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I know I keep on about him but the more I look at him the happier I am with Kilcrea Castle. Connections have got to have a go off this mark.
He’s got Orchestra in him (sired Miss Orchestra to win the Midlands National and Relaxation to win the NH Chase), and Monksfield (damsire of Monty’s Pass) and Gala Performance (West Tip and Greasepaint).
I think he’s related to old Harbour Pilot (willing to stand corrected) and watching a rerun of that race behind Casey Jones he certainly wasn’t stopping and had some confirmed stayers behind him that day. Couple that with how well he jumps and I am actually quite confident.
I’m not so hot on breeding and bloodlines, but i was very taken with his debut run for Venetia and was willing to back him to beat Madison on Saturday (although I never get Venetia’s right these days). The only slight worry is the level of some of the Irish chase form, apart from the very best ones, there seems to be some average horses running well in graded races.
I’m very happy with Character Building weight, not so Niche Markets, although I think I’d back him to overturn form with Tricky Trickster of level weights, especially as he was the only horse racing Denmam on Saturday which took its toll in the end.
Of the other, I quite like Flintoff with a nice racing weight.I don’t think you can say Niche Market didn’t stay 3m on Saturday as he has won 2 handicaps of that trip or beyond (much further in the Irish National) and was staying on in the Hennessy over further. Maybe the ground was too tacky, maybe the went too soon on him. He is still in my calculations, although Saturday won’t have helped his handicap mark.
I thought Character Building ran a decent enough race over hurdles the other day and expect his next appearance to really bring him on. And his Kim Muir win still has to be considered one of the easiest at last year’s Festival.
Hasn’t Charlie Mann said AFO will probably go to Ireland, then Sandown? I know trainers often then change their tune, but he is also a horse with better form right handed anyway, so Fairyhouse will probably suit more than Aintree.That’s very sad as I was only thinking about her the other day. I’ll never forget her trouncing Tricky Trickster, but also costing me a fortune getting beat by her stablemate at the Festival.
Don’t know when the entries are but seeing as King has a history in the William Hill Chase with novices, Bensalem surely has to be of interest in that race off 143.
He has already stated that will be the route he takes, but you’d have to think its jumping needs to improve to get round Cheltenham and he’ll surely need a bit of cut too, you would have thought.
As for some of the other ratings, yards are being penalised more than the horses. Admittedly the Southwell novice is a fairly decent race, but given that Denman only got 161 for routing a RSA field, the handicappers are not taking any chances even this early.I think Go Native has to have a strong chance based on the weekend’s runnings. I also think that maybe last year’s Champion Hurdle took a lot out of those who fought out the finish. True Punjabi ran a good race at Punchestown but Celestial Halo was entitled to win first time out. However none of the first 3 have run anywhere near that level and while they will be more tuned up come March, they’ll need to find at least 7lb to figure.
It’s a bit early to be betting on this race yet, but I thought Palypso de Creek ran a cracking race and will hopefully improve for the longer distance. I also like the profile of Niche Market who’s Hennessy run was outstanding, but who clearly needs to have better ground than he had last time. At 9 he is the optimum age and off around 145-150 will have around the 11st mark.
It amazes me how people want to knock the likes of McCoy, Walsh and Johnson. Yes they don’t win on them all, but who does? And the fact is, they don’t set the prices of the horses they ride. Some days they will have a great looking book of rides and some days it won’t happen for them, but that’s racing. He’ll ride a treble or 4 timer again soon and everybody will be singing his praises again.
One of my all time favourites, but alas, he won without a dime of my hard earned, despite the fact he’s lost me plenty down the years (and won the odd few quid too)
Keen Leader! What can you say? A big beauty to look at,but he took to fences like i take to those who lack Foresight!
Or maybe it was just the curse of the O’Neill fella (a bit unfair I know, but
)He was obviously a very talented 2m4f-3m horse and given the fact old timers like War of Attrition and Our Vic won last week, plus the fact Mighty Man Dream Alliance have won after seemingly career ending lay offs, he couldn’t be completely dismissed. Maybe the Topham or even next year’s Paddy Power, although its a long road back yet.
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