Monday's Meetings Huntingdon N/H 7 Races 1:40-5:10p.m. Fakenham N/H 7 Races 1:45-5:15p.m. Cork N/H 8 Races 1:50-5:50p.m. Plumpton N/H 7 Races 1:50-5:20p.m. Redcar Flat 8 Races 1:55-6:00p.m. Chepstow N/H 7 Races 2:00-5:30p.m. Fairyhouse N/H 8 Races 2:05-6:10p.m. Irish National Off @ 5:00p.m. Wolverhampton A/W 7 Races 2:10-5:35p.m. Racecards At The Races Racing Post Sporting Life Good Luck
30 runners in the Irish National and only 3 have no association to either Mullins, Elliott, JP McManus or Gigginstown. Hopefully one of those 3 wins it. (Snugsborough Benny, Whisperinthebreeze and Forever Gold)
Irish Grand National: The British raider Kimberlite Candy for Tom Lacey and Arkwrisht for Joseph O Brien. I believe there's scope in KCs mark and Lacey wouldn't be sending him over for the Irish air. Arkwrisht was dreadfully unlucky last year when Bellshill arrived at the last like a wrecking ball and effectively took him out. Poor form on the face of it this year but can't help thinking JOB has had this as the target. 2lb less and better ground will help. 28/1 and 60/1 ew 6 places respectively.
Kap Auteuil, running in the Huntingdon bumper today, is a full brother to the impressive Close Brothers Handicap winner A Plus Tard. Should be worth a watch.
EASY STREET 10/1 Chepstow 4.55 Backed to somewhere near his last winning mark with a very useful 3lb claim to aid that but more importantly back to his trip and suitable ground conditions. The odds on favourite The Dellerchackout has a whopping 9lb penalty for an easy win last time but I am hoping Lovely Job will take him on for the lead and not give him an easy time out front. Shanahans Turn is woefully out of sorts this term, a comment you could apply to Lovely Job too. Certainly more questions than answers in this event but Easy Street looks a bit of value to me. BURROWS SAINT 9/1 Fairy 5.00 A lightly raced but fast improving novice. This trip looks right up his street and if he can cope with the hurly burly of a race like this he should win. I suspect he will go off something like half the price he is now.
They paid EU45,000 for him as a yearling but obviously that was prior to A Plus Tard proving his worth, I suspect he would go for a lot more now if he is a decent looker. A Plus Tard never ran in a bumper, he started out over hurdles and won on debut.
Morning In the Irish National I like one of the more obvious ones Any Second Now Each Way @ 12-1 (William Hill) 5 Places
Fairyhouse 17,00 Tout Est Permis 18/1 e/w (six places) Up in trip and the top weight will make him a very though race but I expect a great run with a bit of luck. I think he is a grade horse and maybe runs next year the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
I see your old friend Micheal Attwater has a runner in the opener at Huntingdon. Didn’t know he trained jumpers.
He hasnt had many and flat refused to give Squire a go. He laid this one out nicely to win its handicap. He has Jamie Moore along to help along with the schooling. They rather fancy it today, very good claimer on board.
The first race at Cork. I've gone with Gordon Elliotts 2nd string. Done ok FTO and picked up and ran on well when asked a question. Step up in trip should suit. CAMDEN VILLAGE EW 25/1
Irish National always a very difficult race to solve and this year is no different. Hoping the race doesn't go to Elliot and the Gtown Gangsters as I'm sick of the sight of the smug o'Leary brothers in the winners enclosure.The two that I've backed are both JP runners in the form of Any Second Now and Shady Operator. The former won the Kim Muir last month and is still on an attractive mark of 150.Shady Operator finished 7th in the Close Brothers but that looked to much on the sharpe side and he looks to be crying out for this trip. I've gone ew on both so would be happy with a place as this race is an absolute minefield!!
If you avoid Gigginstown, Eliott, JP and Willie you're left with just 2 runners in the Irish National Whisperinthebreeze and Forever Gold. Just shows the stranglehold of the very few at the top of Irish racing.