Sunday's Meetings Leopardstown Flat 7 Races 1:55-5:10p.m. Ludlow N/H 7 Races 2:00-5:15p.m. Limerick N/H 7 Races 2:05-5:20p.m. Plumpton N/H 7 Races 2:15-5:30p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Good Luck
I will take the plunge first, don't be afraid to follow me! Slow day eh, lot of hangovers etc Taking a chance Misty Millie's win lto in Navan wasn't a case of her getting an easy lead and nothing being able to close on the ground. She looked brilliant that day, never mind what she beat, it was the manner of her win. Coasting clear to win 14 lengths, a powerful performance. Although she faces much better rivals today I feel she could well have the class to win here too and 10/1 is fair. Would she be 10/1 if she was trained by Weld/Bolger after that Navan win, I doubt it very much. She's beautifully bred too, out of Dylan Thomas and Mystic Mile (Sadler's Wells). Hoping she can run a massive race again on the front end. She runs @ Leopardstown 3.00. Off The Charts catches the eye in the 4.20 @ Limerick as well, very well handicapped right now if he puts it together, but he has yet to show much sparkle over the larger obstacles yet and 7/1 is borderline for me with him, a small win bet. Happy punting folks.
There are several horses I like the look of in the 4:10 at Leopardstown including one of my favourites Bubbly Bellini 20/1. I've backed this one in a single and then put very small stakes combi fc/tc on: Bubbly Bellini/Isheabayoragrey/Straight Of Zanzibar/Toccata Blue/Zalty. Bit of a silly bet I know but I couldn't confidently discount any of the ones I fancied so you just know now that I won't get one in the top three even though I've included half the sodding field!
Barrage of support all morning for Hit The Bid in the opening maiden at Leopardstown today. Opened double carpet 33's and into 7's in places now. Very strong, given O'Brien has a strong favourite in it, it should be interesting to see how this one works out.
Be interesting to see if they are trying with Jamhoori today at Plumpton (2.15). He could well be a "3 poor runs in maidens and then into a handicap off a nice mark" type but he did shape with promise on debut and Jamie Moore had a job on his hands with him (nudge nudge wink wink)
Lucky 15 Idaho 3.35 leo. I like this horse. He ran well behind Harzard in the ballysax pulling a long way clear of the third. Im surprised Moore choose to ride Shogun. 9/4 Deans Road 3.45 lim. They have wasted no time going chasing with him after winning his only start over hurdles. 9/4 Zarzal 4.15 lud. Won this two years ago. Ran well on his reappearance. Disappointed ladt time but has dropped a few pounds. 12/1 Mr Lando 4.00 plu. Ran well to finish third in a tough handicap at Kempton last week. Won around this time last year on simular ground. 5/2
Gamble went astray, Didn't place for them even which was strange given the level of support. The fave Lundy did the job nicely.
It was an inconclusive week as far as Classic trials were concerned. Chester threw up nothing really, with erstwhile Derby favourite US Army Ranger scrambling home in receipt of weight from his stablemate and the Oaks trial and Dee Stakes telling us nothing of any interest. Lingfield’s downgraded Classic trials looked mundane beforehand and the results look like mundane form afterward. So all eyes will be on York’s Dante meeting after this afternoon’s meeting at Leopardstown, where the fields do not exactly look inspiring in what are seen as the main Irish Classic trials. Will the first time blinkers do the trick for Dermot Weld’s Emergent? Now Or Never was well beaten last time but King Kieran is not on her just for the riding fee. Misty Millie holds the key to this as the only confirmed front runner. With half the field, Ballydoyle look to maintain their stranglehold on the Derby Trial (nine wins this century) but I can see a third year without success as none of the four scream Derby on form; and I have concerns about both Shogun and Idaho in terms of their attitude. So this could be between Dermot Weld’s well touted Sea The Stars colt Tirmizi and Richard Hannon’s Ventura Storm. Do I take a chance on the former? With just five in the Prix Greffulhe at Saint Cloud, it scarcely looks worth mentioning Robin Of Navan facing old foe Cloth Of Stars over the course and distance of their last encounter but on very different ground.
Impressive by Now Or Never. I paid the hard way to learn Misty Millie isn't up to that level, but we live to fight another day.
I'm not sure what to make of that Derby trail. Shogun ran on well to finish second while the winner got first run and may struggle over futher. Idaho caught the eye by having to come four wide around the bend. He seemed to take an age to pick up so may appreciate a futher two furlongs. Midterm is the only horse who has stoodout for me in all the trails so far.
Guess the Dante will tell us alot about Midterm. If he doesn't impress in that I would have to agreed that Ballydoyle stands out. I would think that if the Coolmore boys fancy one of their Colts she won't run.
It is hard to think that there is a Derby winner in the result of the Derrinstown. Fair play to Moonlight Magic as he won fair and square but a blanket could have covered the first five and the pacemaker Saafarr clearly did exactly what the Godolphin team wanted. I can see Ballydoyle having five or six runners in the Blue Riband because they clearly do not have a standout candidate unless Deauville or Black Sea hoses up in the Dante. The only other option is to put Minding in against the boys.
You wouldn't want to get too carried away with the Midterm Sandown form when you consider the 3rd and 5th from it got lapped at Chester by the Ballydoyle pair.... Seen a replay of that race by the way, massive and I mean massive LOL at the Heffernan ride, how the feck do they get away with that, 'On your way there dear Ryan'
Well that was a bit disappointing, all 4 were there abouts 2 furlongs out but best they could manage was 3rd and 4th and typically the only one I did in the single was 4th so no return at all
you wouldnt have wanted to get carried away with the form of Golden Horns first run last year either and we all know how that turned out. Midterm will set the form standard in the Dante next week.
