A great days Sport actually Friday was fab also,had a good cut at 7/4 Harpsy Cord, and thanks to AE Lynch collected,in my opinion Harpsy Cord is not one to get too excited about but may improve (needs to), backed Lovcen and he was impressive...... River Maigue ran a lovely race and Tizzard could win the Cheltenham bumper again as his winner was so very impressive......well done to his Royal Highness with Kilcrea, won well and Ms. Mangan was very polished winning without the persuader.. was a great SP at 7/4 as laddies were 11/8 all day with Spoils at 13/8 same as PP's... a great day but tomorrows another day.......

Fantastis pieces of writing Royal the things you unearth are exceptional surely over the year you would be in profit please keep up the sterling hard work

The East Antrim Hunt two-day fixture held at Loughanmore (run on Wilson Dennison’s land) every year seems to be a great racing and social occasion and I hope to make the pilgrimage there this year for the first time: it’s scheduled for 9th and 10th April.

The 2011 5yo maiden (good) produced Ado McGuinness’s Admiral Barton, a Flemensfirth gelding who cost his then owner, Tony Gannon, €27,000 as at foal at Goffs in 2006. He won by half-a-length under JD Moore from Butney Boy who was fancied to win a Down Royal maiden hurdle on St. Stephen’s Day (finished second).

Admiral Barton is a fifth foal out of a flat-bred Dancing Dissident mare (placed in a Goodwood maiden at two) who is a half-sister to three winners including Timber King who was a very good 2m hurdler for Christy Roche. Admiral Barton is himself a half-brother to False Economy who has won five for Michael Hourigan including two 2m hurdles and a two-and-a-half mile chase (also two 1m6f flat races). It’s interesting to record that the dam was bred to flat stallions for her first three foals but once False Economy (by Orpen)arrived (foal # 3) the emphasis has changed. Her first national hunt foal, Kumasi Clan (Moscow Society) is showing only modest promise for Emma Lavelle.

In researching the Loughanmore 5yo maiden I honestly expected to find little to report upon (potentially improving ground and the beginning of the end of the season) but in the event the three divisions in 2009 all produced track winners (Eurohunter, Comehomequietly and Sum Laff) and from two divisions in 2010 no less a superstar than Flemenstar was victorious. Even 2008 produced two winners from two divisions including 2011 Foxhunters star Zemsky and Adrianeo. I’d say you are paying attention now!

Incidentally, four of the above winners, including Flemenstar, all tried their hands at winning a bumper but none succeeded.

Admiral Barton was sent to the venerable Doncaster May Sale and made a decent £50,000 to the bid of former iron-man Chris “Rambo” Grant but, curiously, turns up today running for Paul Flynn (is Moon Dice running in one of the Cheltenham handicaps?)

Navan (yielding-soft) 5.00pm 2m 407yo bumper 6, 12-00 Nina Carberry

Ironically, there are two other Flemensfirth contenders heading the market today and while somewhat tenuous stats suggest the Loughanmore maiden winner won’t be a bumper winner its not a trend that is unimpeachable. The Racing Post states that Flynn won a bumper here with a debutant here in the past but I cannot find evidence of this. In fact you have to go back to Naas in October 2008 to find Flynn’s only ever bumper winning debutant (Danderry at 33/1) from 29 attempts (only two others placed).  The trainer is in a bit of a cold spell with his last winner coming in early December-13 consecutive losers since so you would need this horse to drift to generous (double figure odds?) before any claim to obtaining that elusive “value” could be claimed in my view.

Many Magnier bumper contenders have gotten turned over at short odds in the past (look no further that Bishops Walk at Navan in December)and I imagine that JP Magnier is very ring-rusty so taking a short price about him would be extremely risky. De Bromhead's horse meanwhile has very good form from what looks a strong Punchestown bumper.

Statistics and trends suggest Flynn's horse will find it hard (but not impossible) to win today but you must get a decent price to play. On the other hand I think the horse will be of major interest once he goes hurdling.

Sarraco-2006 Old Vic g (Richard Lee)

Ffos Las (soft) 5.15pm 4-6yo bumper 6, 11-04 Charlie Poste (wears a tongue-strap)

A €25,000 first foal, his year younger brother, Royal Vic, cost €30,000 as a 3yo and is showing promise for Charles Byrnes (placed in bumpers and a likely hurdle winner before too long). Their dam (by the very classy Hector Protector) was a 12f winner and is related to four other staying-type flat winners. King Eider is a half-brother who won three on the flat for John Dunlop before embarking on a jumping career (two hurdle wins and a chase-all over 16f-17f) that ultimately came up short. There should be some speed in Sarraco if he’s any good although his point handler, Pat Doyle, described him as “a good staying type.”

Even though he won at Dromahane (yielding) in November the future exploits of the beaten horses has been disappointing. The 2010 running produced the winners Friendly Society and the oft-mentioned Our Island so perhaps this is a race where the future is all about staying chasers.

Sarraco made £33,000 at Brightwells in December and is now with Richard Lee who is mainly associated with chasers.

My preconceived notion that Lee isn’t a bumper trainer may be true in theory but he has produced 4 winning bumper debutants (20’s, 33’s, 14’s & 8/1) from just 16 starters in recent years including a winner whose dam is a half-sister to Best Mate. This record alone means that Sarraco is worth more than a second glance today. At least if you’re taking a fancy price you have God on your side and there’s no shortage of speed in the pedigree.

RA,
WHAT YOU MAKE OF OUR ISLAND ?

I THINK THERES GOOD HANDICAP ON HEAVY GROUND POSS EVEN UTOX NATIONAL HORSE?

ALSO THIS TRAINeR G MCPHERSON INTERESTS ME GETTING LOTS HORSES PLACED AN WINNING AT BIG PRICES

(SOCIETY SHARES FINSHED SECOND UNLUCKY 130 FOS LAS & TRADIONAL BOB SMALL EYECATCHER 2PM)

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Catch Me ifyoucan 17 Feb 12 13:06
RoyalAcademy 17 Jan 12 22:41
....Finally I only mention the beaten favourite Makethe Mostofnow because he must be owned by Catch Me ifyoucan!........Anyways, runs again 2pm Sunday in his fav Ffos Las (CD) in a little 2m.4f. Hdl against - Romanesco (ex Potts/Henry De Brom.), Benheir (also CD winner) and Loose Chips (2nd under DOC in Inch ptp).

ANOTHER WINNER FOR THE THREAD (at a juicy 7/1 toooooooo)!!!!!!!!

^^ Agre with you on her - definitely worth an E/W punt.

No doubt about it PD. Coleman never busy on Definite Memories and he probably didn't even bring his persuader out with him.

Morning Betfair market can be hard to decipher: plenty of money for her in the morning and shortened to 14 fom 25 here although that was probably money from value-seekers rather than any connections. On course, she drifted like a barge with books and machine. She'll be in many notebooks for finishing so well (2m4f+ from now on) but why finish fourth in such an eye-catching fashion if you're not off? At least we now know she'll win plenty.

Admiral Barton ran well against two superior rivals in the bumper on Saturday. An apoplectic JP Magnier punter told me the best horse was second but taking a short price with true "gentlemen" corinthians is never wise.  Hurdling will be the Admiral's game.

Richard Lee's Sarraco wasn't going to win on Sunday without some market support but he ran with the choke out and trailed in seventh. Happy to see him supported as now we know that Lee is pleased with his new arrival.

Norn, I mentioned Our Island before: he needs an extreme trip and winter ground and then he could win any handicap chase or possibly surprise a few higher-rated horses in a conditions event. It might be a long wait but opportunities eventually come around.

you have our island to a tee RA, only worry is that he has had a very rough races and still relatively young i hope it does not sour him, running him as a 6 year old in the WN was a stupid idea, he is not a forward french bred.

you wrong about sarraco, i took half of the place market out of him on sunday. he did "win" a race that throws up track winners, though you had better put things into context...that day he was 100% ready from a farm that leaves little to work on, he was going to be a badly beaten docket had not fromthetop fallen two out. left in front, he fell in from 2 useless nags.  i see sarraco as a 85-95 selling grade type not worth 2 bob...never ever will he get close to winning a bumper.

definite memories having examined her in the flesh, is a lovely big mare, still work in progress and needs more time...not a chance she could win today on a sharp circuit over the minimum trip. leave her alone until next season, dont think miss w will over cook an expensive purchase(for a mare). if staying healthy i would think she could develop into a black type mare over fences, just need to be patient with her, and follow when the stable put the real money down, and she is a 7/2 to 9/4 job. this yard rarely do surprise unsupported 20/1 winners.

ALSO SEE HUNTERS LODGE IN SAME RACE COULD BE DECENT HANDICAP 405 DONC

Dawn Commander a NR but has looked like he'd need the step up in trip he would have got today.

Great write up as always RA.

ALLTHEKINGSHORSES 210 IR  STAYED ON LONGER THAN THE MOTHERINLAW

Thanks NORN, can you make it a bit quicker the next time

Think Carrigeen will improve over the extra 2f today, although the bad mistake Definite Class made LTO at the 2nd last could have lost him the race. At the prices today, I will stick with Carrigeen again.

It's the horse Royal Academy not the poster who's passed away as I understand it Jay.

OK ha must be in mourning so lads, a kinda sabbatical, interested to know what de Bromheads bumper horse might achieve ?

Led/disputed early,took it up 3 out,went clear after jumping last,backed exchanges all rates 11/4-11/8.
Completely different ride than lto,hope you kept the faith RA.

Yes Definite Memories won well and was a fair ould punt as well.......Today we have this enigma Talkonthestreet  at Exeter and its over a distance just short of 3ml.Surely this will be right up his street as a point2point winner, doesn't look a very strong race on paper though Paul Nicholls has a runner in it and is regarded as the main threat coming as he does from the champion trainers stable.Now he is not going to be much above 2.06 on here now but without the PN runner he would be very short.Nicholls runner also from the p2p fields (second at Dromahane) Likeable Rogue is a major threat and with the Hobbs runer finding it hard to get his ceann in front maybe the PN horse will come out on top.........Also at Kilworth p2p last Sunday Pat Hughes ventured south and duly collected with Teelan Star a 6yr old by Beneficial and its reported to have been a very impressive winner and is likely according to Hughes to be aimed at the P2P Bumper at Fairyhouse at the Easter Festival , one to note

Johnson made hard work of that one, 2nd ran a bit green which cost him a length.

Leighinmohr is half-brother to two Key Of Luck winners in Sally’s Dream-winner of bumper and 2m1f hurdle for M Hourigan-and Foxy Fred who won a bumper for Francis Flood out of a mare who was placed in three bumpers and who in turn is a half-sister to five winners. The grandam is the prolific dual-purpose mare Winning Nora. This is a pedigree that has been very good to owner/trainer Dennis Reddan and Leighinmohr comes from a long line of winners.


"Sorry i haven't managed to update recently. Changed circumstances!" ?????