Sunday's Meetings Uttoxeter N/H 8 Races 1:20-5:15p.m. Curragh Flat 8 Races 1:30-5:20p.m. Cartmel N/H 7 Races 1:40-4:55p.m. Windsor Flat 7 Races 1:50-5:05p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Place a bet in the Virtual Betting shop here Good Luck
Did Timeform write that piece on SportingLife.com tipping Santa Barbara in the Pretty Polly (Curragh 3:40) before the other wonder horse High Definition ran in the Irish Derby? It surely has to be the lay of the day on the exchanges. Globe-trotting Thundering Nights might be a better bet, just back from a valuable second at Belmont. Or how about top-rated course and distance winner Cayenne Pepper?
Hello, crew. How are you??? Good, I hope. One that I’ve written about quite a bit, on here, leading up to the auction and then since his sale for £62k last month, has been PYM and he makes his bow for new connections at Uttoxeter (3.35). When trained at Seven Barrows, to me, Pym always appeared something of a ‘cusp’ horse who has been about to take the next step but never quite made it. This comment applies to his career in bumpers, over hurdles and over the big ‘uns. Will new surroundings and a different regime enable the old boy to finally take his form to this higher level??? Probobly not, as it’s almost impossible to improve on the perfection that is Lieutenant Henderson. But, Uttoxeter will go a long way to answering how his career will develop post Seven Barrows. One plus that Pym does have is that he runs today off a perch 3 lbs lower than he did on his final appearance for our very own Lieutenant (and 6 lbs lower than his peak chasing rating). Not only is it a big day for Pym but also one for his new handler, Oliver Greenall. In all seriousness if he gets a huge effort out of Pym the old boy is going to receive massive kudos and acclaim as it’s very rare a trainer manages to improve a Hendo cast ‘orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrf. From Monday the eyes of the sporting world will be on Pimms at Wimbledon but today, people, the focus will on be Pym at Uttoxeter. I won’t be backing Pym but certainly wish him and his new connections well. Good luck, old boy.
I think that one of Jonjo's will win the Pym race - Lock's Corner. He actually went off 11/2 fav for the big 0-150 handicap chase at Leopardstown's Christmas meeting but was pulled up 2 out. If one is prepared to forgive that run (travelling took its toll?) he looks a most progressive individual.
Strongly fancy Cayenne Pepper in the pretty polly today. 3/1 is fair enough for a horse proven over track and trip, I think she is a fairly classy horse when putting it all in. I also have backed Pondus in the Curragh Cup at 4.10. The run behind Shanroe was a good one last time and she could prove too strong at the finish with the match fitness on his side.
I backed Cayenne Pepper for the Oaks last year but she didn't make it to the track until today's race last season. Pitched in pretty deep against Magical and other older fillies it was no surprise she was beaten a fair way in second place that day. This year it looks much more realistic for her. I don't think she stays 12F based on her efforts at the trip last season. To my eyes she clearly didn't last home in the Irish Oaks when Even So outstayed her. It was the same story behind Tarnawa next time and when dropped to 10F she won a Group 2 in good style, a performance that I feel will be good enough to win what looks a Group 1 in name only to me today. Cayenne Pepper had Thundering Nights 5 and a half lengths in arrears when winning last year and surely holds her if running to that form today. I had an each-way on Thundering Nights against an odds-on Broome this season and she gave him a bit of a fright in only going down half a length. That run was followed by a second place at Belmont Park but I find that race hard to evaluate. I feel an in form Cayenne Pepper will hold sway though. Santa Barbara was all the rage coming into the Guineas and she ran promisingly enough for one so inexoerienced that day. Her Oaks effoer has to go down as poor though and Aidan's statement, made before she ever set foot on a racecourse this season, that she looked and worked like a 4YO colt were left llying in the dirt as crumbled nonsense. I couldn't touch her again until she proves that her Oaks effort was a one off. Shale doesn't look to have trained on, while Epona Plays is unproven at the trip despite a personal best last time out. Her form has been onsoft in the main and it's faster today. Cayenne Pepper was no feature in the Breeders Cup but that was not really a surprise. Her price today is mainly because of a poor effort fist time out this season when well below her best form. She may well have needed that race and the going was bordering on heavy that day. She should be in better shape now and has faster ground to help. I will be disappointed if she cannot concede the 12 lbs to the younger fillies considering their form. 3.40 Curragh Cayenne Pepper 3/1 Cayenne Pepper/Thundering Nights RF
I've had a small ew on the other Harrington runner with Colin Keane on board. Can safely disregard its last run and assume its fit for this. 22/1 looks a bit price with question marks over most of the field.
Soft ride on that one. Maybe jockey knew it wasn't good enough but I'm disappointed not to get a proper run for my money
