:

Forever Gold @ 14/1.each way (4.20 Punchestown Sunday)

Kalashnikov @ 12/1.each way (3.35 Newbury Saturday)

P/L  Racing + €45, Sports + €167, both to a €10 level stake.

It’s finally on our door step, the Dublin racing festival weekend, a great initiative by the powers that be. Two great days of national hunt racing! Not a bad race insight! Something our friends across the water could learn from. You won’t hear many of the trainers over the weekend saying this run will have their horse perfect for Cheltenham in six weeks. With the prize money on offer me thinks they will all be  trying to pick up as much as they can. Just a note on the lack of English runners. For me, not an issue as they’re not good enough and when looking at races over the weekend you don’t have to start looking through the English form book!!

Saturdays champion hurdle has eight declared with Willie having the first two in the betting Faugheen @ 11/8 and Melon @ 9/4.  Money knocking around all week for the English raider, Defi De Seuil. For me he has a lot to prove and the way I look at it Faugheen wins or gets pulled up so hard to have a bet. On to the novice chase, Footpad @ 4/7 has been the most impressive horse I have seen over fence’s this year so hacks up with a clear round!! The 2m chase, again has two Mullins horse’s at the front of the betting, Yorkhill @ 10/11 and Min @ 5/2, can’t have Min after the last day where he lost it in the stewards room to Simply Ned so will take a chance on Yorkhill where I think he has  been given a chance at his ideal trip. Just let him go!! The opening race on the card is the 2m6f novice hurdle with Gordan choosing to keep Samcro to 2m Sunday he’s thinking Dortmund Park might have this lot covered. He might be right but you might be better taking a chance with Dicey O Reilly @ 8/1 for the HDB team. The two handicaps on the card are very competitive. In the chase it might be worth taking a chance on Patricks Park who was having his first run for the Mullins yard the last day and is in here with a very low weight. The booking of Rachael is a major plus! On to  the hurdle, got a strong fancy for the Robert Tyner trained Midnight Stroll.

Sunday’s card is just bursting in quality.  Starting with the mares handicap hurdle which looks a trappy contest. Then the real action starts with the spring juvenile hurdle where the Gavin Cromwell trained Espior DAllen heads the market @ evens but will have to be on his game to keep the pack at bay. The Deloitte novice hurdle is supposed to be about only one horse Samcro, trading @ 4/6 at the moment. Not a price I like and again this field is not full of mugs!! The 3 mile handicap hurdle is next where Total Recall is extremely short @ 11/8. Saying that, he’s well in but as we know that counts for nothing in big field handicaps in places like Leopardstown. The Flogas novice chase is the one I’m looking forward to the most over the weekend. Sutton Place and Monalee are vying for favouritism at the moment with the likes of Invitation Only, Al Boum Photo, Snow Falcon and Rathvinden all pitching up for the mouth watering clash. Monalee had a horrible fall the last day. I trust Henry is happy with him to take his chance and that’s good enough for me @ 7/2. Just going to give a quick mention to the handicap chase before the big one, like the look of Joesph O Briens Vieux Morvan, a recruit from France and has only one run so far for his new yard, was in the Thyestes chase but was taken out at last declarations, I presume due to the ground being so bad. On to the Gold Cup itself, finding it a tough puzzle to crack with question marks about the more talented one in the field Our Duke and Killultagh Vic, not convinced about Anibale Fly so where does that leave us, have it down to two Djakadam and Valseur Lido, an each way bet on both should make a small profit.

Finally, on writing this piece the news broke where RUK is taking over the rights to show Irish racing in 2019, not going to go into the in’s and out’s now but hope this works out for everyone!!

Best Bets:

Saturday: 2.55 Patricks Park ew @ 14/1,

4.05 Midnight Stroll ew @ 12/1

Sunday:    4.10 Vieux Morvan ew @ 8/1.