Saturday's Meetings Lingfield A/W 7 Races 10:15-1:25p.m. Navan N/H 7 Races 12:00-3:25p.m. Haydock N/H 7 Races 12:10-3:40p.m. Ascot N/H 7 Races 12:30-4:02p.m. Taunton N/H 7 Races 12:55-4:20p.m. Wolverhampton(E) A/W 9 Races 4:30-8:30p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
I'll be going to Haydock this weekend for the Peter Marsh meeting, hoping to hit a few winners and help celebrate my birthday as well. You stop counting the years at my age now...!!!
Energumene is a nice price vs Jonbon. I think Energumene will take him out of his comfort zone from the front and win snug enough. Going to be interesting tactically with such a small field.
It's a really interesting contest. I'm not sure Energumene is still the same animal that pushed Shishkin all the way in that epic duel 3 years ago - but he COULD be as he is lightly raced for an 11 year-old. It would be another masterful training performance from the GOAT to get him back to that level after such a long lay-off. It might actually come down to who handles the ground best - about half of the course is good to soft with the other half good and I would have thought that would suit Jonbon a little better than Energumene. But he is very short at 4/7 and for me its a race to watch and enjoy.
A long time since I've looked at so many races in one day. Might scrape a winner But no profit to be made I think I'll go for a hopeful double with Martator 4/1 and Lulamba 8/11
That Peter Marsh Chase look a decent race. Can the class horse Royale Pagaille lump 12 stone round in the Haydock bog? He pretty much did in the Betfair. Mr Vango gets nearly 2 stone off RP and loves mud. I’d be happy for either to win but I’ve a sneaky suspicion that Sam Thomas’ Iwilldoit will be involved in the finish. He also loves mud and never seems to run a bad race. Enjoy your day Red
Even though trials day is next weekend and the DRF the weekend after, there will be plenty of market moves for the Cheltenham festival after today's races. At Ascot, the opening juvenile hurdle sees the UK debut of current Triumph Hurdle favourite Lulamba who is currently a quite ridiculous 4/1 for the Triumph. This seems to be based more on connections than the horse himself with those who have backed him hoping he is the new Sir Gino. His sole run to date resulted in victory in a conditions race in October at Auteuil (2m2f, heavy) where 7 of the 16 runners failed to finish. The form hasn't really been tested - 3rd placed Lancier filled the same spot is a similar race in November and 5th placed Lanivtsi has a win and a third place in 2 subsequent starts. One assumes the work watchers in Lambourn are the source of all the excitement about this horse but he will need to win convincingly today to maintain his position at the head of the Triumph market. It won't be a penalty kick though as the Moores (who are also very adept at handling juvenile hurdlers) have expensive flat recruit Mondo Man (5th in the French Derby) entered. It is worth noting that Goshen took this race prior to his desperately unlucky unseat at the last in the Triumph in 2020 and it is a race that Nicky Henderson likes to target with his best juveniles (winners include Top Notch, Grandouet, Zaynar and Binocular). In the mares hurdle, Kargese is fully expected to prevail today and underline here chances for the festival race - especially if Lossiemouth and Brighterdaysahead go the Champion Hurdle route. Connections will be looking for Kargese to confirm her wellbeing today. Over at Navan I fully expect Ballygunner Castle to underscore his Cheltenham ambitions and whilst the 25/1 generally available for him about the Supreme is interesting, especially NRNB, he may well follow the 2022 winner of today's race, Banbridge, to handicap hurdle glory at the festival. Similar comments may also apply to Royal Infantry in the Grade 2 Rossington Main Novices Hurdle at Haydock. His only defeat to date in a 5 race career came in the Champion Bumper (finished 8th) and there are bits of 33/1 for the Supreme knocking around this morning. Finally, nothing to do with the festival but Freddie Gingell has a nice book of rides at Taunton and ought to have a good day.
Navan 13,10 Millforce 11/1 e/w sky six places, five others Taunton 16,20 A Little Something 8/1 e/w WH four places, 7/1 sky and PP five places
Disappointing from Ballygunner Castle but the money before the off spoke volumes as he was weak whereas James's Gate was very strong in the market and won really well despite a bad slip after the last. Another nice horse for Martin Brassil and the Mulryan's - maybe he can follow in the footsteps of City Island?
A smooth success for Lulamba and the way he pulled away after the last makes you think he will relish the hill at Cheltenham. He is now anywhere between 11/8 (Skybet) and 9/4 (various) for the Triumph. An honourable mention has to go to the placed horses - Mondo Man was far too keen from the start but still finished well Viyanni also ran a very respectable race in third - miles clear of the rest.
Bad day for odds-on shots - Kargese (2/5) and Royal Infantry (1/3) turned over in the space of a few minutes
