- This topic has 28 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 6 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Two days to go until the greatest racing festival and not a word about it. Lads are too busy tripping over one another to heap superlatives on a horse who would baulk at the sight of a stone wall or a drop bank!
Can Willie Mullins train 12 winners for the third year running?
Will Sizing Europe confirm Cheltenham form with Big Zeb and Captain Cee Bee or will Golden Silver beat him in this race again?
Can Thegreatjohnbrowne return to his pre-Christmas form or will Quito De La Roque follow up on his Aintree triumph?
Can Kauto Star succeed where Denman failed and win the Guinness Gold Cup?
Can Waaheb maintain his unbeaten record for the Master of Rosewell?
Can Enda Bolger win another La Touche Cup?
Will Quevega retain her stayers crown or will her stablemates Thousand Stars or Mourad spoil the party?
Can Binocular or Menorah stop the mighty Hurricane Fly?
First Lieutenant, Oscars Well or So Young – who is the best novice hurdler?
To attempt an answer to some of your questions Imperial!
~"Will Sizing Europe confirm Cheltenham form with Big Zeb and Captain Cee Bee or will Golden Silver beat him in this race again?"
Perhaps the race of the meeting. Sizing Europe put up the performance of his career last time, while Big Zeb ran his usual good race in second. I think that Colm Murphy was perhaps slightly dissapointed with the run, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned the tables at Punchestown. Captain Cee Bee looked something like his old self and if he can improve on that he’ll be thereabouts again. Throw in Golden Silver and we’re in for some race. Big Zeb perhaps for the win?
~"Can Thegreatjohnbrowne return to his pre-Christmas form or will Quito De La Roque follow up on his Aintree triumph?"
Another great race. Quito De La Roque is in my opinion the as good a novice as we’ve seen this season, although there can’t be much between himself, Boston’s Angel and Jessies Dream. Thegreatjohnbrowne has somewhat slipped under the radar and it will be interesting to see how he fares on his comeback.
~"Can Kauto Star succeed where Denman failed and win the Guinness Gold Cup?"
I’m going to try get to Punchestown to see this great horse in the flesh, as I’ve yet to do so. I have a feeling Kempes will put it up to him though.
~"Will Quevega retain her stayers crown or will her stablemates Thousand Stars or Mourad spoil the party?"
I backed her in this at 4/1 last year and the Even money is short enough considering this looks a stronger renewal. I’d still fancy her to win though. Perhaps the value lies with Voler La Vedette?
~"Can Binocular or Menorah stop the mighty Hurricane Fly?"
No.
Not a word about it because we have no idea who is going to run where and when.
We have to wait and see when declarations come out
Joncol IS going to win the gold cup, I never seem to learn from my over-optimism.
I can’t WAIT to see Binocular and Hurricane Fly. Personally I think bino might be the horse that gets past him, but time will tell.
At least 4 years since we’ve been to Punchestown and I so wish we were going this year, although we said at the time we’d never back a horse there ever again. However, I had a bet on Planet of Sound last year and watched him win in our local Corals [probably the last time I backed a winner]. Will go to Corals on Wednesday [?] to watch Kauto.
Can’t wait! Flying over first thing on Tuesday for another four days of it….. Staying in Naas as usual.
Quite like TGJB but he seems a bit fragile. Ran no race at all at Thurles last year when we were there, but clearly has ability. Catching him fresh might be the ticket.
Any rain over there or news of the ground?
Will keep this thread for the other Grade 1 contests:
(4:20) 85B Evening Herald Champion Novice H’dle
(Grade 1) €49,600.00 ( 2m – 5yo+ )1 Far Away So Close(135) (PNolan) – MNDoran 11,12
2 Hidden Universe(135) (DKWeld) – MrRPMcNamara 11,12
3 Il Fenomeno (ITY) (NMeade) – PCarberry 11,12
4 Rathlin (GB)(133) (PJRothwell) – DNRussell 11,12
5 Shot From The Hip (GER)(136) (EJO’Grady) – APMcCoy 11,12
6 Oilily(136) (SByrne) – ADLeigh 11,07
7 Otterstown Lady(120) (Mrs.CO’Leary) – RWalsh(T) 11,07Very poor renewal of what usually is a decent race. Rathlin somehow managed to throw away a similar contest at Fairyhouse last week. I think Shot From The Hip will need a trip in time so it wouldn’t surprise me to see Hidden Universe win back to back races at the festival. DK has always said that he needs better ground and he shaped at both Leopardstown and Cheltenham as if he’d be better going right handed.
(6:40) 85F Growise Champion Novice S’chase (Grade
1) €49,600.00 ( 3m 1f – 5yo+ )1 Head Of The Posse(140) (JEKiely) – DJCasey 11,10
2 Kakagh(122) (WHarney) – RCColgan 11,10
3 Loosen My Load(145) (Hde Bromhead) – TJMurphy(T) 11,10
4 Mr Thriller (FR)(141) (DPipe (in GB)) – PTownend(B)(T) 11,10
5 Quel Esprit (FR)(145) (WPMullins) – RWalsh 11,10
6 Quito De La Roque (FR)(150) (CAMurphy) – DNRussell 11,10
7 Reve De Sivola (FR)(142) (NWilliams (in GB)) – DAJacob(C) 11,10
8 Thegreatjohnbrowne(146) (NMeade) – APMcCoy 11,10
9 Western Charmer(144) (DTHughes) – PCarberry(C) 11,10Fascinating little race this. Quel Esprit fell when going ominously well at Cheltenham and surely wouldn’t have been far away. This ground could prove lively enough for him though. Quito De La Roque defied similar reservations when winning at Liverpool but he had a hard race over there. Loosen My Load has always shaped like a stayer while both Western Charmer and Reve De Sivola bring solid handicap form to the contest. I think Thegreatjohnbrowne will have a big say in his first run in the South Liberties silks for JP. He jumped like a stag on his two previous visits to Punchestown and had a whole host of class horses behind him – Bostons Angel, Magnanimity, Tharawat. This ground is an unknown though.
Keep looking at the Rebecca Curtis horses in the hurdle today; no chance on paper, but she’s such a canny trainer. Not having a bet, though.
First fav of the meeting goes in with the declaration of Wedger Pardy in the Father Sean Breen Memorial Cup
Hurricane Fly and Quevega both win.
Tuesday
Head Of The Posse runs better than his odds suggest in the 3m NovicesLiss A Chara will place in the final Bumpers
Dr Tommy is overpriced at 18’s and 20’s in the first bumper
Oilily is a cert if you believe official ratings (a pound clear and has 7lb mares allowance)
Sit back and watch the other races though if forced to have a bet it would be Vital Plot in the 4:55 Handicap Hurdle, looked to come back to form last time out and is a big price for a formerly useful performer at 28’s.
First fav of the meeting goes in with the declaration of Wedger Pardy in the Father Sean Breen Memorial Cup
Hurricane Fly and Quevega both win.
Tuesday
Head Of The Posse runs better than his odds suggest in the 3m NovicesLiss A Chara will place in the final Bumpers
Dr Tommy is overpriced at 18’s and 20’s in the first bumper
Oilily is a cert if you believe official ratings (a pound clear and has 7lb mares allowance)
Sit back and watch the other races though if forced to have a bet it would be Vital Plot in the 4:55 Handicap Hurdle, looked to come back to form last time out and is a big price for a formerly useful performer at 28’s.
(6:05) 86E betchronicle.com Champion INH Flat Race
(Grade 1) €48,750.00 ( 2m – 4,7yo )1 Aupcharlie (PECollins) – MrJPMcKeown 12,00
2 Caolaneoin (SFahey) – MrJAFahey 12,00
3 Fionn Tra (MrsJHarrington) – MissKHarrington 12,00
4 Go All The Way (NTwiston-Davies (in GB)) – MrDO’Connor 12,00
5 Letter Of Credit (GTLynch) – MrMPFogarty 12,00
6 Lovethehigherlaw (WPMullins) – MrPWMullins 12,00
7 Starling Force (NVKennedy) – MrRPQuinlan 12,00
8 Steps To Freedom (GElliott) – MissNCarberry(T) 12,00
9 Tusa Eire (WPMullins) – MrMJO’Connor 12,00
10 Big Time Billy (PBowen (in GB)) – MrJJCodd 11,09
11 Ceol Rua (WPMullins) – MsKWalsh 11,09
12 Dazzling Susie (JPO’Callaghan) – MrKEPower 11,09
13 Shadow Eile (MrsDALove) – MrCMMurphy 11,09
14 Jenari (MrsJHarrington) – MrMFahey 11,06
15 Waaheb (USA) (DKWeld) – MrRPMcNamara 11,06C’mon Waaheb!
Gutted no Reizovic in this as I know they think he’s much better on better ground.
Lovethehigherlaw was beaten by a machine LTO but my feelings are that he’ll need more of a stamina test whilst Waaheb gets all the allowances possible.
Aupcharlie represents the Champion Bumper form as does Go All The Way but the latter wasn’t rated too highly by his previous yard (prior to moving to Hobbs and more recently NTD).
JP McManus basically buying the title again.
Disgusted he bought Waheeb/Thegreatjohnbrown just to stop Gigginstown.
Come on Micheal O Leary!!!!!!!!!!!
Love Punchestown, always seems to provide good finishes.
Hopefully Kauto Star will regain the winning thread, looking at the race he wouldn’t have to be 100% fit as the competition looks very weak.
For me the outstanding bet of the meeting is:
455 Wed:
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.