Saturday's Meetings Lingfield A/W 8 Races 12:55-4:58p.m. Leopardstown Flat 9 Races 1:20-5:45p.m. Chester Flat 8 Races 1:35-5:55p.m. Doncaster Flat 7 Races 1:50-5:25p.m. Bath(E) Flat 8 Races 3:15-7:05p.m. Musselburgh(E) Flat 7 Races 4:10-7:18p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
The first day of Irish Champions’ Weekend at Leopardstwon looks like a complete no bet with small fields and short-priced favourites. I think Economics will probably win the Irish Champion but it is anyone’s guess how the race will be run with the rest of the field dominated by Ballydoyle. Tom Marquand could have a double with Porta Fortuna in the Matron. Most of the other races contain short-priced Ballydoyle favourites, a couple of which look beatable. Sunday at The Curragh does not look promising either with four short-priced favourites in the big races. There is little of interest on the St Leger card with just seven declared for the big race including the supplemented You Get To Me, who might prove capable of denying Aidan O’Brien an eighth success via Illinois or Jan Brueghel, in receipt of the sex allowance. There is no obvious pace and the race might end up a sprint in the straight. I think that with drying conditions, old boy Kinross is beatable in the Park Stakes but the bookies are keeping Lead Artist short enough for a horse that is dropping to the trip for the first time. As several in the Portland owe me money, trying to pick which one will not lose me more money seems as futile as resisting the Borg.
Enjoy reading Richard Fahey's website as he is always so straightforward and, importantly, honest, in his stable reports. One I like, in which he has a good word for, is in the (16:05) at Chester, a Class-3 Handicap over an extended 1m2f on soft ground. Trainer said that the Havana Gold gelding, Have Secret, is certainly overdue for a win, as he has run consistently-well in decent events, and today could be his day. He is much better in rain-softened track conditions, which he will certainly get today. Ran well at York 21-days ago from an outside draw on unsuitable good-to-firm going. Is also badly-drawn, but trainer reckons that, given that the race is run at a fast pace early-on, the poor draw will not be that important. Without further ado, Make Secret is my pick today. Wears cheekpieces, as in previous runs. Oisin Orr rides for the Fahey yard. 9/2 ((Coral/Ladbrokes) best price early-doors, on the ATR site. Have an enjoyable and successful weekend, folks!
I mentioned yesterday about the ride Spencer gave a horse I put up... he's done it again today on that Wolf of Badenoch (I had no financial interest in the race)
Fine performance by Economics today at Leopardstown. Race did not suit him nor did the track but he looked stuffed a furlong out. Yet he fought back to win against a pretty good colt who'd won last years Derby. Still looks green to me and can improve on this. A factor of the last 10 years has been the paucity of outstanding horses (rated 135 + by Timeform. Despite the triumph of today's win I cannot see Economics getting to that figure (quite). He might do it in the future. Pity the Champion Stakes isn't being run at its proper course (Newmarket). He'd show how good a horse he is there. Jan Breughel similarly looks a horse who needs a galloping track: a magnificent looking colt
I found it very easy to crab both races, but I would have the same criticisms in both cases. Ballydoyle had three of the seven on Town Moor and looking at the race beforehand it always seemed most likely that one of them was going to make the running and either be trying to steal the race from the front or set it up for one of the others. The beaten jockeys coming in and complaining about the lack of pace have no-one to blame but themselves for not doing their homework and not doing anything to change their tactics during the race. That said when it came down to a head-to-head between the Ballydoyle colts I thought that the experience of Illinois would win out, so I expect Jan Brueghel to develop into the better four year old. Marquand did not have the race run to suit him but he knew his mount was adaptable enough to change and Economics did enough to fend off last year’s wonder horse. My problem with this race is the Japanese horse Shin Emperor that finished third. His jockey obviously has no experience of European racing, rode the horse into a dead end but was not beaten far. He is a full brother to Arc winner Sottsass and guess where his next race is planned. Does that make the form better or worse that he was so close under a poor ride?
