Tag Archives: Jump racing

Ireland

Champion Chase: Clarcam ready for the battle?

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Dedigout and Paul Carberry

4.35 Gowran Park: Grade 2 Champion Chase, 2m 4f

Despite his return from a seasonal break, Clarcam sets a very high standard in this race and is the one they all have to beat. On past form he is clearly the star in this field and his record as a fresh horse is a positive one – so one would imagine he’ll be ready to go..

Although,maybe not quite as ready as last season? Since then Clarcam has developed into a top class chaser, a Grade 1 horse, who will have much bigger prices and targets waiting on the horizon, later in the season.

If Clarcam proves to be slightly vulnerable fitness wise today…. well, there are plenty of alternatives! Top weight Alelchi Inois will appreciate the return to the 2m 4f trip and should be ready for a big battle. He is best to be forgiven his last two below par runs.

Galway Plate winner Shanahan’s Turn poses to be an obvious danger, although I may wonder whether this shorter trip finds him out against speedier sorts? Jessica Harrington’s Cailin Annamh is quite an interesting contender. Improving and versatile, he can make use of her low weight.

Texas Jack probably prefers it softer and seems not as good as he used to be. He was fair and square beaten by Devils Bride the other day, although he’s better off on the weights today with this rival. Nonetheless I fancy the Gigginstown runner to get the better of ‘Jack again today – and in general he looks the one to side with if the favourite, in the same ownership, doesn’t fire.

This progressive chaser has won four of his six starts over fences and really improved this summer with a tongue tie applied. He improved from landing a Handicap at Galway, to beat Texas Jack at Listowel over 2m 4f in very comprehensive style, always travelling strongly. He looked to be able to pull out more if required, so the weight shouldn’t make too much off a difference today.

Whether Devils Bride is up to this high level here remains to be seen. However he clearly is talented and deserves his chance. He may well improve again – he has to do so – but if he does, he won’t be far away in the closing stages.

Devils Bride @ 11/1 Paddy Power – 5pts Win

United Kingdom

Thanks AP!

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It’s all out and over – Anthony McCoy has officially retired from race riding. His long career has come to an end at Sandown Park today. He finished in third place in his last ever race on appropriately named Box Office. When he jumped off, a visible emotional Anthony McCoy was no longer an active jockey.

Much has been said over the course of the recent days, weeks and months since AP announced his retirement towards the end of the season. That says there isn’t much that I could add to it that hasn’t been said before already. But one last thing:

Enjoy your retirement Anthony. You’re a legend. I hope you’re in a good place and you’ll find plenty of things that keep you happy and occupied after a long life of race riding. It ain’t be easy. But you champ, you can do it. #Thanks AP!

United Kingdom

Preview – Scottish Grand National

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Becher's Brook

The National Hunt season is drawing to a close but before it’s all over and part of history it gonna end with a bing bang – the Scottish Grand National! 30 horses taking on the demanding 4 1/2 mile course at Ayr today – so let’s try to find the winner!

I managed to cut down the field to around 14 horses – that shows really how competitive this race is! You could make a reasonable case for so many. I can’t back them all unfortunately, but as always it’s all about the price and value for me, and that is how I came up with the following three selections.

Wiesentraum – @ 100/1 San James

The huge price doesn’t scare me off. Wiesentraum can have a chance here. The trip is an unknown, but he won a couple of times over 3m+ before, so this test may well be within his range. The good ground should be key to his chance as he needs a sound surface to be seen to best effect.

He won twice this season over 3 1/2m on good ground. Back off a break in March, he ran over much shorter. No chance that day but the race should have blown away the cobwebs. With conditions to suit, he may be able to outrun his big price tag off a fair mark.

Amigo – @ 33/1 Bet365

This French gelding hasn’t too many miles on the clock yet and was rather progressive over the last couple of seasons. A good chaser in his native country, he was a fair hurdler in his first season for David Pipe but has surpassed his hurdle mark already as a chaser this season.

Arguably his best performance to date came last month at Newbury when he was a close runner-up to Carruthers. He looks a stayer through and through, won at Ayr before and could still be on the upward. Ground conditions are perfect for him either.

Carli King – @ 40/1 Stan James

Another one who has not too many races under his belt. He won well in Handicap company at Warwick last month and he should relish the ground conditions today as well. He proved his stamina over 3.5 miles already, so it is fair to assume that he gets the trip. Up in the mark for his recent success, there is chance for a bit of further improvement.

All selections: 2.5pts win bets

United Kingdom

Jack Steel can be a winner for Tom Scu at Ayr

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DSC_0243

I think it’s worth to take the favourite on here. Not sure if the drop in trip is what he wants and his recent fall isn’t exactly inspiring. I do like the look of Jack Steel though. He arrives here on his Handicap debut with a pretty low opening mark and might be able to exploit it.

He shaped okay in his last couple of starts under rules without doing anything particularly impressive. But he is a former point winner in Ireland and has done there his best on better ground. All recent starts came with considerable cut in the ground, which means the conditions at Ayr should suit him perfectly.

Of course he needs to improve from what he has shown so far but with this low opening mark there is a fair chance that he can make his experience count today. It might be telling in itself that Tom Scudamore comes here for this one ride only. The yard isn’t going well but this jockey booking instils some confidence that a big run is expected. 6/1 could be a big price.

2.00 Ayr: Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)
Jack Steel @ 6/1 Coral – 5pts win

United Kingdom

Gingili’s a big chance

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National Hunt Fence

I feel that the betting market has it wrong here. The Swingback trained Bobs Lord Tara is surely entitled to go very close with strong recent form to his name but it doesn’t look right to have him the the odds-on favourite. While the drop in trip may well suit, the ground potentially won’t. He also has to give a good deal of weight away to the potentially biggest threat, Gingili. Six pounds, to be specific.

The former Irish point winner Ginili won two bumpers earlier this year and now over hurdles for the first time, should make his point experience count, particularly with trip and ground to suit. It’s telling that jockey Noel Fehily is travelling here for this one ride. Gingili must have a very big chance to follow on from the promise shown and should be the odds-on favourite in my mind.

3.45 Carlisle: Gingili @ 6/4 Coral – 10pts win

United Kingdom

It’s all Balder’s Success!

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The big race of the day was held at Ascot today. Despite only attracting a small field, the Ascot Chase shaped to be a cracker. In the end it was Balder Succes who won a deserved first Grade 1 outside Novice’ company. A good round of jumping, he travelled well throughout and beat smart filly Ma Filleule comprehensively.

Trainer Alan King was quoted afterwards: “He was very good today and since going over fences he has been good all the way through. He’s more mature now mentally. We’ve got to stick to the Ryanair route.”

Ma Filleule is likely to go down the same route. Second favourite Ballycasey was a big disappointing and dropped out as soon as it really mattered to show some fighting spirit. The 6/4 favourite Ptit Zig didn’t complete the race. He was a faller at the tenth fence. Thankfully he was quickly up to his feet and fine after the race

Global Racing

Weekend!

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Weekend!
It’s Weekend! Some great racing ahead. Several Graded races in the UK and Ireland. Ascot Chase on Saturday as the highlight of course, but there is also some great action at Gowran Park and Navan, plus some excellent All-Weather racing from Lingfield. Enjoy all the fantastic racing and good luck whatever you bet!

Ireland

McCoy writes history… yet again

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One couldn’t have written the tale any better. There is Tony McCoy, the world’s most successful jockey. A legend of this sport. One whose name is synonymous with jump racing. There he is, announcing his retirement at the end of the season. He did this after winning a big race at Newbury on Saturday. He wanted to do it on his own terms. Put and end to the speculations surrounding him and his 20th champion jockey title.

And there he is, parading in front of the frenetic Leopardstown crowd. He and his mount Carlingford Lough just won main event, the Hennessy Gold Cup. Just another piece in the breathtaking career, for McCoy, the once little boy, born in Moneyglass, Country Antrim of Northern Ireland, who made his way to the summit of the sport without the benefit of having a family with background in the game.

This morning on the way to work I heard an interview with him on the Irish radio station Newstalk FM. McCoy, collected, calm, yet somehow emotional in his voice, reflected on the weekend, his decision to retire – but felt awkwardly distanced to the idea of what may lie in front of him – once he jumps off the horses back for the last time. What’s then AP? Who knows. For the moment, it is hard to envision jump racing without him. And thanks god, for a couple more weeks we don’t have to get used to this thought.

So let’s just sit back and enjoy the man at what he’s best: Riding winners! Relieve the Hennessy Gold Cup again, in the video below – it also has to be stated that I tipped McCoy and Carlingford Lough to win the Hennessy. Which obviously makes it an even better story… for me personally at least!

Global Racing

Gates crash open…

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The start – a pivotal point of any horse race. Without it, we wouldn’t have a race. Simple as that, right? Whether a standing start in National Hunt, or out of starting gates on the flat – so many races have been lost right at the beginning.

I still remember beautiful filly Sariska very well. What a talented individual she was. But towards the end of her career, she refused to leave the gates when they would crashed open. She was odds-on, red hot favourite in her last two career starts and almost certain to win – if she would just run – but she lost the race literally at the start and was subsequently retired to the breeeding sheds.

There are numerous other examples of course, where horses stumble out, and are right far behind the field, or there are those of course who jump out as if concerned about their life, mad keen, unstoppable, burning off all energy. Remember Dawn Approach in the Derby?