Saturday's Meetings Leopardstown Flat 8 Races 1:30-5:30p.m. Doncaster Abandoned Ffos Las Abandoned Lingfield Abandoned Chelmsford Abandoned Chester Abandoned Musselburgh Abandoned Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
Phew, taking a glance at the card Leopardstown is as tough as it gets. Big fields with lots of chances in about every race. Well, I guess that's as horseracing should be? Think I'll swerve having a wager or two, although some might say 'chickening out'? To be honest though, am not in the mood for betting.
Big fan of Vadeni and was hoping he would show what he could do over 12f before the Arc but that isn't going to happen. Difficult to oppose over 10f on soft. Luxembourg was a cracking 3rd in the Guineas and has won on heavy. Could run a big race which would put him bang in the picture for the Arc
The card does not look that bad , But if you are not comfortable with it i would not say you were a chicken , just the opposit a wise man for recognising your gut instinct and mood . There are far too many people that cant make that choice . Fair play The mood is somber over here in the uk although i have took the card apart and re arranged it . I will see how the morning goes mulling them over before deciding , if or if not to bet/ post .
With the St Leger moved to Sunday on a revised Doncaster card and no racing taking place on Saturday in the UK, the only focus is across the Irish Sea at Leopardstown. The rain has arrived so the going is reported as Soft but just seven face the starter for the Irish Champion Stakes. The top rated horse in the race with Timeform is actually Mishriff but a strict form line with French favourite Vadeni in the Eclipse suggests that the Prix Du Jockey Club winner will beat him again. I backed Mishriff in the Eclipse and it can be debated that David Egan made a poor riding decision that day that led to the horse not being able to catch Christophe Soumillon. Alenquer was stone last that day and has not been seen since, despite opportunities being available, so was something amiss? Since the Eclipse, Mishriff has twice been beaten, having a hard race in the King George when a remote third (with Broome fourth) and being shown a clean pair of hooves by Baaeed at York so I cannot find grounds for supporting the 2020 Prix Du Jockey Club winner today unless something goes wrong with the 2022 winner. As Broome won the Hardwicke from the front, he seems to be the obvious pacesetter of the O’Brien three, where the best chance of victory is clearly Luxembourg, winter favourite for the Derby before a fair third in the 2000 Guineas and then absent injured until just scrambling home in the Royal Whip over this trip last time when long odds on. Today’s easy ground should be much more to his liking and if he finds a few pounds of improvement he has a good chance. Since winning the Derby Trial over course and distance, Stone Age has been highly tried and proven short of the top level, so it is little surprise that he is the outsider of the field. The other French raider is Frankel colt Onesto, winner of the Grand Prix de Paris last time but well behind Vadeni at Chantilly. It is hard to make a case for him dropping back in distance. My conclusion is that Vadeni and Luxembourg may fight out the finish here but I will just watch. After the main event, eight are currently listed to start in the Boomerang Mile (4:20) but half the field do not appear to have a realistic claim to victory in a Group 2 contest. Of the four main protagonists, Raadobarg and Boundless Ocean met last time and the former has more than five lengths to find with the winning latter; however, that race was on quick ground and Boundless Ocean was allowed to dictate whilst the Murtagh charge has shown all its best form on easy ground. Just Beautiful makes her seasonal bow (has won first time up before) and was last seen making all in a Group 3 over seven furlongs at Doncaster; however, that was on quick ground and she has never encountered ground this soft. That just leaves the top rated JADOOMI, winner of a sub-standard Group 2 at Goodwood last time but hailing from an in-form yard and should have no problem finding a lead to follow given the potential pacesetters in the line-up.
Really, really hope that Vadeni wins the Irish Champion Stakes this afternoon (3.45 Leopardstown). Must confess that I do red heart this horse and not just because he is a son of my old fave, Churchill. A 3 time winner, thus far, in '22 he was brilliant in the Prix du Jockey Club and then so, so, so gutsy and classy when obliging in the Eclipse. I would say that a repeat of either of those performances will make Vadeni very hard to beat here. Plus, is sure to have been reinvigorated by a refreshing summer break.
Leo 205 current opinion 11s ew 310 beamish 5s 345 luxenbourgh 4s 420 jadoomi 2s 455 safron beach 9/4 530 la hacienda 9s
Leopardstown 14,05 Lustown Baba 33/1 e/w Lads and Coral five places, 28/1 WH six places 17,30 Phoenix Cowboy 33/1 e/w WH six places
Thank you, UC, for your kind words. Just get a bit overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of runners in Irish racing. Best to pay attention to fellow Irish members who know their racing really well. One funny thing earlier on today when I did take a look at the filly Moracana in the last race. The best price in general was12/1, which was about right, I guess. However, Bet365 must have made a typo and had her down at 20/1. They must have soon corrected things as they're on a like best price now. So, have a good weekend, and I wish you and everyone else every success. Enjoy yourselves! (Feeling much better after eating a really delicious toasted Brotzeit (Snack) prepared by my much-loved Wife. The best thing I ever did was to grab her from a few marauding Yanks in Gt. Yarmouth all those years ago. )
Mishriff is 6lbs better off with Vadeni from the Eclipse but you‘d expect the 3YO to have progressed since. A fascinating encounter.
Great race between Luxembourg and Onesto, both ran terrific races. The winner is certainly a beautiful-looking racehorse. (More confused than ever now about the Arc. )
Well, my goodness! Got to be honest, I never even had a shekel on the filly. She did run a great race though to win by the shortest of noses! In fact, I thought the second had won it on the nod.
Current opinion Luxenbourg Jadoomi Bring home the bacon I will take that smiling as it was a little adventure to the unknown .
The Boomerang Mile did not go exactly as I planned but Jadoomi did win like a horse going places with a few pounds in hand. The price held up because Just Beautiful was clearly fancied on her reappearance as she ended up join favourite but she pulled her chances away in the first quarter of a mile. I wonder if we might see Jadoomi on Arc weekend: he is entered in the Prix Dollar and the Prix Daniel Wildenstein. My initial opinion of the Irish Champion Stakes is one of suspicion. The time was only a second slower than last year’s running (where St Mark’s Basilica beat Tarnawa on good ground in a tactical affair) suggesting that the front three went off too quickly on the soft ground as the first four at the line were all held up. The fact that Onesto dropped back in trip and reversed Prix Du Jockey Club form with Vadeni so emphatically makes me think that the Aga Khan’s colt did not run his race rather than the runner-up improved past him, so it then becomes difficult to assess the winner Luxembourg, on whom Ryan timed his run well to get to the front late enough that no second effort was required.
