Dexter, just have to take slight issue with your comment that "every horse has been laid out for the plate". You mean, obviously, with the exclusion of the half dozen that JP knows he doesn't have to beat and are just taking up spaces that would have been filled by "proper opposition"! Had to have a fiver each way at 40-1 on my old mate GRANDADS HORSE. Super horse and should not be rated that far behind his stablemate.
Morning, troops. How are we??? Good, good. Cor blimey there’s more tips on this thread than a competent waiter receives in a month! Just the one from me. Never heard of the horse, owner or trainer before but in the card commencer (1.55) I like the look of the numero uno on the racecard, LIEUTENANT MILLER. Is currently available at 10/1 and that looks a stonking each-way bet to this correspondent. Has the form in the book to go close off a perch of 92 and ignore his last run as he had a shoe ripped off during the race. A most traumatic experience. Like the Lieutenant I once had a shoe ripped off at Royal Ascot, when Princess Camilla accidentally stood on my heel, and it’s a most distressing thing to happen. Now recovered though and he should be a leading player at a very big looking price. Get on! Good luck all.
Haven't looked at the form or anything at all but decided to blindly follow Mr Barry Geraghty at Galway today. 3 races. 3 win bets.
Mr Barry Geraghty?!? Mr Barry Geraghty?!? Cor blimey I’ve never heard anything like it. Only Corinthian jockeys such as Mr Waley-Cohen are to be addressed with the moniker ‘Mr’. NH Saddle monkies on the other hand should be referred to by surname alone and treated with the same sort of contempt and disdain and be patronised in the same way as a minor Royal treats a military man.
5.30 Galway Aupcharlie 25/1 Henry De Bromhead is one of the best target trainers around and having regained his confidence on his last two starts I think his 8 year old has got a great chance in this typically wide open and competitive looking Galway Plate. A talented bumper performer for Pat Collins, Aupcharlie finished 3rd in the Cheltenham before being purchased by Ann & Alan Potts and sent to Willie Mullins for the beginning of his jumping career. Having shown good promise on his first two starts over hurdles, Aupcharlie won at the 3rd time of asking over timber back in January 2012 before being put away for 10 months and embarking upon his Novice Chasing career where he promised to develop into a top class chaser. Having won comfortably in a Beginners Chase over 20f at Gowran Park in November 2012, Aupcharlie was plunged in at the deep end on just his 2nd chasing start when contesting the Grade 1 Topaz Novice Chase at Leopardstown's Christmas Festival over 3m when he ran out an incredibly unlucky 2nd. Held up in last in the 12 runner contest, Aupcharlie jumped and travelled beautifully throughout the contest and came to the last fence on the snaff. Having slightly pecked on landing at the final flight when a couple of lengths up, Aupcharlie looked sure to win before either idling/tiring out in front as he was claimed in the final strides by an inspired Ruby Walsh on subsequent Cheltenham 4 Miler winner Back In Focus to go down by a head with the pair well clear of the remainder. It was desperately unfortunate to be claimed so late on but that was a huge, huge run on just his 2nd start over fences and Aupcharlie looked to have a tremendous chasing career in front of him. Aupcharlie was then sent off a 1/2 shot on his next start in a Grade 2 Novice Chase when beaten half a length by Tofino Bay (who was 25L behind him on his previous start). Having again travelled and jumped very well in the main, Aupcharlie looked sure to win having jumped the last but it was very clear to see Andrew Lynch go from being quite relaxed to in a frantic panic as he just didn't pick up in the expected manner and could not go by his rival. Although on the face of things it looks a disappointing result, I think Aupcharlie emerged with distinct credit overall as a classy animal. On both starts, Aupcharlie didn't pick up in the manner expected but I genuinely feel that he just didn't stay 3 miles on testing winter ground as he has proven to find plenty for pressure subsequently but he looked to have an engine of a very good horse and, at just 8, I think there is a good chance that engine still remains. After those two superb runs on his 2nd and 3rd starts over fences, the wheels came off his career a bit after that. Having disappointed in the Jewson when sent off the 15/2 3rd choice of the punters (didn't jump great), he fell at the final flight (still in with a chance; probably held) on his final start for Willie Mullins in a 3 runner Novice Chase over 2m2f at the Punchestown Festival as his owners the Potts decided to send him to Henry De Bromhead for the 2013-14 jumps season on what has proved to be a bit of retrieval mission. On the back of 10 months off the track, Aupcharlie made his stable debut for De Bromhead in February in a Grade 2 at Gowran Park when still in with a chance when falling heavy at the 2nd last. Thankfully, he showed no ill effects from that fall as he came out to register his first win over fences in over 2 years with a comfortable enough success at Gowran Park at the start of April which would have served as a big confidence booster on the back of a couple of falls. Aupcharlie then made his handicap debut at the Punchestown Festival off a mark of 147 when he caught the eye in 4th in the 2m4f Premier Handicap under top weight. Starting off the race in the front rank, Andrew Lynch progressively allowed his mount to drift further back in the field over the period of the contest and, swinging around the turn he appeared to be in danger of finishing out with the washing. However, after 2 firm cracks of the whip approaching 2 out, Aupcharlie made a lot of really good late headway under hands and heels as he ran on very well to finish about 10L behind the winner in 4th. It was certainly another big step in the right direction and I'm hoping he can build on that strongly today. Dropped 1lb to a mark of 146, Aupcharlie should definitely appreciate the step back up to 2m6f here today and I think the application of cheekpieces for the first time looks good for a number of reasons. It will hopefully keep him focussed throughout the contest, especially at his fences, (I think he's been a bit unfairly criticised for his jumping in the past) and will keep him up to his work if he hits the front as he seemed to idle quite badly when winning in April. With Andrew Lynch injured, Andrew McNamara takes the ride and it will be interesting to see how they decide to ride him as I think he's can be ridden either prominently or held up. Henry De Bromhead has his string in fine order and has already registered a win at the Festival this week and having surely been aimed at this in the past 3 months I'm confident of a big performance from this 8 year old who carries a nice racing weight of 11-1.
Bearing in mind my tips are rubbish (even more so my handicap ones) you may wish to avoid Caid du Berlais in the Plate as I quite like his e/w prospects at a generous 12/1. Was very well fancied by Nichols heading to Cheltenham, where it run a blinder behind Don Poli whom I suspect will make his presence felt in Grade One company next season. Then ran a corker behind one of McCain's at Aintree and we know how that yard targets that meeting. It's the Plate and it's a bit of a dart but I've had a dabble as I'm pretty sure CDB is the most progressive in a race full of older horses. Hopefully his, and the jockey's, inexperience don't count too much against him in this.
Hating this Glorious Goodwood Twice yesterday two cumani horses came to win and just got run out of it and now Ray Ward looked to be the winner only to be past in the final 50. All these 2nd's are hard to take.
Away from Glorious Goodwood I must put one up for this evening which was spotted a while back. This was what I posted on the daily thread after watching it run. 'I have just watched the maiden race at Doncaster and the horse of Luca Cumani named Petticoat Lane should go in all note books as she travelled beautifully at 33-1. A sure fire Cumani horse yet to show exactly what she can do.' Tonight this goes at Sandown in the 8.00 and I am betting as bravely as I dare. Sandown 8.00 Peticoat Lane 9-4
does seem to be a very tough Goodwood so far and the next one looks the hardest of the week so far to solve!
Nice to see the "Slug and Lettuce" sponsoring tonight's card at Sandown - lovely name for a pub and the offers of "2-4-1 cocktails", "2-4-1 curries" and "Wednesday Winedown" demonstrate not only a fine grasp of the English language, but also the sort of entrepreneurial spirit that put the Great into Britain
Kingman vs Toronado very much like the clash between Frankel and Canford Cliffs in the 2011 Sussex Stakes. A few people opposed Frankel after he ran in the St. James Palace Stakes - Toronado beat Dawn Approach in last season's renewal but Kingman is more classier than Dawn Approach so see no reason to oppose him.
