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Alan De Banks, a big late drifter 4/1-8/1, but scrambled the each-way. Terrible piece of placing. As expected he looked all at sea on the track. The favourite was vulnerable, and bookmakers laughing.
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Would not have backed Numitor and thought that Copperhead would be outpaced from 3 out so landed on Eldorado despite the price. Didn't back that a place either so getting it wrong today. Not really interested in betting on the other 2 races. Don't like the X country and the Skelton horse is very short in the last. On to tomorrow with Livin on Luco and Il Ridoto already backed and Western Knight and Libberty Hunter on my to follow list.
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Chianti was giving 2 stone away dd. He is not quite good enough to do that over 3.2 but still a decent effort. First 3 well clear. If he is OK the Cotswold Chase is a possible as it is shorter I think.
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il rodoto with olive...I'd be getting rid of that sharpish
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Sage, as ever time will tell. I don't like to see horses finish as weakly as that. He was also brushed aside upped in class at Aintree. Cotswold Chase could easily be a stamina test on softer ground.
I put in a good word for Strackan last time, but missed him today. Straightforward again under a good Bangor ride. Wyenot been supported for tomorrow, but I have cashed out at no loss. It looks too soft at Doncaster. It would have been a nice set up on good ground. Stumptown, another bridle merchant win for Cromwell. I thought Latenightpass travelled as well as the winner, but probably on a downward curve. Arizona Cardinal not fluent enough, and another who didn't see it out. Can Skelton get it right on the handicap 'good thing' in the last. There will be a few disappointed punters if he doesn't. Bookmakers have the field on their side. |
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Olive claiming 7lb on a horse who knows the course better than any. I am very happy with that. Freddie had been looking a bit sore even before that fall. Cobden also not 100% although it was not the cause of Caldwell Potter getting beaten. Jockeys keep riding when they can't give a horse the help it needs. I have had at least 2 instances of a horse I owned a share in getting beat because of a jockey who had a recent fall taking the ride. R Dunwoody on one and G Bradley on the other.
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Bookmakers laughing again. At no stage did Doyen Quest look like winning. A feeble finishing effort.
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The difference between a yard in great form and one in awful form summed up in the last. Long Draw really galloped up the hill. Might I stopped dead. Story of both yards in the last 2 months.
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Best wishes to the wife, Reg
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Just two each-ways tomorrow, at least so far. To me the big race isn't exciting, it's the same old versus Skelton at the top of the market. I don't really want to take a short price on the Skelton runner, some win, but plenty lose. So I came down on the side of Le Patron. You have to forgive the one Cheltenham run. It wasn't the best Grade 1, but he has at least won at that level. My angle would be the partnership with Freddie Mitchell. It seemed to really click at Newbury and if he can translate that to Cheltenham I think he has a decent chance. My other one is Spirit Of Legend in what looks a weak novice chase at Fairyhouse. His best is probably better than any of these, but the problem is he has rarely produced that best. He ran in a much better race than this last time. Taken wide he was just making some progress when coming down. That was the only mistake I could see. The jock was riding him on a very long rein which you could argue was asking for trouble. Same jock in the saddle tomorrow. If he does put it together he is a big price.
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Added Skyjack Hijack. The worry would be the course which takes the emphasis away from jumping. French raiders this season have been useless. Fingers crossed today's isn't any different.
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The opener at Fairyhouse is probably the race of the day. Majborough, looks the part, and is priced as if we are going to see an Arkle performance for which he is generally a 10/1 shot. Shame Blue Velvet has been taken out of the last.
Very strange bookmaker card at Navan tomorrow with six low grade handicaps. Hope that isn't a sign of things to come as you expect better from Irish racing, particularly on a Sunday. Not great all round with Windsor back with a whimper rather than a bang. You might have thought they could have tried to attract something better. |
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Majborough gets just 6lb 4yo allowance today. I can remember when it would have been 12lb or more. I know he will be 5 in 3 weeks time but it is still a factor against 2 decent older opponents. Asian Master is very experienced having run in ptp and a hunter chase for Tom Costello before joining Mullins. He is now 7 but I don't hold that against him with a 7lb claim as well. He beat Tullyhill at Cheltenham. Comes down to which was the best form, Triumph or Supreme and which is the best jumper.
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Three trying-all Mullins!
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Majborough coasts in
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Very impressive. Obviously been schooling really well.
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Pretty good from Majborough. Jumping a little bit in and out, but I would imagine that can improve. The most impressive thing was the gear from the last. He looked anything but a slow horse. Added him for the Arkle. Doubt we will see anything as good for the rest of the day.
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Tullyhill one to follow upped in trip.
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Spirit Of Legend out ran his odds, but unfortunately, spent 90% of the race on a schooling session. Struggling to see the point of riding a horse like that on such a long rein. It allows him to do too much, and if the horse makes an error, the control is limited. Had he not bungled the last, he would probably have finished a staying on fourth.
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exactly and in GB I would expect a ban for non trier. He briefly overtook Kinturk Kalanisi and could easily have followed that one through. Lets hope we get a price when they let him go. Hillcrest has fallen from grace since a very promising hurdle career but I am on Livin on Luco and Destroy the Evidence in the next.
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McManus could have a couple of Arkle contenders with Inthepocket aswell
as todays wnr,who was quite impressive,I thought. |
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Does Transmission need to be ridden like that, or was it a shockingly ill-judged ride from James Bowen? Before today I thought he might be an Ultima/Kim Muir type, and I suppose he still might, but passing 20+ horses could be a tricky assignment. It doesn't help any hold up horse if your jumping is no more than adequate. He is also a little out to the right.
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Candlish another nice hurdles winner off the flat at Newcastle. A very good trainer.
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backed it again wonder. How does a market move which is entirely due to the rider going to affect the horse? I could have traded out and back again but if it is beaten it makes no difference. Cobden should not be riding anything.
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I could have traded out and back again but if it is beaten it makes no difference
if you traded out & then decided to back it again after the drift you are only staking half what you were to win the same amount |
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fairly indifferent at price now think its near correct
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Harry Fry tailed off last again.
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Cobden looks a different jockey on other trainers horses so it must be a yard issue. Still looks stiff across his shoulders since that fall.
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Miserable performance from Le Patron. To be competitive in those sorts of races at the very least you need to jump and travel. He didn't come close to doing either, and if he ever appears at Cheltenham again, he won't be carrying my money.
Will Wyenot get away with the ground? Interesting to see the tactics on Skyjack Hijack. I hope they attempt to go clear and then get a breather. I think that's a better idea than simply sitting in front with the others travelling in their comfort zone. |
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Missed the Whynot race dd but see it won. Libberty Hunter saved me from a bad day. Just Western Knight now.
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Laid off short but done by James Reveley on Jet Blue.
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Skyjack Hijack could never escape, and looked a very ordinary horse today. Be careful what you get excited about.
Wyenot's jumping sealed that race. Two of the others didn't want soft ground, and the original favourite has gone backwards. Bummer of a 9/1 cash out (on a very poor day), but clearly the horse doesn't want soft and yesterday the Racing Post gave the ground as good to soft with showers forecast. I declined the chance to go back in at 11/4. |
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Wodhooh, well positioned in a farcical race, but jumped well, and won going away. You would imagine she will take a bit of beating in mares' only races, and maybe she is even worth a crack at open company.
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Not a great 2 days. I do find Cheltenham hard these days but still love watching it. Too many extra bets as I had a winner and a second from the 4 I picked out yesterday. I did back Quantock Hills but small profit after the dead heat. Livin on Luco was a bit speculative and was outclassed.
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May not have been much of a race but the Mullins bumper winner looks to have a serious engine considering how errant/green it ran at various stages.
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Yes, she looks the better buy at 150,000 compared to Swing Davis at 320,000. Nothing untoward in her point, in fact she created a gap to win her race. Supreme Malinas came down before the race had really developed. It goes without saying that you would want to see what she does in a better race, but she appears have a combination of speed and stamina. There haven't been too many impressive bumper winners. Koktail Brut, and the more scopey, Sinnatra, would head my list.
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On course bookmakers complaining about lack of turnover at Cheltenham yesterday. That's what happens I suppose when racing is pricing people out of it and the 'only here for the drink' mob is given preference.
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Decent card at Naas tomorrow so why wasn't that on today instead of the bookmaker fodder?
Easy no bet day today. Had a look at the Carlisle bumper, and concluded that they all want good ground. If something does handle the ground they could bolt up. |
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Chianti Classico suffered a tendon injury Friday,might not race again.
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