Dear All
I decided to park taking an informed view of the Irish challenge in the absence of sufficient collateral form. Contests in the last seven days have focussed my thoughtpatterns so now I am ready to step forward and show my hand...
The first is Scotsirish - with Spotthedifference a distant memory; the magical powers of Garde Champetre on the wain and the apparent absence of credible competition this specialist over the intermediate distance (but stays further) has the oyster's world at his fingertips in the Cross Country disciplines. Stablemate Uncle Junior is likely to prove his closest foe!
The second is Sizing Europe - he comes alive at Cheltenham. I think he will have the edge on Big Zeb again whilst the younger element look a little short of the desired status to win what is always the most fiercely contested two-mile graded chase of any season... I expect SE to win by a clear margin...
The third of the quartet is Lambro. Have a look at its run behind Flemenstar last time over a vastly inadequate 2-miles? The son of Milan is essentially unexposed over the longer trip. Willie Mullins has been making the right noises.
I have already plunged a few quid on at fancy prices and hope against hope that the Master of Closutton sees fit to pay for its passage across the Irish Sea. Might be best to wait for those bookies offering Non-Runner No Bet on the Novice Chases before shelling out your hard-earned on this one's prospects in the RSA Chase.
The fourth and final selection is even darker - Moscow Mannon is the likeliest winner of the Cheltenham Festival Bumper this year. The battalions will be out in force from the Mullins yard. I always look for an Irish-trained contender from a smaller yard in the bumper so step forward Brian Hamilton. I wonder if a Northern Irishman has ever trained the winner of a race at the Festival. I expect so?
Bear this in mind. Cue Card thrashed the opposition, including the hugely talented and subsequent Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner, out of sight in the 2010 renewal achieving an RPR of 138 in the process. Cheltenian only mustered the same mark last year. These were two big-field contests run at Festival speed. Moscow Mannon's last outing in a 7-runner field (beating Mullins's Morning Royalty) was awarded an RPR of 136. His participation is still in some doubt but he most certainly will not be 16s on the day...
There you have it - a Yankee to change your life... the roar of the opening day is closing in onus like an electrical storm... I simply can't wait..!
Happy punting!
Rm(M)
Tuesday 31 January 2012
Sunday 22 January 2012
Green with Envy...
Dear All
There is a serious challenge heading inexorably to these shores from across the Irish Sea; a mighty presence will be felt...
The clans are gathering... if you only place one wager during the upcoming Cheltenham Festival week make sure it's one of those occasionally riveting novelty bets; you know the one that asks you to predict the number of winners trained at the Festival in Ireland.
I seriously expect this number to exceed 11 and maybe even 12 or 13; so strong does the Irish contingent breathe heavily its well-being when one examines the bookies' ante post lists.
These are my initial thoughts:
Hurricane Fly: So Young: Monksland: Sea of Thunder: Lambro: First Lieutenant: Sir Des Champs: Sizing Europe: Un Atout: Quevega: Scotsirish: Noble Prince: Rubi Light: That's a baker's dozen to be going on with; none of them particularly dark! One or two of them in the same race of course!
We haven't, as yet, pencilled in contenders for the Fred Winter, the Martin Pipe, the 4-miler, the Grand Annual, the Kim Muir, what was once known as the William Hill, the Pertemps, the County Hurdle or the Coral Cup...
Phew! This is getting serious; reckon I should look for odds for 15+ winners...
We haven't yet mentioned First Instalment, Hidden Cyclone, Terminal, Thousand Stars, Oscars Well, Jessies Dream; Steps To Freedom, Mount Benbulben, Sous Les Cieux, Ut De Sivola, Bog Warrior, Big Zeb, Voler La Vedette, Mikael d'Haguenet, Rathlin, Our Girl Salley, Garde Champetre, Bostons Angel. The list is seemingly endless...
Tomorrow I will identify 4 Irish Trained horses not to be missed...
Happy punting
Rm(M)
There is a serious challenge heading inexorably to these shores from across the Irish Sea; a mighty presence will be felt...
The clans are gathering... if you only place one wager during the upcoming Cheltenham Festival week make sure it's one of those occasionally riveting novelty bets; you know the one that asks you to predict the number of winners trained at the Festival in Ireland.
I seriously expect this number to exceed 11 and maybe even 12 or 13; so strong does the Irish contingent breathe heavily its well-being when one examines the bookies' ante post lists.
These are my initial thoughts:
Hurricane Fly: So Young: Monksland: Sea of Thunder: Lambro: First Lieutenant: Sir Des Champs: Sizing Europe: Un Atout: Quevega: Scotsirish: Noble Prince: Rubi Light: That's a baker's dozen to be going on with; none of them particularly dark! One or two of them in the same race of course!
We haven't, as yet, pencilled in contenders for the Fred Winter, the Martin Pipe, the 4-miler, the Grand Annual, the Kim Muir, what was once known as the William Hill, the Pertemps, the County Hurdle or the Coral Cup...
Phew! This is getting serious; reckon I should look for odds for 15+ winners...
We haven't yet mentioned First Instalment, Hidden Cyclone, Terminal, Thousand Stars, Oscars Well, Jessies Dream; Steps To Freedom, Mount Benbulben, Sous Les Cieux, Ut De Sivola, Bog Warrior, Big Zeb, Voler La Vedette, Mikael d'Haguenet, Rathlin, Our Girl Salley, Garde Champetre, Bostons Angel. The list is seemingly endless...
Tomorrow I will identify 4 Irish Trained horses not to be missed...
Happy punting
Rm(M)
Tuesday 10 January 2012
Festival Fever..!
Happy New Year to you all.
As the final trimmings are packed away in the loft our thoughts turn both inevitably and insatiably towards the second Tuesday in mid-March when the Cheltenham roar will echo across the majestic outcrop of limestone known as Cleeve Hill...
For some of us, Cheltenham is in our blood and in our DNA; lodged like a bullet in our brains and even occasionally disturbing our sleep patterns...
So it seems appropriate to undertake a mid-term review and a look forward to the centrepiece of the National Hunt season...
I am delighted that one or two of my suggestions for high honours this season are progressing nicely. You all know how enthusiastic I am about Darlan. He didn't disappoint earlier today at Taunton; travelling sweetly on the bridle the whole way round. He didn't though strike me as a winner of a Supreme Novices' Hurdle. I still urge caution. 14/1 best price now after this comfortable success.
Seven Barrows houses any number of potential candidates for both the Supreme and the Neptune; the latter though tends to be the natural bedfellow of the traditional jumps-bred animal.At the moment, the yard houses Tetlami, Molotov, Mono Man, Broadbackbob and Let's Get Serious amongst others but, of more interest to this correspondent, are the hitherto mentioned Darlan plus Ericht (we have yet to see the best of this son of Alderbrook) and Captain Conan (who made his debut at Sandown Park in the novice hurdle in which Minella Class - Henderson's Neptune entry in 2011 - was victorious last year). A French import, he didn't appear to be blessed with instant acceleration; surely a stayer in the making...
Maintaining the Henderson theme, I was very sweet on Sprinter Sacre before the season started. He really is the most gorgeous looking specimen... a good big'un will almost always be a good little'un so they say! I think that saying originates in pugilistic parlance but could quite easily apply amongst prized horseflesh too! And so it came to pass that on Kempton's flat speed track configuration the SS battered Peddler's Cross ("unbeatable" Arkle favourite) into raw submission...
I am worried though!
It appears that Henderson only runs Finian's Rainbow at Cheltenham when it is absolutely necessary (beaten twice at the Festival - only two outings at the course) and it may be that he shares a similar opinion of the German-bred gelding...I think PC might turn the tables on SS up the hill at the Festival but suspect something else will come from left field or maybe it will be the highly touted Al Ferof who will emerge triumphant.He commands enormous respect in these quarters...
Tomorrow I will switch my attention to Ireland and its challenge, I predict here and now that our friends from across the Irish Sea will collect at least twelve gold medals in March...
As a precursor, I will leave you though with three outstanding prospects - all trained by the Master of Muine Beag - Lambro, Soll and Darroun - surefire winners and probably at the top table also. Watch the videotape of these three's last time out course appearances; none of the three managed to place its head into the winner's enclosure but they will; of that you can be sure... Lambro is a budding superstar who didn't have the pace to match Monksland at the weekend but, stepped back up in trip, he will be awesome!
Happy punting!
Rm(Mark)
As the final trimmings are packed away in the loft our thoughts turn both inevitably and insatiably towards the second Tuesday in mid-March when the Cheltenham roar will echo across the majestic outcrop of limestone known as Cleeve Hill...
For some of us, Cheltenham is in our blood and in our DNA; lodged like a bullet in our brains and even occasionally disturbing our sleep patterns...
So it seems appropriate to undertake a mid-term review and a look forward to the centrepiece of the National Hunt season...
I am delighted that one or two of my suggestions for high honours this season are progressing nicely. You all know how enthusiastic I am about Darlan. He didn't disappoint earlier today at Taunton; travelling sweetly on the bridle the whole way round. He didn't though strike me as a winner of a Supreme Novices' Hurdle. I still urge caution. 14/1 best price now after this comfortable success.
Seven Barrows houses any number of potential candidates for both the Supreme and the Neptune; the latter though tends to be the natural bedfellow of the traditional jumps-bred animal.At the moment, the yard houses Tetlami, Molotov, Mono Man, Broadbackbob and Let's Get Serious amongst others but, of more interest to this correspondent, are the hitherto mentioned Darlan plus Ericht (we have yet to see the best of this son of Alderbrook) and Captain Conan (who made his debut at Sandown Park in the novice hurdle in which Minella Class - Henderson's Neptune entry in 2011 - was victorious last year). A French import, he didn't appear to be blessed with instant acceleration; surely a stayer in the making...
Maintaining the Henderson theme, I was very sweet on Sprinter Sacre before the season started. He really is the most gorgeous looking specimen... a good big'un will almost always be a good little'un so they say! I think that saying originates in pugilistic parlance but could quite easily apply amongst prized horseflesh too! And so it came to pass that on Kempton's flat speed track configuration the SS battered Peddler's Cross ("unbeatable" Arkle favourite) into raw submission...
I am worried though!
It appears that Henderson only runs Finian's Rainbow at Cheltenham when it is absolutely necessary (beaten twice at the Festival - only two outings at the course) and it may be that he shares a similar opinion of the German-bred gelding...I think PC might turn the tables on SS up the hill at the Festival but suspect something else will come from left field or maybe it will be the highly touted Al Ferof who will emerge triumphant.He commands enormous respect in these quarters...
Tomorrow I will switch my attention to Ireland and its challenge, I predict here and now that our friends from across the Irish Sea will collect at least twelve gold medals in March...
As a precursor, I will leave you though with three outstanding prospects - all trained by the Master of Muine Beag - Lambro, Soll and Darroun - surefire winners and probably at the top table also. Watch the videotape of these three's last time out course appearances; none of the three managed to place its head into the winner's enclosure but they will; of that you can be sure... Lambro is a budding superstar who didn't have the pace to match Monksland at the weekend but, stepped back up in trip, he will be awesome!
Happy punting!
Rm(Mark)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)