Thursday's Meetings Clonmel N/H 7 Races 1:10-4:40p.m. Sandown Park N/H 7 Races 1:20-4:46p.m. Newcastle N/H 6 Races 1:40-4:35p.m. Southwell A/W 6 Races 2:02-4:53p.m. Leicester N/H 6 Races 2:07-5:02p.m. Chelmsford(E) A/W 7 Races 5:30-8:30p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
A few for tmrw. I will back them as singles. Word Has It 1.20S 9/2 Laskalin 3.05S 11/2 Copperhead 4.15S 9/2 Cruz Control 2.15N 15/8 Classic Maestro 4.00N 3/1 North Parade 4.35N 7/2
6.30 Chelmsford-Socially Shady Ran better last time than final placing...each way [3 places] current odds are 9-2
In the Royal Artillery Gold Cup at Sandown (15:05), a Class-3 Chase over 3m+ on soft ground, will give another chance to last year's dual Grand Military/Royal Artillery Gold Cup winner, Broken Halo. This year it's been a different story for the gelding, as he has had problems with his jumping, having fallen, PU, and unseated rider on its last three appearances. Will go for a return to form for the son of Kayf Tara in the hope he has polished-up on his jumping. (Probable favourite is Farceur Du Large, who is going for his own Grand Military/Royal Artillery double this year). Regular rider, Bdr. Jody Sole (3), on board for the Paul Nicholls stable. 5/2 is the best price at time of writing, in just about all places, on both the ATR and Oddschecker sites. (Gosh, wish I could be there! Loved my visits to Sandown Park, regardless of the weather).
Briefly, in the finalè at Newcastle (16:35), the Court Cave gelding, Follow Charlie, could well follow-up on his win at Ayr 44-days ago. Form for that race has worked out well. Very modest punt, as selection will be ridden by an inexperienced conditional, Ben Smith (10), for the R. Michael Smith yard. Presume it's the trainer's son? That's all! 13/2 (Ladbrokes/BetUK) best price, at time of writing, on the ATR site.
Finished 4th. In the other one Broken Halo didn't fall this time, but thought he lost a lot of ground when jockey brought him so wide on occasions? Would not have beaten the winner however, who did the military double this year for the 'galloping major'.
And @Ardent1965 too with North Parade. Very rarely do I complain about the riding of a jockey, I think that to dominate an animal of that weight running and jumping is very complicated, but the riding that Houlian has done to HDG has been, in my humble opinion, awful. The horse fell at the end when he had no chance, but that was obvious almost from the beginning.
Classic Maestro and North Parade for a profit. Sandown was a disaster..enough said ...Cruz Control a NR.
Just read the fixture list for 2024 and they've (to my mind) cocked it up again by pushing the Grand National back into the middle of April. I know I'm going to get the normal response that it's because of Easter, but that is plain wrong. The GN was always the last Saturday in March or preferably the first Saturday in April depending on when Easter falls (which was decided at Whitby in the 6th century I believe). This year it is to be run on the 13th April. Why not the 6th? I fear the reason is obvious and it's to allow those poor overworked NH horses to have time to rest after Cheltenham. So there is a set of duff meetings on the 6th April. My main gripe is that from then on the flat fixture list, at an important time of the year, is congested. The Newmarket Spring Meeting should be run run on the 9-11th April with Newbury on the 12th/13th. That would give the YOUNG horses running in the trials time to recover before the Guineas, instead preference is given to a load of battle hardened old geldings getting an extra week. Seeing as how there is a race for just about every horse that drew breath at Cheltenham they are giving preferment to a lot of ordinary horses, over horses that could be champions. I'm afraid I don't understand it Mr Angry
