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True Blue – 2007 g Blueprint ex Fontaine Frances {1993 by Lafontaine}is an interesting runner for Tim Vaughan in the 2m bumper at Towcester tonight at 8.40pm.
Trained by Paul Cashman to win two point-to-points impressively in Ireland this spring, he fetched €40,000 to the bid of Vaughan at the recent Tattersalls p2p sale in May. Incidentally, he had scooted up earlier that day in a 2.5m 4yo “winners of one” run at Tattersalls Farm with an impressive front-running display.
His impressive maiden success came in March at Cloyne on good ground (again over 2.5 miles). Cashman described him after his runs as “a grand sweet horse that loves his racing and jumping on this good ground” and connections planned to run him in an Irish bumper had he not been sold in the meantime.
His dam, who was tailed off in her only bumper start, is a sibling of three winners over hurdles the best of which was Tuscany Highway who won two races for Donald Swan. She has produced two Irish point-to-point winners to date including No Better Man (2003 by Presenting) who cost JP McManus €37,000 as a 3yo but who was a little disappointing when sent chasing by Enda Bolger and Bring Me Back (2005 g Flemensfirth) who is showing some promise on the track for Kevin O’Sullivan (third in Limerick bumper) a remark that also applies to Savello (2006 g Anshan) who has been placed in bumpers for John Berry.
His sire, Blueprint, is not setting the world on fire but he has produced a few winners over jumps that seem to enjoy decent ground.
Tonight’s race has lots of unknown potential including an unraced King’s Theatre mare of Nicky Henderson’s but on what he has shown so far I would be pretty hopeful that True Blue will go very close tonight on favourable good-firm ground.I forgot to mention one other reason to strengthen the case of True Blue:
The 4yo maiden he won at Cloyne, Co. Cork in March has produced previous winners from 2004-2009 that have all managed to win some type of race on the track subsequently, the best of them being Michael Hourigan’s Mr Cracker and E O’Grady’s The Book Thief. Last year’s winner, Beef To The Heels, has yet to race for Elliott/Gigginstown.
What the fu.ck was Dickhead Johnson doing, pulling all that energy out of the poor bugger?
Especially in such a slow paced "race" on such a nondescript course.
No-one will thank me for putting up an evens loser but the purpose of my posting is to shed some light on relatively "unexposed" Irish point winners and not to pinpoint early morning gambles.
This horse will win races into the future and the object is highlight horses that should be winning soon.
From close observation of the betting market it is NOT a prerequisite that they are supported in the market as they are regularly underbet and reward those that keep the faith.
Disappointing that he couldn’t win a Towcester bumper and, perhaps, in hindsight he could have been let stride on given his two wins over 2.5miles and his point-winning half brothers.
Indeed, I wasn’t having a dig at you in the slightest. I looked at the race at face value and made my decision to go in on the horse. In the long run, one makes one’s own luck after all.
My post was merely a vent at Johnson’s ride. Especially as I’ve rarely seen a horse pull so hard for so long.
Warrants A Name (2006 g Muroto) James McAuley
Runs: 9.10pm Worcester 2m 4-6yo bumper
Pedigree:
Bought as a yearling by present connections for €2,500 at Tatts. Ireland in November 2007. Would surely have made more if Beneficial Spirit’s exploits from 2008 were known in advance.
Sixth foal; half-brother to Philip Rothwell’s bumper/fairly useful 2m-2m4f hurdle and recent 2m6f handicap chase winner Beneficial Spirit (2003 Beneficial g) and modest Flicka’s Witness (2005 Witness Box g) who was third four times (hurdles and chase over 16f-20f) for Donald McCain; dam unraced half-sister to three placed runners; grand-daughter of useful hurdler Mrs Playfair, family of smart jumper Wolf Of Badenoch.Track Performances to date:
Was fancied to make a winning point debut at Nenagh last January (finished 7th and 6 of front seven have all won points since) and won 3m geldings maiden at Ballingarry (good) on the penultimate day of the 2010/11 season. The really interesting horse to take from this race is the favourite, Millers Reef, who fell when holding a clear winning chance. Two factors make this horse of huge interest next autumn namely his granddam is Silent Run (dam of Ned Kelly & Nick Dundee) and he is trained by Colin Bowe one the the future stars of Irish racing and a fantastic points trainer.
Ballingarry 5yo geldings’ maiden:
The record of his Ballingarry record is reasonable considering that it’s run in early June every year. It has produced 11 winners in past 5 years with the three best being Russian War (6 wins for Gordon Elliott), Shernaz (Tramore hurdle winner for Philip Dempsey) and Solaise (won bumper last December for Liam Corcoran).
All other previous winners (bar three) had some reasonable or promising placed form.Conclusion:
The trainer has been having some success with flat raiders in the UK recently but this has yet to be replicated on the national hunt scene. The trainer expected to run on the track after the maiden point win and today will be revealing. The betting should be of some interest although, as I have pointed out before, the winning pointers often manage to win without stable confidence.
The trainer had a good pointing season in 2010/11 training 7 winners from 33 starters including the useful Gaspar.
Ran well to finish second & he wandered about under pressure inside the last furlong, well clear of the rest of the field at SP of 12/1 (taken at 25’s).
All horses recommended here expected to win races.
Glimmer Star (2007 g Zagreb) Gordon Elliott
Runs: 5.45 Cork: 3m 4+ maiden hurdle
Pedigree:
Third foal, half-brother Seriousballhopper (2004 Rock Hopper g) was of no account for Charlie Swan, 2006 full-sister unraced; dam, Lady Cora (1999 Needle Gun) unraced is a half-sister to seven-time 3m-4m1f hurdle/chase (4m1f Eider) winner This Is Serious for Charlie Swan and two other runners of little account.
Track Performances to date:
Came to my attention at Necarne (yld-soft) on 14th May (for Elliott) when falling three out when in touch in a 3m 4yo geldings maiden. He had run reasonably well on his debut a month previously. The winner, Cross Of Honour, made £30,000 at Doncaster shortly afterwards.
This Necare maiden was won in recent years by Ballyburke (bumper winner for P Rothwell), Onzo Mor (hurdle winner for C Hutchinson) and recent bumper second Rudemeister (for Andrew Parker) so its not a bad event historically.
Connections ran him just 13 days later in a 2m 4-6yo Down Royal bumper (good-firm) and signalled their ambitions by putting Nina Carberry up. He started at 9/4 and a 5L second to Clondaw Warrior (J Hanlon) who had decent recent form in a Tipperary bumper. It’s interesting that the winner was beaten by an opponent trained by Elliott so they had some line on the favourite.
Conclusion:
Trainer changing tack from the bumper route quite quickly. Running over 3 miles on his first spin over hurdles is quiet a task for a 4-year-old (although his pedigree is stamina-laden) and there is little interest in him on the exchanges so far today. (He runs as third reserve). I imagine he will be ridden by Paul Carberry as he wasn’t jocked in the newspapers.
Has 23 opponents today, some with a decent form over hurdles. It is probably best to watch and monitor progress. He is quoted at a short 5/1 and only in the event that he started much longer would I take an interest on ground (good) that should suit.
Update:
Glimmer Star never ran at Cork but instead turned out for Elliott last Sunday at Perth over an extended two miles (some drop from three miles!) and was fancied at 9/4 under Jason Maguire and proved a disappointing 8th of 10.
Racing Post: Glimmer Star bumped into a decent sort on his first try under rules in a Down Royal bumper,who won again on his next start
, but this was really disappointing after taking a strong hold near the leader early on, although the jockey did ease his mount when its chance was gone.
It will take a little time to figure out where this horse’s future lies but its surely over trips greater than 2 miles and I am confident he will win races.
********
"The really interesting horse to take from this race is the favourite, Millers Reef, who fell when holding a clear winning chance. Two factors make this horse of huge interest next autumn namely his granddam is Silent Run (dam of Ned Kelly & Nick Dundee) and he is trained by Colin Bowe one the the future stars of Irish racing and a fantastic points trainer." (see above under Warrants A Name)
I was surprised to see this horse declared at Sligo last Sunday (2m2f bumper good-yielding) but the money came for him and he started 11/8. He was a clear second behind an equally well-fancied newcomer in Chestnut Kate.
Racing Post:
Millers Reef travelled powerfully throughout and possibly was a bit over-keen. He looked by far the most likely winner turning into the straight but just flattened out under pressure. If learning to settle better, he should win races.
There will be plenty of days when he won’t be so short and I have an aversion to skinny favourites!
Dr Tommy-2007 g Dr Massini (Kieran Purcell)
Runs: 5.35pm Killarney 2m1f 4yo bumper (Nina Carberry)
Pedigree:
€5,000 3yo Goffs Landrover 2010, withdrawn from Brightwells April 2011; fifth foal; brother to bumper/2m3f-2m7f hurdle/chase/useful point winner Briscoe Place (2000g De Massini) for Jonjo O’Neill and a half-brother to 2m Flat/2m2f hurdle winner Oscar Night (1999 g Oscar) for Adrian Maguire; dam, Laridissa (1992 Shardari) showed little on Flat, out of half-sister to Breeders´ Cup Turf winner Lashkari. Dam is related to three flat winners in Italy.
Performances to date:
Templemore, Co. Tipperary is a pointing venue of some note and the 4yo maiden run there every April since 2006 has produced numerous track winners including Presenting Forever, General Wellington, Ravens Run and Profit Margin (from 2010). This year’s contest was won by Flying Vic (Paul Cashman) with Turanjo Bello (Timmy Hyde) a close second and both subsequently found new homes in the U.K. following a trip to Brightwells and Doncaster respectively.
Dr Tommy fell at the last in this maiden when in contention and clearly showed that he has the ability to go further. He ran on the track exactly one month later in the Punchestown Festival’s Landrover bumper (under Mikey Fogarty) and finished 15th/25 with a little support at 16/1 (SP: 14/1) in what is always a competitive race.Conclusion:
Dr Tommy showed up well for 12f of his bumper and this gives me sufficient encouragement to believe it was a decent run. His pedigree is predominantly laden with flat speed so it would be no surprise to see him run well given that his two siblings have managed to win on the flat over two miles. I would say he is almost certain to attract some support and will still be a working man’s price. I rate his trainer very highly. The same connections had similar pointing/bumper success last spring/summer with Viking Visitor (now with Jonjo O’Neill).
Hit the crossbar again!! Available at 20/1 virtually all day he was punted down to 5/1 on course and traded at 2/5 in running so no excuses except (!)……….. we were unlucky to run up against an Alan Potts €200,000 Derby sale graduate from last year. That’s 4 seconds (including two long-priced gambles) and one also ran from 5 nominations and all looking likely to win races.
Today’s fellow looks a possibility for Galway although that’s a horrendous meeting for punting. I am compiling some notes on Galway and will be happy to share in time.
Warrants A Name
gets his second track start tonight in the 2m Galway bumper at 8.15pm. His first run at Worcester was quite respectable and he received a decent rating afterwards for the effort.
Tonight’s race is choc-a-bloc with big-name trainers and, consequently, my fellow is likely to start a very decent price. I have yet to see a horse beaten because his price was too big!
The approach of autumn should herald busier times for my stable.
Mr O’Shea-2006 g Pyrus (Kieran Purcell) 521 (Point rating 87)
Down Royal, Friday 26th August 2011: 2m 4/7yo bumper-7.50pm
Mr O’Shea has a predominantly flat pedigree being by Aidan O’Brien’s 2000 Group 2 Richmond Stakes (6f) winner Pyrus (now at stud in Spain) out of a mare that won over 6f. He is related to six overseas multiple winner and thus had no business running in point-to-points!
When he won a 5yo maiden at Ballingarry, Co. Tipperary in June he was very game and his trainer, Kieran Purcell (for whom I have great regard) said afterwards that although he had been worried about him staying the 3m trip he “has plenty of toe and will no go for a bumper.”
I have previously nominated Dr Tommy trained by the same connections (see above) as a horse to follow and Dr Tommy duly collected his bumper at Kilbeggan in early August. Purcell also has the former bumper winners Viking Visitor and Smokey Joe Joe in his care so if there is support for Mr O’Shea it would be significant. If you can snaffle an early price at double-digit odds you won’t go far wrong. Ace pointing jockey Mikey O’Connor, who has ridden him to finish 2nd in a point, rides.
I will update this thread for what I consider a very interesting autumn hurdling prospect tomorrow afternoon for Killarney’s evening card. The horse runs in the 1m6f handicap and may be of immediate interest.
Run With The Wind-2006 g Sadler’s Wells (M Hourigan) Flat 0906- (rated 60) NH U56- (rating unknown)
Killarney, Friday 26th August 2011: 1m6f 3yo+ handicap-6.40pm
Run With The Wind is a regally-bred Sadler’s Wells gelding (out of a U.S. Grade One-winning dam) who had a pedigree to win a 2000 Guineas being closely related to the Nureyev full-brothers King Charlemagne (1998 h) and Meshaheer (1999 h) who performed with great credit at the highest level for Aidan O’Brien and Marcus Tregoning respectively. His dam, Race The Wild Wind, is owned by the Coolmore bloodstock axis so it was no surprise to see him in training with David Wachman as a three-year-old. However, one poor run in an early season Curragh three-year-old maiden in 2009 was enough to demonstrate to connections that he didn’t possess the high level of ability demanded of their runners and in the intervening twelve months he transferred to the less rarefied surroundings of Michael Hourigan’s Lissaleen Stables in County Limerick. Younger siblings include the 2007 Sadler’s Wells f, Blast Furnace who cost Betfair’s Andrew Black £520,000 and after three desperate runs she was, presumably, retired to stud. Prophesy, a 2009 Excellent Art colt, is in training in Ballydoyle and has shown just modest placed form at two.
Hourigan gave him two spins on the flat in July 2010 (presumably to acquire a handicap mark) before deciding to run him in the early season point-to-point four-year-old maiden at his local Rathcannon track (Going: good) on 26th September under J.D. Moore. Revelling in the fast conditions and jumping very well he sprinted away before the second last to beat his highly-regarded stable companion, Pay Your Hunt Sub, by twelve lengths. It was surprising just how well he stayed given his pedigree but connections believe both the winner and runner up “are really smart types.” Hourigan was pleased to have provided Moore with an early season winner as his daughter, Laura, had ridden her first-ever winner on a pointer trained by the winning jockey three years earlier. The only previous running of this maiden saw the useful Ionisphere collect for Willie McCreery in 2009.
Subsequent events have been interesting in that Run With The Wind was entered at the Brightwells Cheltenham Sale in October but was led out unsold for £48,000 and so remains, for now, with Hourigan. He was also entered for a 3m2f novices’ hurdle event at Cheltenham that very same weekend but was a late withdrawal having been declared. (His previously-mentioned stable-companion also failed to find a new home at this same sale.)
Subsequent to his point win he ran in a 2m Dundalk handicap (off a mark of 65) on 19th November and ran a respectable race to finish sixth of twelve, beaten just ten lengths and it is interesting to note the sustained market support for him that evening and he caught the eye of the racing Post race-reader. This wasn’t a bad contest as there were subsequent handicap victories for the 2nd, 5th & 7th.
After all this background I was awaiting his hurdling career with big interest: he has had just three runs over hurdles and all, unusually, on heavy ground last January & February. He ran fine races on his first two starts (unseated and 5th) and was a fancied 9/2 favourite to score at Navan last February on heavy ground and, not surprisingly in my view, could only manage a 16L 6th/25 behind Final Victory on unsuitable ground. However, subsequent events have proven this to be a decent maiden with hurdle victories for the 7th, 11th, 13th and 20th. He was ridden prominently on all three hurdling starts which were new tactics compared to his three flat runs. If he could be ridden with a little more patience I think it would be in his favour.
I will have serious interest in this horse when he races over hurdles on good ground and I expect that, following this run, he will probably turn up in a Listowel maiden hurdle in September. His trainer is having a quiet season, 4/83 for all runners so it’s a leap of faith following this flat runner although it will not surprise me in the least to see market support for him.
Considering that the two horses immediately in front and behind him at Dundalk last year, namely Celendine and Solo Performer, have both since won handicaps off marks of 85 and 82 respectively it is arguable that, off a lowly mark of just 60, Run With The Wind is thrown in at the weights today. Danny Mullins taking 3lbs off is not a disadvantage either.
The market on him has been quiet all day but he is a horse that figures highly under my category of "completely unexposed".
One current feature of many of the horses I will nominate will be the "unsold" tag when sent to Brightwells or Doncaster in the 2010/11 season. Tbere has been a ready market for "middle of the road" winning pointers in the UK for many years but with the current economic difficulties selling on is becoming more difficult and, certainly, average prices are well down although if you have the right model you will bag the jackpot! As a consequence of this many (more?) point winners are being campaigned in Ireland where it is much more difficult to win a race.
Yesterday’s runners,
Run With The Wind
and
Mr O’Shea
proved a little disappointing but, ultimately, the national hunt game is about jumping. I retain huge interest in the Sadler’s Wells horse especially when the trainer is firing on all cylinders.
Viaduct Joey-2006 g Traditionally (Terence O’Brien) P4-1 (NH 288) (Point rating 87)
Galway 27th August 2011: 2m2f 4&5yo maiden hurdle @ 3.55pmModest flat pedigree by a son of Mr Prospector (standing in France) out of a mare who failed to shine in two starts over hurdles and is a half-brother to a Tipperary sprint winner. Cost his present owner €13,000 as a yearling and was unsold at Brightwells last December following his recent pointing success.
He won his point-to-point at Dromahane last November on good ground and the clear intention afterwards from his trainer was to sell at a subsequent sale (unsold £42,000 Brightwells). This hasn’t worked out so Viaduct Joey has been campaigned in Ireland by the same connections. The 4yo maiden he won has produced four subsequent point winners a couple of whom have since been placed in a bumper and maiden hurdle.
Historically, this race has been a good guide of future ability with Harpsy Cord, Allterrain, Grane Alainn, Flaming Charlie and Sizing Mexico all having managed to win on the track since the 2007 renewal. It also produced something of a “talking horse” in Tony Martin’s King Of The Refs in 2009. (His sire, Zagreb, gets lots of point winners but they find it hard to translate that success to the track.)
Best of three subsequent runs on the track has been a promising 2nd/25 in a Navan 2m maiden hurdle last February (heavy). His second start saw him short of pace in a 2m2f bumper whilst his last start was 19L 8th/18 in a 2m1f maiden hurdle at Killarney in May (good-yielding). The form of both hurdle runs is promising with four and three subsequent winners produced subsequently. There has been market support for him on all three runs.
Given his 100+ day absence I would like to think that this will be his third run to get a mark and it will be “game on!” thereafter. In some ways his second placing was a disaster as his handicap mark will suffer accordingly so, therefore, if there is money for him it could be significant but he’s not for me today.
Dr Tommy
(see above for previous bulletins esp. 14/7/11) duly collected his bumper at Kilbeggan on 6th August over 2miles on yielding-soft ground with a performance that was not visually impressive and in what looked a weak contest (only one serious opponent that finished second). He started odds-on (on the back of his Killarney second-third since won a Bellewstown bumper). Afterwards Kieran Purcell said: “Dr Tommy handled the ground although he would like it better. He was idling in front and Nina (Carberry) said he needs a hurdle to help him concentrate.
He has schooled well
.”
Dr Tommy: Clonmel (good-firm) 7.50pm 2m 4&5yo maiden hurdle (Tom Doyle)
Dr Tommy will be among the more fancied runners in this race but my research suggests that Purcell’s horses tend to need the run on their debuts over hurdles. They often race prominently and are put into the race and this is what I am hoping for tonight. Up to early last month when Burrenbridge Lodge surprised connections by winning a Roscommon 3yo hurdle on his debut all Purcell’s hurdling debutants over the past five seasons needed at least one run before showing their winning hurdling ability over the past five seasons.
We have the encouragement needed regarding his ground preference and schooling ability but I would like to add a “promising” hurdles outing to the melting pot before I get involved financially.
P.S. Things shaped up very well last weekend.
Call ‘Em Home-2007 g Indian River (Colin Bowe) P2P rating 80
Call ‘Em Home
is out of the 1987 Crash Course mare, Lady Bar, who won 6 of her 50 starts between 1991 & 1995 over distances ranging from 2m-3m for former trainer Michael Croke. Lady Bar, in turn was a half-sister to the very prolific mare, Castalino (1986 by Carlingford Castle), who scored eight times, including five staying chases, for Stephen Ryan so one would anticipate that any resultant progeny from these two mares will have stamina reserves in abundance.
Michael Croke held on to Lady Bar and bred from her for 12 years. She has produced seven foals (Call ‘Em Home being the most recent) of which the 1997 mare, Slainte (by Good Thyne) has been her only winner under rules to date. She collected a bumper and two hurdles over staying trips for Christy Roche and John Power. Of the only two other siblings to run, one was placed in a selling hurdle while the 2000 Shahrastani mare, Champagne Bar, won a maiden point for her breeder/trainer in 2008 but was poor in eight track runs. One would hope that Call ‘Em Home, who cost €7,500 as a 3yo at the Goffs Landrover, can improve the page.
Call ‘Em Home has had just one run in a point and was very fortunate to collect a Taylorstown 4yo maiden when the leading pair, Hatters River and Endofdiscussion, collided in mid-air at the last fence and both unseated riders. It was an enthralling race to review on video with the winning favourite being very lucky. The performances of both fallers didn’t go unnoticed as the maiden, Endofdiscussion, joined Paul Webber for £30,000 and Hatters River, also a maiden, made £50,00 when joining Susan Nock when both were sold at the Doncaster May Sale.
The third horse home at Taylorstown subsequently won a 4yo maiden at Kinsale. This maiden was first run in 2009 and it’s record is reasonable with 2009 producing hurdle/chase winner, Kings Moss (Jimmy Lambe) and bumper/chase winner Golden View (Karen McClintock). The 2010 winner, Brass Tax, has yet to sparkle in two runs for Charlie Morlock.
Colin Bowe is a very able trainer and, like Gordon Elliott, learned his trade well in the pointing field. He’s been champion point trainer for the past two seasons boasting a strike-rate of almost 20%. His star is also rising under rules and from a sole winner in his first season 2009/10, he trained 15 winners last season and is already on seven for the current year and a 3-year average strike-rate of almost 14%-very impressive when you consider that he has quite modest owners. He has done very well with winning point mares and having missed some of the wins of Our Victoria and Askanna last year I occasionally awaken in a cold sweat of remembrance! I have a theory that his track success owes some part to the fact that the economic situation badly affected the market for winning point mares and fillies and thus he was asked to train them under rules. Both mares that I mentioned won points at both 4 & 5 before going on to score well and often(!) on the track. A cursory glance at his 23 winners under rules reveals many that were initially successful between the flags. The current list of qualifiers for the upcoming autumn and spring campaigns is very interesting I must say!
2nd September 2011: 7.35pm Kilbeggan (good-firm) 2m3f 4-7yo bumper (Mr B.O’Neill (5))
I believe that this horse will run very well here and the handler’s record in bumpers is very impressive and I mean impressive! He was obviously highly thought of making his debut on the pointing circuit and the prices obtained for the two “unseated’s” reinforces this belief. I think anything that gives an each-way price should not be missed.
It is a mark of the relationship between Barry “Bon” O’Neill and Bowe that all the trainer’s 32 point winners during the 2010/11 were ridden by the stable jockey.
P.S.
Dr Tommy’s
run went exactly to script and further developments are eagerly awaited.
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