Tag Archives: Ger Lyons

United Kingdom

Kempton: Exciting Majeed Bound To Progress!

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Dundalk All-Weather

Dundalk seems to become a happy hunting ground these days – Cape Wolfe travelled all over the opposition and won it quite easily in the end. A nice 12/1 winner… much needed! The Ger Lyons inmate is Royal Ascot bound now.

7.40 Kempton: Class 3 Handicap, 1m 3f

The flat season is in full flight, yet we have some really interesting racing on Kempton’s All-Weather tonight. This intriguing Class 3 Handicap for four year olds and older horses appears to be an open enough contest with seven out of the ten runners having previously won at this venue.

The betting suggests Andre Balding’s lightly raced Smiling Stranger is the one to beat and won’t lack fitness after 291 days off the track. He showed some promise in maidens last year, though was found out for class on his handicap debut. Gelded over the winter, he could be one with plenty of improvement to come, given a fair handicap mark. Personally I wouldn’t like to be on him at 5/2 though. Despite all the positives there are also a couple of question marks and such a short price doesn’t represent value in my eyes.

Equally lightly raced Majeed didn’t show any rustiness to land a Chelmsford Handicap in March coming off a 1½ year long break. The five year old had obvious problems in the past but looked big and strong at Chelmsford. He travelled off the pace and had plenty enough to do 2f out but really motored home in impressive style. Only 3lb up, with a very useful 5lb claimer in the saddle today, he looks a major player with further improvement likely to come off a potentially lenient mark.

From the former course winners, Double Discount can’t be ruled out. He’s weighted to be competitive if he is back to his best. Jacob Cats won a CD Handicap in March and on that form must rate a danger. The Gay Cavalier loves it around Kempton and should be a big runner if he can bounce back from his last poor run. All-Weather specialist Troopingthecolour is rated below his last winning mark but has to find back some form. First time cheek-pieces may help him. All of these have plenty of questions to answer, though.

Verdict: I like the favourite’s profile. If Smiling Stranger is fit after the break, he could be hard to beat off a fair mark now as a gelding. But from a value perspective lightly raced Majeed makes more appeal. He’s also on a very fair mark and has the assistance of a very good apprentice, which effectively sees him racing off 2lb lower than when winning at Chelmsford. I was really impressed with that performance and 9/2 looks a big price in this field.

Majeed @ 9/2 Paddy Power – 5pts Win

Ireland

Dundalk: Cape Wolfe can make experience count

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Dundalk Motions

7.10 Dundalk: Handicap, 3yo, 7f

Pretty good race for a dreary Tuesday night on the Dundalk All-Weather. Some good sorts with top form going to post – a tight finish can be expected!

Interestingly, the well fancied contenders have all one thing in common: They all won over further the last time and drop down to seven furlongs. With the exception of Ishebayorgrey who won over 6f recently and found further trips stretching him.

Against those runners, the Ger Lyons trained Cape Wolfe appears to be overpriced. He performed well in a couple of hot maidens last season and was only beaten in the final strides when last seen at Gowran Park, while travelling really well. This form works out really well and despite a 2lb rise in the mark, on balance Cape Wolf could be a bit better than that.

The switch the All-Weather should be fine and a good draw gives him every chance to be well positioned. He can make his experience count and is a better chance than his price tag suggests.

Cape Wolfe @ 12/1 Coral – 5pts win

Ireland

Sunday Racing – Navan Selections

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booker

2.15 Navan: Conditions Race. 3yo, 6f

This is a nice little race with some promising individuals going to post. Hot favourite Toscanini is already rates as high as 113 and therefore sets a clear standard. Is he for taking, though? I think so. Yes, he has some top class form to his name., particularly the runner-up effort behind Gleneagles in the National Stakes. But it remains to be seen if he has trained on. His only win came in a poor Dundalk maiden on his penultimate outing when he almost blew it while long odds-on. He looks a capable enough sort, but also quite quirky .

Prendergast’s Beach Belle and recent Cork maiden winner Father Frost are dangerous rivals, but the biggest challenge may well come from the filly Ainippe. She was an emphatic Listed winner last season and backed this performance up with two strong performances in Group company. She looked a bit rusty on her seasonal reappearance at Navan recently, which went along with what trainer Ger Lyons said beforehand. But she was far from disgraced as a 3yo filly first time out against some seasoned top class sprinters.

One would expect her to come on quite a bit for this run. The step up to 6f will surely suit while the ground won’t be an issue at all. Back against her own age she must have a much better chance in an easier race. Most intriguing is the jockey booking though. Highly promising apprentice Oisin Orr claims 10lb and is well worth it. In my mind this weight allowance is a huge advantage in a race like this here today.

Ainippe @ 9/2 Paddy Power – 5pts Win

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3.20 Navan: Handicap, 5f

Wide open race and a chance is taken on Booker. This lightly raced Mastercraftsman daughter drops dramatically in trip as a campaign over further didn’t quite pan out as hoped last year. Thought to be smart after a nice maiden win at the Curragh, she wasn’t disgraced subsequently in the 1.000 Guineas trial at Leopardstown but didn’t seem right when comprehensively beaten in her final start last season.

She has performed well as a fresh horse the last two seasons, so some holidays may do wonders for her again. On pedigree 5f seems sharp enough, however she showed plenty of early speed in all her races. Fitted with a hood for the first time, she looks a big price in the context of this race.

Booker @ 16/1 Coral – 5pts Win