Friday's Meetings Chepstow Flat 7 Races 1:40-5:00p.m. Musselburgh Flat 7 Races 1:50-5:10p.m. Lingfield A/W 8 Races 2:00-5:45p.m. Punchestown Festival N/H 8 Races 3:40-7:45p.m. Fontwell(E) N/H 7 Races 4:30-7:55p.m. Bangor-on-Dee(E) N/H 6 Races 5:20-8:05p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Good Luck
Irish Cavalier is entered in the 4.20 tomorrow running off 145 with Luke Dempsey's 5lb coming off as well. That would put him roughly a stone well in so if he runs he's a bit of a handicap cert. Don't know if he'll be running or not though having taken part in the grade one on day one.
Strongly fancy 4.20 Punchestown Mr Fiftyone 7/1 tomorrow. Will get a write up done at some stage but price won't last.
Alton Bay 6/1 Punchestown 6:40 - this will be his biggest test by far tomorrow but he hasn't done much wrong over hurdles or in the flat recently and I hope Peter Fahey has him in top order. I think this is a real nice horse Alton Bay. Billy's Hope 10/1 Punchestown 7:10 - Jessie Harrington isn't going to leave without a bumper winner is she?! I think they are quite keen on this one's chance though and hopefully she can run a good race first time of asking.
Punchestown 340- Rohans Pride 420- Irish Cavalier NAP 455- Speckled Wood 530- Faugheen 605- Nicholas Canyon 640- Theophilus 710- Unas Pleasure 745= On the Fringe Others 230- Quinta Feira 410- Amazing Speed 515- Sandfrankskipsgo 150- Halsall 220- Argaki
I would love to see Arctic Fire turn over Faugheen tomorrow, but cant see it happening if I'm honest. If the ground was abit firmer I could have seen him getting close like at Cheltenham. But I think Faugheen will win easy on yielding ground. Arctic Fire is very much a good ground horse. It is certainly not a betting race for me though, just one il enjoy watching
4.20 Punchestown Mr Fiftyone 7/1 The bang in form Jessie Harrington has landed this contest 4 times in the last 10 years (included the last 2) and I think she has another excellent chance to take this prize again with Mr Fiftyone. An unexposed chaser with only 4 starts to date in this sphere, this 6 year old was pretty decent over hurdles primarily contesting Graded events in his Novice hurdling season and he's made a pretty good start to date over fences. Always described by his trainer as a horse that would be a better chaser, Mr Fiftyone ran a good race on his chasing debut when following home subsequent Grade 2 winner (and unfortunately deceased) Chancol at Punchestown before scoring at the 2nd time of asking over 18f at Thurles in November when making the most of Un De Sceaux's fall to score in good fashion. Mr Fiftyone was then stepped into Grade 1 Company for the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown's Christmas Festival where he was outclassed and tailed off but, on the back of 4 months off the track, he ran a cracking race on his handicap chase debut off a mark of 129 when 2nd in a valuable race at Fairyhouse last month. Held up at the rear of the field by Robbie Power over the 2m1f trip, Mr Fiftyone was still well back from the leaders when swinging into the home straight but he stayed on really well to finish 2nd. The winner that day Ballyadam Approach has hugely franked that form when winning impressively at this Festival on Wednesday off a 6lb higher mark (runner up Baby Mix is a horse who I think is a well handicapped animal) and the 2lb rise given to Mr Fiftyone for his last run seems very fair by the handicapper. Given the way he was ridden, I think Mr Fiftyone definitely had this race as his target for quite a while and he gets in with a lovely racing weight of just 10-4 - which is one of the lightest Robbie Power can do. In addition to seeing better ground which I think will suit, I think the step up to 2m5f will suit Mr Fiftyone no end and I think this improving 6 year old will relish the extra distance. Given her record in the race, Jessie Harrington clearly knows the sort of horse that is needed to triumph in this contest and I'm sure she'll have her charge tuned to the minute for this valuable prize. In big fields like this luck always comes into things but Mr Fiftyone has winning experience in large fields before so I'm not too worried and it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if Robbie Power sat him close enough to the lead from the outset to try minimise the risks of those around him. Off a mark of 131 which I have absolutely no doubt leaves him well handicapped, I think Mr Fiftyone still has plenty of improvement left in him with only 4 starts over the larger obstacles thus far and I think better ground and the step up in trip to 21f will suit him tremendously. With a low weight to carry, I'm confident of a huge performance by this 6 year old and think he'll take an awful lot of beating and the 5 places paid by Ladbrokes makes him an outstanding each way betting proposition as I just cannot see him out of the places if jumping around clear. With his trainer in good form, I think Mr Fiftyone has a superb chance in this open looking contest and I'm confident he can land this race to give trainer Jessie Harrington her third consecutive success in this contest.
I put Alton Bay in my 5 to follow for last season (what a disastrous piece of work that was ) after seeing him win at Wexford in August. He then ran second to Rebel Fitz on the flat (giving him 7 pounds) and I was looking forward to seeing him continue through the novice hurdle ranks through the winter. Not sure what happened in the interim, whether he had a setback, was being kept back for better ground, or whether they just see him as a summer horse? I'll be on him today at the prices (currently 6/1 which looks a decent price) as his form looks as good as anything in the field. I do just wonder what the longer term plan for him is though?
Close relation of Hurricane Fly runs in the bumper. Yeats offspring. 2nd string on paper and money around for her so the signs are good. Avichi is the one. Hopefully she will be 2nd behind my choice though.
Yeah, I was trying to find the reason Alton Bay was being kept away and made the *assumption he was being kept for the better ground. Yielding shouldn't inconvenience him anyway. Look's nice placement from the trainer. * (Assumption is the mother of all cock ups)..hopefully just not today!
Greetings on International Workers Day -fancy a couple of left field horses today , Friendly Society 5 05 Font 6/1 -course winner who im sure is primed today, Cypress Grove 7 20 Font -bids to win this race again -his form at his beloved Fontwell on good ground counts for plenty and at 12/1 , is a cracking price. Cooladerry King in the last at Bangor 6/1 --unexposed youngster who has the best pilot from a yard in great form. all the best people, even the tories amongst you
Morning, Rudy, everyone, on the day that the international brotherhood unites the human race. A little light shopping in Epsom this morning brought me into contact with people who give me firmly to understand that Rufford (4.45 Ling) is fit, fancied and well up for it. Lee Carter, who I think trains in the old Reg Akehurst yard, certainly doesn't have a lot of winners, but this is a nothing race and on some of Rufford's form when he was with Fahey last year, he's not badly treated here. Probably best not to dive in too early, because it looks to me as if some money is already moving and the market's a bit distorted, but keep an eye on the on-course betting when it opens up.
Jim Crowley has done himself no favours leaving Becket. Pat Dobbs has picked up a nice ride in the 1000G and Richard Kingscote gets the leg up on Forte on Sunday. Before that he may take a smaller prize with very well connected PERRAULT today.
The fat retainer that Fitri Hay and her husband are paying him, to ride their horses, should ease the pain somewhat. Do agree and it did surprise me a bit when he left Mr Beckett. Ultimately though, I guess money talks.
Afternoon all, Can see O'Meara/Tudhope getting at least a double if not treble at Mussleburgh today. So I have backed the double and treble of 1.50 HALSALL, 4.35 TAKAFOL and 4.00 REGAL DAN. Other fancies this afternoon are: 2.20 Muss NOODLES BLUE BOY 7/1 3.15 Chep TAROOQ 3/1 3.35 Ling SALIENT 5/1 3.50 Chep MIRACLE NINETYNINE 7/2
Backed Alton Bay and tried for the "price boost" by trebling him with Faugheen and Nicholls Canyon, who both look unopposable.
