Afternoon all - Caitlin for me in the lucky last at Soggy Sandown 9/4 - going there tommorrow and can't wait (except for the crappy weather that is) !!!
Timeform lazy barstewards who couldn't be arsed to find the fact Quevega had won on heavy so decided to say she hadn't encountered the ground before. Disgrace
Lascaux is bred for the ground but two of these are entered in the Oaks whilst she isnt. Yet still 4/1? Odd betting market isnt it? I'll follow Gosden here.
I'm looking at Fallon and Cumani in the 4.30 and think Scrupul might be interesting going handicapping after bits of promise in maidens. Is bred to make a 3 year old and starts off on an interesting mark, like so many Cumani handicappers do. I think Dubawi horses for Godolphin do well on better ground whereas I'm confident a Dylan Thomas horse can handle soft. 14/1 might be an ew play I reckon. The Highclere horse of Stoutes is interesting going handicapping also.
Toppy - just looking at the Stoute horse running in a handicap when probably upto winning an easy maiden somewhere - it's last run was behind a certain Noble Mission and Swedish Sailor at Yarmouth !!!!
Well, a tricky day with the soft conditions. Which brings me to the opener at Punchestown: First Lieutenant was kept for Cheltenhams better ground over 3m but no drops a mile and runs on a bog. Surely a lay? Blackstairmountain likewise, and Menorah is hardly known as a soft ground animal. That leaves me with Kumbeshwar, who when you look through, has some excellent efforts to its name with cut in the ground and might just get the chance to steal from the front. A clean round of jumping is a necessity though. at Doncaster, Nifty Fox is 10lb better off than when having trouble in running on seasonal reappearance last year and handles the conditions. Interesting.
I know im abit ahead of my self but surely West End Rocker must be a big postive for tomorrow the big one at sandown, fell early in the GN so will be fresh and the ground he will love!
This is a tough one at Punchestown. Plenty of reasons to oppose all of the field but Willie Mullins is flying at the minute and there is e/w value in the 9s about Blackstairmountain.
I was going to place lay First Lieutenant but he's 2.5(ish) which is probably fair enough. He looks slow on soft ground so I can't imagine the trip will suit at all. Sorry Gentlemen. I didn't post in time. He actually stuck on well.
Menorah was disappointing. He travelled well enough but found nothing. The fact that Blackstairmountain was that close on that ground I think tells you it wasn't the best race. FL the one to take from it I think. 3m good ground and he'll be decent.
It was so bad Blackstairmountain almost won on heavy ground and a 3miler was a staying on third. Laughable. I'd be well happy if I'd bought a ticket to go. Not only do you get a terrible grade 1 2mile chase, you also get a terrible grade one 2mile hurdle.
Spot on Quel. And people stll making excuses for Menorah LOL- he was flattered by 3rd in the arkle was well beaten never made an impact and beat trees at Aintree.
