Sunday's Meetings Perth N/H 7 Races 2:00-5:20p.m. Southwell N/H 7 Races 2:10-5:30p.m. Stratford N/H 7 Races 2:20-5:40p.m. Sligo N/H 7 Races 2:25-5:45p.m. Dundalk A/W 7 Races 2:35-5:55p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Good Luck
Echo those thoughts re Brian Toomey. The guy was technically dead for 6 seconds and has spent half a year in hospital, to get back riding competitively at this level is an amazing achievement and the fact he was keen to do so is just a testament to the bond between a jockey and his or her horses. All the best to him and all other jockeys who risk life and limb day in day out. And remember when you lose a bet, there is more important things in life sometimes and getting home safe is one of them.
Well said STH. I must say I'm glad the July meeting is over..never liked it. Falmouth an arse of a race and I don't like sprints at any level,generally a get out for failed milers being chased up by old ex h'cappers...todays winner was decent and at may at least prevent the Gimcrack losing its G2 status which should have happened years ago...just like the July Stakes..G2?..nonsense,horrendous roll of honour. We've oft heard AO'B,Cecil and Gosden say their best had the pace for a July Cup but surely Michael Stoute blows them away after winning it with Ajdal whose previous run was in the Derby! Poor training?..unlikely from this master but another example of Sheikh Mo insisting his horses run where they never should. That was in the 80's (think)..nothing changes really.
Keep an eye out for Eddie O'Connell's new recruit Bachasson who makes his hurdling debut in Sligo's first for Mr.Mullins after being brought over from France. Mullins took the heat last year with McKinley. Could we be seeing the next Un De Sceaux ??? Aside from that it is poor fare from Sligo and Dundalk today. Good luck to anyone punting.
Can some of the better judges on here watch yesterdays race with BASATEEN 3-45 York yesterday. To me it was given a very easy ride out back, and finished well, beaten about 3L. Belated first run this year and should be winning soon. Or, am I reading it wrong? I am a bit unsure on it.
Dundalk 3.45-Isheabayorgrey win.Forum regulars might remember me putting this lad up a few times and his last three races read 131.He's back on the all weather but won here last year and the yard are confident of another decent run. In the following race I think Ger Lyons Ardhoomey can win from a decent draw for inform trainer.Both priced 5/2 so single/double. I noticed man of the moment Gordon Elliot has five runners at his favourite hunting ground Perth.Which one to back is anyone's guess!
Chantilly 3:45 – Prix Jean Prat Andre Fabre’s Territories has not been seen since following home Gleneagles in the 2000 Guineas. Although that is arguably the best piece of form available here, he can only boast two victories – a conditions race and a six runner Group 3 race – from six career starts. Three British raiders contest this mile Group 1 prize but all three of them appear to need considerable improvement to threaten the home defence. On a form line through Gleneagles, Aktabantay has something to find with the Godolphin colt whilst Jersey Stakes winner Dutch Connection was seventh at Newmarket. Clive Cox’s Kodi Bear comes here relatively unexposed but will have to do significantly better than his Listed race victory at Windsor if he is going to trouble the judge. Of the local team, Poulains third Mr. Owen cannot be entirely discounted (Sir Andrew was behind) but he has had a long layoff; and Spanish visitor Il Segreto is a complete unknown. As a two year old, Territories twice met FULL MAST and was beaten both times. Criquette Head-Maarek’s colt lost his unbeaten record with a narrow defeat in his comeback race (conceding 5lb in a Group 3) but that should have put him straight to thwart his old rival once again.
The new wonder boy of French racing Vincent Cheminaud rode a stinker on Full Mast. What was he doing following that idiot James Doyle on Aktabantay? He just ran it into the ground going too fast early. Meantime, Territories is just sat at the back biding his time. Mickael Barzalona tried to get it boxed in but he was always cruising and won with a bundle in hand.
I used to like the July Meeting more before Racing For Change got hold of it and swapped all the races around to create the Ladies’ Day gimmick and moved it to the end of the week. I used to go on the first day when the Cherry Hinton and the Princess Of Wales’s were the two main events. Ajdal was the beaten Guineas favourite in 1987 when Don’t Forget Me won for Hannon senior. I was supposed to be there that day but my lift never showed up! As you say, they went to Epsom thinking he needed further after defeat in the Irish 2000 but he was sent off 25/1. The one that went in the notebook for me this week was the Superlative Stakes winner Birchwood. Richard Fahey’s Godolphin colt dispatched his rivals with the minimum of fuss and I would expect to be seeing him contest some top two year old races over seven furlongs as the season progresses.
Are you suggesting that a horse was being schooled in public and the stewards did not bat an eyelid? Naughty step for you, m’lad. Next time it runs we will have to see what opinion those bookie chaps formed...
In all honesty, it looks like the horse was not given the most vigorous ride by Pat Dobbs but it was hardly hands-and-heels tenderness and I think that the horse was just too far back to feature in the finish so he did enough to avoid the non-tryer rule. As a decent sized blanket could have covered about the first ten home, I do not think too many people are going to be picking over the form of the unplaced runners. As I said originally, next time it runs – if you want to chase your losses – you will have to see what the odds compilers thought of his efforts. I would not be surprised to see it running in a three-year-old handicap at Windsor one Monday evening as Hannon seems to like those meetings.
Birchwood did look decent and how many winners is Dark Angel currently producing?..prolific. However,the second drifted in the betting,looked green and will be nowhere near the top of the Coolmore pecking order..sighter for AO'B and I don't think he'll be bowed by what he saw.Having said that,they have yet to debut a decent 2-y-o colt thus far with several fancied ones getting turned over. Maybe they are in for a poor season with the loss of some of their flagship producers..time will tell.
