RaceCafe..#1...Tipsters Thread.... Share Your Fancies For Fun...Lets See Who The Best Tipsters Here Are.
stodge

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1984 Whitbread Day , a raceday I won't forget , all my family there on day out , and Queen Mother winning the big one .I backed Trojen Fen in Classic trial , was second to Alphabatim ridden by Brian Rouse . I think Alphabatim stood in NZ for a time , will have a look . Won Futurity year before I am sure .

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16 hours ago, Red Rum said:

1984 Whitbread Day , a raceday I won't forget , all my family there on day out , and Queen Mother winning the big one .I backed Trojen Fen in Classic trial , was second to Alphabatim ridden by Brian Rouse . I think Alphabatim stood in NZ for a time , will have a look . Won Futurity year before I am sure .

I think Guy Harwood thought ALPHABATIM was his best 3-y-o in 1984 but he was too slow for the Derby. He won the Lingfield Trial but at Epsom it all happened too quick and he was fifth to SECRETO and one place behind AT TALAQ who we mentioned the other day.

It was a poor summer for the Harwood horses that year with a virus in the yard - ALPHABATIM was aimed at the Leger and ended up third to COMMANCHE RUN, on whom Piggott was at his brilliant assertive best and BAYNOUN. Could he have gone well in the Arc? I doubt it - I suspect he'd have hated the ground which was terrible that year in Paris.

The Harwood stable jockey, Greville Starkey, ended up on STRAWBERRY ROAD who you lot will remember as the Cox Plate winner in 1983. John Nicholls brought him over and he won the Grosser Preis von Baden  before running fifth in the Arc and went on to win big races in France and the US. You couldn't imagine a Cox Plate winner coming over to run in the following year's Arc nowadays - 

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18 hours ago, stodge said:

I think Guy Harwood thought ALPHABATIM was his best 3-y-o in 1984 but he was too slow for the Derby. He won the Lingfield Trial but at Epsom it all happened too quick and he was fifth to SECRETO and one place behind AT TALAQ who we mentioned the other day.

It was a poor summer for the Harwood horses that year with a virus in the yard - ALPHABATIM was aimed at the Leger and ended up third to COMMANCHE RUN, on whom Piggott was at his brilliant assertive best and BAYNOUN. Could he have gone well in the Arc? I doubt it - I suspect he'd have hated the ground which was terrible that year in Paris.

The Harwood stable jockey, Greville Starkey, ended up on STRAWBERRY ROAD who you lot will remember as the Cox Plate winner in 1983. John Nicholls brought him over and he won the Grosser Preis von Baden  before running fifth in the Arc and went on to win big races in France and the US. You couldn't imagine a Cox Plate winner coming over to run in the following year's Arc nowadays - 

Bakharoff was the Harwood , Juddmonte , Starkey,  Futurity winner a couple years later I confused myself with , he ended up in NZ at Stud not Alphabatim  , winner year before him Lanfranco ended up here too  . I remember going racing at little old course on West Coast in about 95 and seeing the names of these long expelled horses appearing in race book,  Creag-An-Sgor was another that appeared .

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8 hours ago, Red Rum said:

 Creag-An-Sgor was another that appeared .

Named after a range in Aberdeenshire I believe.

He had the great misfortune to be part of a vintage generation of 3-y-o colts in 1984 - he ran in the Guineas behind the likes of RAINBOW QUEST, KEEN, LEAR FAN, CHIEF SINGER and EL GRAN SENOR. That was one of the strongest renewals of recent times.

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Just to note the Juddmonte, one of the highest rated races in not just the UK but the world, will have its prize fund restored to pre-Covid levels this year. 

Last year, GHAIYYATH beat MAGICAL. In third was LORD NORTH who won the Dubai Turf and in fourth was the 2000 Guineas winner KAMEKO. The official ratings of the first four home were 127, 122, 124 and 119 which explains why it keeps not only its Group 1 status but its position as one of the strongest races in the calendar.

I'd argue the Irish Champion was the better race last year - MAGICAL beat GHAIYYATH with ARMORY third, SOTTSASS fourth and JAPAN fifth. ARMORY went on to be runner up in the Cox Plate while SOTTSASS would go on to win the Arc which gives the form a bit of help. The ratings for the first five that day were 121, 130, 112, 119 and 121. 

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Friday sees an interesting Flat card at Sandown for which the final declarations are through.

Just four go in the Group 2 Sandown Mile and PALACE PIER has shortened to 1/2 which tells you a lot. The others aren't slouches - both KHUZAAM and HAPPY POWER are decent performers but if PALACE PIER is close to the form he showed at Ascot and Deauville he'll be too good.

While there may not be much competition for Team Gosden at 1600m, the Group 3 Gordon Richards over 2000m for the older horses looks a fascinating little heat. Favourite is the Gosden trained WALDKONIG, the full brother to the Arc winner Waldgeist. Let's not forget on his 3-y-o debut he was 8/11 favourite at Newmarket but was well held in third behind his stable companion called MISHRIFF and that turned out to be much better than it seemed at the time.

WALDKONIG was beaten by HIGHEST HONOUR at Haydock and was put away after that until returning to win a Pontefract handicap. He has it to prove at Group 3 level. HIGHEST HONOUR went from Haydock to a narrow defeat by THUNDEROUS in the delayed Dante at York and I think we can ignore his autumn flop on soft ground at Newmarket. Back on a decent surface, I think he has a serious chance.

The trouble is, THUNDEROUS is in the field though you just wonder if he might want some juice in the ground.

HUKUM won a warm 2400m handicap at Royal Ascot and followed up in the Geoffrey Freer before a decent fifth in the Leger - all the evidence suggests this will be too short for him.

EXTRA ELUSIVE won the Winter Hill at Windsor before a fair sixth behind ADDEYBB in the Champion Stakes. He flopped on the Dirt in Saudi Arabia at the end of January which leaves the 9-y-o DESERT ENCOUNTER who was one place in front of EXTRA ELUSIVE at Ascot. His middle eastern flop was in Bahrain.

The Classic Trial over 2000m is Sandown's pointer to the Derby. Now, Sandown isn't Epsom on a number of levels and this isn't much of a trial these days. The last horse to win this and go on to Epsom glory was Shahrastani back in 1986. BANGKOK won this in 2019 and MIDTERM, who now plies his trade in Australia, won it in 2016.

It looks wide open with 10 runners due to go to post. Charlie Appleby has ante post favourite YIBIR and ADAYAR. The one I like at an each way price is ETONIAN who was thought highly enough to warrant a tilt at the Dewhurst - he finished twelfth - and at this level on better ground he looks an attractive each way proposition at 10s.

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Just a snippet or two this evening.

Frankel's full sister makes her debut at Sandown tomorrow. The dam, KIND, died at the age of 20 giving birth to a Kingman foal so CHIASMA will be the last direct sibling to the great horse FRANKEL (rating 143) whose full brothers, NOBLE MISSION (123) and BULLET TRAIN (113), were decent in their own right though the other full brother, PROCONSUL (76) was less distinguished.

CHIASMA starts in a 2000m 3-y-o maiden but if she were to achieve black type, her future as a broodmare would be assured.

I'll cover last Sunday's racing in the next contribution but the opening 1600m maiden at Newbury saw SNOW LANTERN beat DERAB. The former is by Frankel out of the 1000 Guineas winner Sky Lantern while DERAB is a half-brother to Enable - his sire is Sea The Stars while hers was Nathaniel.

Over jumps, Saturday's Finale meeting at Sandown will be run on pretty quick ground for the chasers and hurdlers. Seven stand in the Grade 1 Celebration Chase over 3100m and some may consider it absurd (I know I do) we have a Grade 1 in England for the speed chasers on Saturday and just 72 hours we have another Grade 1 for the speed chasers at Punchestown. Despite that, both races will, I think, just about hold up. Henry de Bromhead has brought Champion Chase winner PUT THE KETTLE ON to Sandown to take on most of the top British chasers at this trip including SCEAU ROYAL, GREANETEEN and ALTIOR.The last named is top rated but is now eleven and you just have to ask if a speedy 3100m is really what he wants these days.

PUT THE KETTLE ON may not be ideally suited by this track and ground though the uphill finish will help. I like SCEAU ROYAL at 7/2 and may play at that price or bigger.

King George winner FRODON goes in the supporting Grade 2 and while he was no match for the Irish at Cheltenham this is more his level. 

On Sunday, there's a huge meeting at Sha Tin - three stellar Group 1 events but no European challengers that I can see. The Japanese are there in strength with DANON SMASH a big chance in the sprint. I imagine GOLDEN SIXTY will be strongly fancied for the Mile which looks dominated by the locals but the £1.35 million Queen Elizabeth II Cup has also drawn a strong Japanese challenge including KISEKI and the 2020 top classic filly, DARING TACT, who ran a fine third to the great ALMOND EYE in the Japan Cup last November.

Punchestown's five day jumping festival starts on Tuesday - decent ground for the main jump races but it's quick on the Cross Country course which has three races in the week including the wonderfully eccentric La Touche Cup on Thursday  over 6600m and 34 or 35 obstacles of varying shapes and sizes. The opening day features the 3200m Champion Chase.

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37 minutes ago, Tauhei Notts said:

So Chiasma runs in a 2000 metre maiden three year old event.  Fast forward six months and wonder what sort of field you would get for a 2000 metre three year old maiden event in late October in New Zealand.

The French are getting decent fields for 3 year old hurdlers over 2 miles at this point in season .

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7 hours ago, stodge said:

Just a snippet or two this evening.

Frankel's full sister makes her debut at Sandown tomorrow. The dam, KIND, died at the age of 20 giving birth to a Kingman foal so CHIASMA will be the last direct sibling to the great horse FRANKEL (rating 143) whose full brothers, NOBLE MISSION (123) and BULLET TRAIN (113), were decent in their own right though the other full brother, PROCONSUL (76) was less distinguished.

CHIASMA starts in a 2000m 3-y-o maiden but if she were to achieve black type, her future as a broodmare would be assured.

I'll cover last Sunday's racing in the next contribution but the opening 1600m maiden at Newbury saw SNOW LANTERN beat DERAB. The former is by Frankel out of the 1000 Guineas winner Sky Lantern while DERAB is a half-brother to Enable - his sire is Sea The Stars while hers was Nathaniel.

Over jumps, Saturday's Finale meeting at Sandown will be run on pretty quick ground for the chasers and hurdlers. Seven stand in the Grade 1 Celebration Chase over 3100m and some may consider it absurd (I know I do) we have a Grade 1 in England for the speed chasers on Saturday and just 72 hours we have another Grade 1 for the speed chasers at Punchestown. Despite that, both races will, I think, just about hold up. Henry de Bromhead has brought Champion Chase winner PUT THE KETTLE ON to Sandown to take on most of the top British chasers at this trip including SCEAU ROYAL, GREANETEEN and ALTIOR.The last named is top rated but is now eleven and you just have to ask if a speedy 3100m is really what he wants these days.

PUT THE KETTLE ON may not be ideally suited by this track and ground though the uphill finish will help. I like SCEAU ROYAL at 7/2 and may play at that price or bigger.

King George winner FRODON goes in the supporting Grade 2 and while he was no match for the Irish at Cheltenham this is more his level. 

On Sunday, there's a huge meeting at Sha Tin - three stellar Group 1 events but no European challengers that I can see. The Japanese are there in strength with DANON SMASH a big chance in the sprint. I imagine GOLDEN SIXTY will be strongly fancied for the Mile which looks dominated by the locals but the £1.35 million Queen Elizabeth II Cup has also drawn a strong Japanese challenge including KISEKI and the 2020 top classic filly, DARING TACT, who ran a fine third to the great ALMOND EYE in the Japan Cup last November.

Punchestown's five day jumping festival starts on Tuesday - decent ground for the main jump races but it's quick on the Cross Country course which has three races in the week including the wonderfully eccentric La Touche Cup on Thursday  over 6600m and 34 or 35 obstacles of varying shapes and sizes. The opening day features the 3200m Champion Chase.

Some other nicely bred runners tonight at Sandown  , Sir Lucan full brother to Sir Dragonet , Waldkonig a half brother to Waldgeist and Loving Dash half to Dashing Willoughby . Smaller fields but imho a very interesting day . I've got to get back to my spiritual home of Sandown one day soon .

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On 4/20/2021 at 6:19 AM, stodge said:

I'll catch up with yesterday's racing in due time but the pace of this time of year is unrelenting.

The Epsom Classic Trial isn't what it was and the Great Metropolitan is a shadow of the eccentric but wonderful race of my youth. 

Sandown is the main focus this weekend for a meeting which has also changed a lot over the years. The Bet 365 Gold Cup was once known as the Whitbread, and produced one of the great finishes of all time in 1984 when the Queen Mother's SPECIAL CARGO got up in the last stride. If you look for the finish on YouTube, there were five in with a chance over the last.

At that time, the Whitbread was the sole jump race and the rest of the two day card was all flat racing but with the decision to mark the end of the jumps season with a suitable "climax", the jumps element was expanded and now the flat races have been shunted to Friday and Saturday is the jumps finale.

Both days are quality cards - Friday's Flat card features the Group 2 Sandown Mile which sees the return of PALACE PIER, who was arguably the top 3-y-o miler last year. He won the St James's Palace and the Marois before running a decent third to THE REVENANT in the Queen Elizabeth II on Champions Day. He's 8/13 for Friday's race and strong favourite for the Lockinge - with the ground likely to suit, he's the obvious starting point. SAFE MASTER had a wonderful 2020 winning two Group 2 races and running a close third in the Foret. That shouldn't be good enough against a proven Group 1 performer like PALACE PIER.

Saturday's jumps card features the Grade 1 Celebration Chase over 3100m. Only nine have been entered but it looks a stellar renewal. PUT THE KETTLE ON narrowly beat NUBE NEGRA in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham - GREANETEEN was fourth and SCEAU ROYAL fifth and I think the latter is a very interesting proposition back over a course on which he has often run well.

The last time this race was run, SCEAU ROYAL was runner up to ALTIOR - the latter had come on from a convincing Champion Chase win. He had a gruelling race with CYRNAME on heavy ground in November 2019 but came back to beat SCEAU ROYAL in the Game Spirit but was a late withdrawal from Cheltenham last year. On his re-appearance at Kempton last December, he was decisively outpointed by NUBE NEGRA and while this course should favour him as should the light campaign, I just have that sense he's not the horse he was.

Melbourne Cup hero TWILIGHT PAYMENT has been entered for the Group 3 Vintage Crop at Navan on Sunday which has often been used by the Irish as a springboard for a staying campaign in the UK with the Gold Cup at Ascot an obvious target.

You mention the Great Metropolitan Stodge , I just found on you tube old British Pathe news of 1938 City and Suburban  Handicap whilst surfing through some old racing , that race was also run this past Tuesday . 1 min 19 secs of footage , crowd was jammed , a big day back in the day, worth a quick look.

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6 hours ago, Red Rum said:

You mention the Great Metropolitan Stodge , I just found on you tube old British Pathe news of 1938 City and Suburban  Handicap whilst surfing through some old racing , that race was also run this past Tuesday . 1 min 19 secs of footage , crowd was jammed , a big day back in the day, worth a quick look.

Indeed, I have a faint memory of the Epsom Spring Meeting being a two or three day affair rather than a single day as it is now.

The Great Metropolitan Handicap, run over two and a quarter miles, would start at the winning post and go the wrong way up the home straight (shades of Goodwood, Salisbury and Hamilton) before a right turn about 400m down the track and then the field would wend its way across the Downs until rejoining the main track for the final 2000m. 

It was never a top staying race and, if I'm being honest, not terribly popular with the jockeys. I think Willie Carson had some choice comments on it and few tears were lost when it was abandoned. 

The City & Suburban Handicap was a serious race at one time but that was a long time ago. 

The Blue Riband Trial was the third significant race of the meeting - there were very few opportunities to get a trial run over the Derby course. Despite that, it's never been a good trial for the race - CRACKSMAN won it in 2017 before running third in the Derby. It's now over 2000m but was over the full Derby trip of 2400m in earlier times.

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A quick look back at last Sunday's action at Newbury.

The classic trials went to the favourites but neither convinced and neither race did much to clear matters before the Guineas meeting at Newmarket next weekend.

ALCOHOL FREE brought Group 1 form to a Group 3 and just held off the late run of STATEMENT. It seemed to me 1400m was as far as the winner wanted to go and for all she will head to Newmarket, 6/1 looks very short. The second is on offer at 12s and that's much more tempting. The 1000 Guineas market is dominated not by form but by comment - Aidan O'Brien's glowing report of SANTA BARBARA has her at 6/4 which her form certainly doesn't merit. With PRETTY GORGEOUS looking to need a slow surface, English runners like SACRED, SAFFRON BEACH and STATEMENT all come into the reckoning.

The colts classic is wide open - the bookies have ONE RULER as 4/1 favourite - and CHINDIT is 8s after his narrow win in the Greenham. You'd think the extra 200m would help but he hung left under pressure and he's unproven on an undulating track - he's looked happiest bouncing off quick ground on flat tracks. The Greenham runner up, MEHMENTO< came off two facile wins in weak Southwell races but was given a brilliant ride by Hollie Doyle who nearly nicked it from the front. THE LIR JET paid my each way bet by running third but he's not entered in the classic.

Elsewhere on the card, the opening maiden saw three fascinating contenders drew nine lengths clear of the others. The winner, SNOW LANTERN, is by Frankel out of the 1000 Guineas winner Sky Lantern, and it's clear Richard Hannon rates her very highly and suggested she'll go for the Oaks for which she is 12/1. She beat DERAB, a half-brother to the great Enable. who I suspect will be seen to better effect over further. The third, FANTASTIC FOX, is by Frankel out of an unraced Dansili mare and a half to the Group 1 sprinter DREAM OF DREAMS . FANTASTIC FOX has a Dante entry.

The Group 3 over 2400m for the older horses saw AL AASY return with a commanding performance to establish high ranking among the older middle distance horses. He's in the Yorkshire Cup and the Coronation Stakes and he'll have to improve to mix it with the very best but there was a lot to like about this win.

Looking ahead to Sunday and the Group 3 Vintage Crop at Navan sees the return of SANTIAGO who won the Irish Derby last year beating TIGER MOTH who of course went on to run a blinder in the Melbourne Cup. I presume Ballydoyle see SANTIAGO as their next big staying prospect.

Speaking of the stayers, STRADIVARIUS and TWILIGHT PAYMENT head the 14 entries for next Wednesday's Sagaro over 3200m at Ascot. This race is a recognised Gold Cup trial and it'll be interesting to see if any of the younger stayers are able to compete with the established stars of the division.

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Friday saw an interesting card at Sandown. The Esher course isn't all it seems - you might think with a long uphill finish it would be ideal for those coming off a strong pace but many jockeys ride Sandown like an Australian track - they jump quickly, then slow it down round the long home turn and quicken steadily up the straight, 

What that means is those coming from off the pace are at a disadvantage and it's a real front runner's track.

Three interesting races on the card - the Group 3 Gordon Richards for the older horses over 2000m went to WALDKONIG on whom Frankie Dettori was always close to the pace and he was always holding DESERT ENCOUNTER, whose performance can be upgraded given he came from off the pace. HUKUM ran okay and I'm sure they'll step him up in trip but both HIGHEST HONOUR and THUNDEROUS were disappointing though I thought the race wasn't run to suit the latter at all.

The Group 3 Classic Trial over 2000m for the 3-y-o left more questions than answers with 25/1 ALENQUER scoring for the Haggas yard. The winner is by the German sire Adlerflug out of a mile winning mare and you'd think he would stay every inch of 2400m if not further. He's in the Dante but not the Derby. ADAYAR, who looked the Godolphin third string, ran a fine race in second with the seeming first string, YIBIR, in third. LONE EAGLE was fourth and they were well ahead of some other colts whose reputations took a real knock.

The feature Group 2 Mile saw PALACE PIER justify 4/11 odds reasonably comfortably. He tends to hit a flat spot about 600m down but he was far too good for these and is 10/11 for the Lockinge in three weeks. Interviewed after the race, John Gosden suggested it would be the Queen Anne from there (not sure how he will perform on a straight 1600m) and then, perhaps, a step up to 2000m which could mean the Juddmonte or the Irish Champion. That assumes, I suppose, no star 3-y-o miler and we'll know a lot more about that after the Guineas next weekend.  

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Tomorrow sees the start of the five day Punchestown racing Festival which effectively ends jump racing up here for the year.

Plenty of championship races picking up from the Dublin Festival, Cheltenham, Fairyhouse, and Aintree. The ground has been well watered and is just on the slow side of Good.

The opening day has three Grade 1 races - the first is the 3200m for the novice hurdlers. Only five go and on paper this looks a match. Favourite is ECHOES IN RAIN who was impressive in a Grade 2 at Fairyhouse ever Easter. He's clearly improving but will need to with BLUE LORD in opposition. In his last two completed runners he's run behind APPRECIATE IT and BOB OLINGER who were both wide margin winners at Cheltenham and at Prestbury Park he was on track to chase home APPRECIATE IT again, albeit at a respectable distance, when falling at the last.

That's better form then the favourite and BLUE LORD looks the choice.

The 3200m Champion Chase is arguably going to be one of the week's highlights. The Champion Chase second and third, NUBE NEGRA and CHACUN POUR SOI,  take on the runaway winner ALLAHO who has to come back 1000m in trip. Punchestown is a more galloping track than a Kempton or Aintree and in some respects isn't too different from Cheltenham. That said, I can't see ALLAHO having the in-race speed to mix it with the likes of NUBE NEGRA and CHACUN POUR SOI if the latter are on form. Choosing between the Champion Chase placed horses isn't easy - NUBE NEGRA ran a blinder at Cheltenham and this is only his third run of the campaign so I've backed him at 5s.

The Champion Novice Chase over 4800m is another mouth-watering clash - this time between the championship winner MONKFISH who has carried all before him in the top novice chases and ENVOI ALLEN, who was hot favourite for the Marsh at Cheltenham but fell early on. There are just four runners so you'd think ENVOI ALLEN's jumping wouldn't be tested as it was at Cheltenham while MONKFISH might not have the stamina that suited him so well at Leopardstown and Cheltenham. Again, very hard to choose and I've not had a bet but ENVOI ALLEN may have too speed for MONKFISH over the last couple of fences.

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On to Wednesday and a busy racing day in England and Ireland.

At Ascot, we have the Group 3 Sagaro over 3200m for the stayers and it's their first step on the journey through the Gold Cup and the cups at Goodwood and Doncaster later on. STRADIVARIUS makes his re-appearance and he's 8/11 but that reflects perhaps the horse he was. Yes, he won the Gold Cup impressively but was less impressive beating NAYEF ROAD by just a length at Goodwood. From there, he ran a decent second over 2400m in the Niel but was beaten a long way in both the Arc and the Stayers on Champions Day though on both occasions the ground was very heavy.

This quicker ground and track will suit and on the figures he has a big chance. Trainer Mark Johnston saddled DEE EX BEE who once went up against STRADIVARIUS. NAYEF ROAD chased home the latter in the Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup but as arguably slightly disappointing when third in the Lonsdale. PRINCE OF ARRAN was fourth in the Caulfield Cup and third in the Melbourne Cup and owes no one anything and I'm sure he'll run his usual good race but I'm more interested in the 4-y-o STAG HORN who improved rapidly through handicaps last season. This is a big step forward but he could be up to it.

In Ireland, it's Day 2 at Punchestown and again the championship races mix with the wonderfully eccentric offerings that co-exist in this Festival which still retains very close links to its Kildare roots. The 4800m Novice Hurdle championship race features three Cheltenham winners - you'd think Albert Bartlett winner VANILLIER would be favourite but GALOPIN DES CHAMPS, who won the handicap for the conditional jockeys, is narrowly favoured in the pre-race market. I suppose the argument is an additional 800m on quicker ground will help but VANILLIER demolished a field of well-bred and well-considered novices and it's hard to ignore that. However, we also have Mares Novice Hurdle winner TELLMESOMETHINGGIRL who goes up a full 1600m in trip and could well be the surprise package in what looks a trappy and fascinating heat.

The Punchestown Gold Cup is arguably the feature of the week and while the late scratching of Gold Cup winner MINELLA INDO due to a bruised foot has taken some of the lustre from the race, it's still a serious race. AL BOUM PHOTO lost his Gold Cup title but he was carried out on his shield and ran a huge race in third and with the two in front of him absent he has an obvious chance. After getting worked over at Cheltenham, the English are back with champion trainer Paul Nicholls running CLAN DES OBEAUX who looked back to his best at Aintree. He bounces off decent ground and is sure to go well as will KEMBOY who is useless at Cheltenham but a serious contender elsewhere. FAKIR D'OUDARIES was no match for ALLAHO at Cheltenham but won the Marsh at Aintree in style - the trip is a question mark in this grade. 

It's a very tough race to call  - I think KEMBOY could well bounce back to top form away from Prestbury Park but it's a race to savour for all it's missing the Gold Cup winner.

The 3200m NH Flat Race sees a re-match between the two Mullins horses who finished first and second in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham. SIR GERHARD beat KILCRUIT that day but not by much and at 11/10 and 5/4 respectively, the bookies are finding it hard to split them here. There's a danger in the shape of the 4-y-o LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE who gets the weight allowance and ran an extraordinary race on debut at Leopardstown. He was 25/1 and took such a keen hold the saddle slipped after 800m but he was 15 lengths ahead and cruising when taking the wrong course and running out on the home turn. Would ha have stopped? The pundits say not but he'll have to be very good to run down the two Mullins stars.

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6 hours ago, stodge said:

On to Wednesday and a busy racing day in England and Ireland.

At Ascot, we have the Group 3 Sagaro over 3200m for the stayers and it's their first step on the journey through the Gold Cup and the cups at Goodwood and Doncaster later on. STRADIVARIUS makes his re-appearance and he's 8/11 but that reflects perhaps the horse he was. Yes, he won the Gold Cup impressively but was less impressive beating NAYEF ROAD by just a length at Goodwood. From there, he ran a decent second over 2400m in the Niel but was beaten a long way in both the Arc and the Stayers on Champions Day though on both occasions the ground was very heavy.

This quicker ground and track will suit and on the figures he has a big chance. Trainer Mark Johnston saddled DEE EX BEE who once went up against STRADIVARIUS. NAYEF ROAD chased home the latter in the Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup but as arguably slightly disappointing when third in the Lonsdale. PRINCE OF ARRAN was fourth in the Caulfield Cup and third in the Melbourne Cup and owes no one anything and I'm sure he'll run his usual good race but I'm more interested in the 4-y-o STAG HORN who improved rapidly through handicaps last season. This is a big step forward but he could be up to it.

In Ireland, it's Day 2 at Punchestown and again the championship races mix with the wonderfully eccentric offerings that co-exist in this Festival which still retains very close links to its Kildare roots. The 4800m Novice Hurdle championship race features three Cheltenham winners - you'd think Albert Bartlett winner VANILLIER would be favourite but GALOPIN DES CHAMPS, who won the handicap for the conditional jockeys, is narrowly favoured in the pre-race market. I suppose the argument is an additional 800m on quicker ground will help but VANILLIER demolished a field of well-bred and well-considered novices and it's hard to ignore that. However, we also have Mares Novice Hurdle winner TELLMESOMETHINGGIRL who goes up a full 1600m in trip and could well be the surprise package in what looks a trappy and fascinating heat.

The Punchestown Gold Cup is arguably the feature of the week and while the late scratching of Gold Cup winner MINELLA INDO due to a bruised foot has taken some of the lustre from the race, it's still a serious race. AL BOUM PHOTO lost his Gold Cup title but he was carried out on his shield and ran a huge race in third and with the two in front of him absent he has an obvious chance. After getting worked over at Cheltenham, the English are back with champion trainer Paul Nicholls running CLAN DES OBEAUX who looked back to his best at Aintree. He bounces off decent ground and is sure to go well as will KEMBOY who is useless at Cheltenham but a serious contender elsewhere. FAKIR D'OUDARIES was no match for ALLAHO at Cheltenham but won the Marsh at Aintree in style - the trip is a question mark in this grade. 

It's a very tough race to call  - I think KEMBOY could well bounce back to top form away from Prestbury Park but it's a race to savour for all it's missing the Gold Cup winner.

The 3200m NH Flat Race sees a re-match between the two Mullins horses who finished first and second in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham. SIR GERHARD beat KILCRUIT that day but not by much and at 11/10 and 5/4 respectively, the bookies are finding it hard to split them here. There's a danger in the shape of the 4-y-o LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE who gets the weight allowance and ran an extraordinary race on debut at Leopardstown. He was 25/1 and took such a keen hold the saddle slipped after 800m but he was 15 lengths ahead and cruising when taking the wrong course and running out on the home turn. Would ha have stopped? The pundits say not but he'll have to be very good to run down the two Mullins stars.

I think the slow pace and sprint home done for Stadivarius in those two French runs , they chanced arm at Ascot as was looking like final hurrah . 8/11 way too short for me for 7 year old stallion on return . 

I see Midterm's sister looking favoured for Oaks , Noon Star only 12s now . Love to see Sir Micheal Stoute bag another classic .

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13 hours ago, Red Rum said:

I think the slow pace and sprint home done for Stadivarius in those two French runs , they chanced arm at Ascot as was looking like final hurrah . 8/11 way too short for me for 7 year old stallion on return . 

I see Midterm's sister looking favoured for Oaks , Noon Star only 12s now . Love to see Sir Micheal Stoute bag another classic .

If you think 8/11 is poor value, STRADIVARIUS is trading overnight at 8/13.

NOON STAR is absolutely bred in the purple - by Galileo out of Midday so a full to MIDTERM. Stoute trained four of the five progeny from the dam so far (as you might expect) but the two halfs to Frankel didn't set the world on fire.

NOON STAR beat trees at Wetherby last time and it's a million miles to Group 1 from there - 12/1 looks ridiculous at this time but if they run her at Chester or Lingfield and she wins well those odds will collapse subject of course to what happens at Newmarket over the weekend.

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Thursday is Day 3 at Punchestown and we have the  La Touche which is a 6800m cross country chase - primarily banks and perhaps not the variety of obstacles seen at Cheltenham but it's still a wonderful race to watch.

At the business end, 15 go in the Champion Stayers Hurdle over 4800m. FLOORING PORTER was a convincing winner of the World Hurdle at Cheltenham and it's hard to see why the likes of BEACON EDGE and FURY ROAD should reverse places. HEAVEN HELP US was a 33/1 shock winner of the Coral Cup, a handicap hurdle over 4200m at Cheltenham. He's got a lot to do to bother the favourite but he looks a big each way bet at 16s.

The 3200m novice chase sees the return of ENERGUMENE who is unbeaten after his win at the Dublin Festival after which all the talk was of a clash with SHISHKIN at Cheltenham. That didn't happen and I just wonder if this is as short as this one wants but he should have too much class for these.

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5-day entries are through for the Guineas Festival at Newmarket where the ground is Good to Firm as the dry spell up here continues.

18 have been entered for the 2000 Guineas - the main surprise is the supplementing of maiden winner MUTASAABEQ. At first look, 10 have a chance and 8 are making up the numbers but with WEMBLEY 4/1 favourite, this is the most open Guineas for many years. It's also worth noting William Buick has chosen MASTER OF THE SEAS over ONE RULER - the former did it well in the Craven but Charlie Appleby has always thought a lot of the latter. It's an interesting move which saw ONE RULER ease to 6s.

The main supporting race is the Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes over 2400m which was won by Ghaiyyath last year. Just six have been entered - favourite is PYLEDRIVER who won the King Edward VII and the Voltigeur last year. The Derby was a disaster but he ran a decent third in the Leger so you'd think a searching 2400m would be ideal. He's well ahead on the figures and should be too good for all weather handicapper AL ZARAQAAN.

More later in the week.

Just a reminder, on Sunday,  apart from the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket we also have the Ganay at Longchamp. Aidan O'Brien has entered his usual truckload including LOVE but I can't see her running - SKALLETI is an interesting contender.

I'm going to leave the Kentucky Derby to Harry who seems very well informed and I'll concentrate on European matters going forward.

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3 hours ago, stodge said:

If you think 8/11 is poor value, STRADIVARIUS is trading overnight at 8/13.

NOON STAR is absolutely bred in the purple - by Galileo out of Midday so a full to MIDTERM. Stoute trained four of the five progeny from the dam so far (as you might expect) but the two halfs to Frankel didn't set the world on fire.

NOON STAR beat trees at Wetherby last time and it's a million miles to Group 1 from there - 12/1 looks ridiculous at this time but if they run her at Chester or Lingfield and she wins well those odds will collapse subject of course to what happens at Newmarket over the weekend.

Wetherby still odd looking for me as  Classic form in the book , Iam used to sizing the form from there into Cheltenham . 

One of the Frankel''s out Midday  went to Luke Comer in 2018 for 65000 out of Stoute yard but unsighted since so doubt he will be seen again . I think he breeds a few so may turn up in race book one day in a bumper as the sire  .  He has some detractors Comer as a trainer but a billionaire I doubt he cares . 

Talking Juddmonte horses Logician's brother Collide has died , cardiac issue few weeks back but online it appears to be kicked out in stall and broke a leg . Not a bad stayer on his day not seen at his best in a few OZ runs  .

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19 hours ago, Red Rum said:

That bumper winner in the last Crown Major breeding from left field for bumper , how did he end up there I'd wonder . Bred for Japan dirt tracks more than bumper and hurdles .

I thought that might have been a comment on the runner up.

The dam raced for Sir Michael Stoute and was a decent handicapper as a 3-y-o ending on a rating of 85 after winning over 2000m at Beverley.

I can't see any evidence of the sire having had any runners in the UK and Ireland and he's best known for the Hong Kong star, ADMIRE MARS who himself is a stallion in Japan with his first progeny due out in 2023.

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Looking back on the first day at Punchestown where some much needed rain had eased the ground to Yielding.

Three Grade 1 races on the opening day card - the 3200m novice hurdle saw the odds on favourite ECHOES IN RAIN build on the promise of her Fairyhouse win and she looks another tremendous mare for Willie Mullins. BLUE LORD set the pace but was a sitting duck off the home turn and faded to third behind the fast finishing COLONEL MUSTARD. Not sure what the longer term plans for the winner would be at this stage.

The 3200m Champion Chase looked a fascinating match between CHACUN POUR SOI and NUBE NEGRA who were third and second in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham with Ryanair Chase winner ALLAHO in the mix. In the end, though, it was a one-horse race with CHACUN POUR SOI back to his best on this slightly flatter track and easier ground. He comprehensively reversed Cheltenham places with NUBE NEGRA who was well held in third. ALLAHO tried to go with CHACUN POUR SOI but hit four out and wasn't good three out and that was him done for all he ran on well enough. 

I suppose we could begin to suspect CHACUN POUR SOI simply doesn't like Cheltenham but this was a championship performance by any consideration. ALLAHO didn't run badly and back up over 4200m or further he'll no doubt be a player - I'd love him to run in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day.

The 4800m champion novices chase had only four runners but this was also billed as a match - this time between MONKFISH and ENVOI ALLEN. However, this was one of those occasions when both favourites misfired. ENVOI ALLEN jumped okay but from four out Rachael Blackmore looked unhappy and the horse quickly lost ground approaching the straight and was pulled up lame.

This should have given MONKFISH the edge but COLREEVY, who we remember doing me a big favour on the final day at Cheltenham, continued her upward trajectory making every yard, She made a couple of serious errors notably at the last but MONKFISH was beaten by then and his effort looked laboured and had the sense of a horse who was done for the campaign. I'm not sure this race told us much - COLREEVY is yet another Mullins mare on the upgrade and connections may well feel ready to go into open company next season perhaps starting at Down Royal before Leopardstown at Christmas. 

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Plenty to report on tonight.

Let's start with the jumpers and the Finale meeting at Sandown brought the curtain down on a truncated 20/21 campaign. The final day saw some quality racing on well-watered but still quite fast ground and for champion jumps trainer Paul Nicholls it was another superb day in a season which has obviously been very strong for him but with the notable exception of Cheltenham where he failed to get a winner against the Irish onslaught (but more of that anon).

The King George winner FRODON looked very good winning the Grade 2 over 4400m. As always. he jumped and ran well from the front and while the full Gold Cup trip is clearly too far, Nicholls is looking at the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown as FRODON's long term aim.

The Grade 1 Celebration Chase over 3200m looked a very strong heat. In the paddock, the 11-y-o ALTIOR looked magnificent and with first time cheekpieces, he looked and ran like his former self and produced a wonderful display of jumping. However, he was up against a quality field and while Champion Chase winner PUT THE KETTLE ON never looked happy, both SECAU ROYAL and especially GREANETEEN were always close up and after the Pond Fence (three out), Bryony Frost got up the inside of Nico de Boinville and poached the advantage on GREANETEEN and from there ALTIOR was always just on the back foot.

I have to say de Boinville may look back on tat and think he got it wrong - Bryony Frost made an enterprising move which worked and won her the race. ALTIOR ran home really well for second and while he may not be the force he was, he's still very good and a step up to 4000m makes a lot of sense on decent ground. GREANETEEN meanwhile capped off a huge day for Nicholls and Frost and it will be interesting to see if he returns to Sandown for the Tingle Creek and a possible clash with SHISHKIN.

On then to yesterday's events at Punchestown and some slow times suggested the official ground description of Yielding was a bit optimistic. The Grade 1 Novice Hurdle over 4800m saw an impressive performance by GALOPIN DES CHAMPS who on this was chucked in for the conditional jockeys handicap at Cheltenham as he sauntered away from the field to win by 12 lengths. STATLER set the pace but tired from two out while VANILLIER was disappointing in fourth.

The Champion Chase over 4800m saw CLAN DES OBEAUX follow on from his impressive Aintree performance by beating some of the best Irish chasers in their own back yard - a point Nicholls was keen to stress at Sandown the previous weekend was something the British had to attempt. CLAN DES OBEAUX was always prominent and led from the sixth fence. His only serious challenger was AL BOUM PHOTO but the latter was let down by some indifferent jumps at the last three and while he rallied close home, CLAN DES PBEAUX was, I thought, always in command though had AL BOUM PHOTO jumped the last three properly, I think it would have been very close.

FAKIR D'OUDAIRIES didn't see out the trip in this company while KEMBOY was poor in fourth.

AL BOUM PHOTO was a close third in the Gold Cup so on a line through him CLAN DES OBEAUX comes out very close to both A PLUS TARD and MINELLA INDO. I don't know if Nicholls is going to eschew the King George for a run in the Savils - I doubt it - and with the likes of MONKFISH and possibly COLREEVY and ENVOI ALLEN let alone ALLAHO all in the mix for next season, the staying chase division looks very strong currently.

They say revenge is a dish best served cold and KILCRUIT served up a generous portion to SIR GERHARD comprehensively reversing the Cheltenham Bumper form in the equivalent. LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE went off as though being pursued by the hounds of hell but was readily reeled back in with 800m to go. KILCRUIT went on ad held off the persistent challenge of SIR GERHARD who lost second to O'TOOLE close home. It's fair to say both KILCRUIT and SIR GERHARD are exciting hurdling prospects - I just wonder if the latter will be the speedier type over hurdles and KILCRUIT might want 4000m as a novice.

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