Galway

[Old Vic]

Winter Escape an interesting runner. Won a Dovecote ( his last win) and went off favourite for a Greatwood. Shown nothing for 2 and a half years and changed trainer but who knows?

[Kevloaf]

Winter Escape an interesting runner. Won a Dovecote ( his last win) and went off favourite for a Greatwood. Shown nothing for 2 and a half years and changed trainer but who knows?

I've heard a few people on some podcasts say they expect the trainer to really improve him ... a big enough price to find out?

[mayo]

I'm going to chance Lord Scoundrel at the prices.

Donn's view

https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/news/donn-mcclean-smashing-plate/150659

[mayo]

I'm interested in David's Charm. Had been on my shortlist for this for a while and a couple of spins on the flat should have him spot on for this.

Shrewdie.

The Donn

Davids Charm
Davids Charm ran a nice race to finish third in the 1m 7f qualified riders’ maiden. Settled in third place behind a decent pace that Tornado Watch set, he started to come under pressure as they left the back straight, but he moved into second place, up on the outside of the leader as they rounded the home turn. He was quickly passed by Slippery Serpent early in the home straight and relegated to third again, and then briefly to fourth, but he kept on well from the 1f marker, despite the fact that he was a little tight for racing room, to get back up for third place.

It was a fine run by John Joe Walsh’s horse, for whom the Galway Hurdle has surely been a priority for a little while. Winner of a 2m 5f handicap hurdle at the Galway Festival last year, he was a little unlucky not to win at Listowel in September, when he was beaten a neck by this year’s Ascot Stakes winner Lagostovegas, and he stepped forward from that to win a valuable handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse’s Hatton’s Grace Hurdle meeting in December off a mark of 134. He has been raised to a hurdles mark of 144, but he was seriously progressive going into that Fairyhouse race, he won with plenty in hand, and there is every reason to expect that he can improve again.

He returned on the flat at Ballinrobe in late June, and this was his second run back. It should bring him forward again, and he will be of interest in the Galway Hurdle.

Leopardstown, 12th July 2018

[mayo]

One for the weekend

Azzuri
Azzuri ran well to finish fourth in the Connacht Hotel Qualified Riders’ Handicap. Always prominent, a clear second behind early leader Torcello from early, Richard O’Brien’s horse moved to the front with 1m to run. He kicked clear on the run to the home turn, he went 3l clear around the home turn and, even after he was passed by Limini and Uradel, he kept on well up the hill to retain fourth place.

He is an interesting horse on the flat but, although his trainer does not have many jumpers, the Azamour gelding is probably even more interesting over fences. On his previous run, he was seriously impressive in winning a 2m 1f handicap chase at Killarney. Sent to the front from flagfall by Danny Mullins that day, he was briefly headed by Our Dougal at the second fence, but he was back in front on landing over the third. He didn’t have it all to himself up front, he was continually harried by Our Dougal as the pair of them opened up a significant lead over their field, which left you wondering if the front pair were going too quickly. But Richard O’Brien’s horse travelled well in front and, while the field closed up on the leaders on the run around the home turn, they both picked up again from the third last fence. Azzuri stayed on strongly from the second last fence and stretched away to a 10-length victory, with Our Dougal keeping on well to retain second place.

It was a good race and the right horses came to the fore. Our Dougal had finished a close-up second to his stable companion Monbeg Chit Chat in a decent handicap chase at Punchestown on his previous run, the pair of them clear, when he might have won had he not been hampered by a loose horse at the last. Also, third-placed Bel Ami De Sivola won a good handicap chase at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival in April, and followed up by finishing third in a valuable novices’ handicap chase at the Punchestown Festival.

A dual winner on the flat for Ger Lyons as a three-year-old, Azzuri won twice over hurdles and three times over fences for Dan Skelton, posting a particularly impressive performance on his final run for Skelton at Ayr’s Scottish Grand National meeting in April. He only joined Richard O’Brien a couple of months ago, running three times on the flat for his new trainer before Killarney and finishing second on each occasion. His performance at Killarney was probably a step up on anything that he had done over fences before though, and there is every chance that he can progress again over fences. He does like to be ridden aggressively, he made all in all five wins over hurdles and fences in Britain. His trainer mentioned the Galway Plate as a possible target, but that would have represented a significant step up in trip and Galway is a stiff track. He didn’t run badly on his only attempt at two and a half miles, but you suspect that a stiff two miles could prove to be his optimum. He does hold an entry in a 2m 2f handicap chase at Galway on Sunday, and that might be a more suitable target. The other slight worry about him in the context of Galway is that Galway is a right-handed track and he did tend to jump to his left at Killarney, a tendency that he had portrayed a little on the only occasion on which he had raced right-handed over fences in the past, at Leicester last February. That said, he is an exciting prospect, he is only six, and he has plenty of potential for further progression as a steeplechaser.

Galway, 30th July 2018

https://donnmcclean.com/2018/07/30/azzuri/

[MrMcGoldrick]

Ballycasey out Patricks Park in, well I'm shocked, well not really shocked, just very surprised, well not very surprised just mildly surprised. Perhaps not surprised, more like thought it possible, even considered it likely, what the hell I knew it would happen, totally obvious really, stupid to think otherwise. Ok I'm done now.

[BigChaang]

Galway -thurs , -L.15 - 1. It's all guesswork - 1-40.
2. Cadmium - 2-15.
3. Yulong gold fairy - 3-25.
4. good thyne tara - 4-35.

[Zipiter]

Ballycasey out Patricks Park in, well I'm shocked, well not really shocked, just very surprised, well not very surprised just mildly surprised. Perhaps not surprised, more like thought it possible, even considered it likely, what the hell I knew it would happen, totally obvious really, stupid to think otherwise. Ok I'm done now.

The stewards held an enquiry into the withdrawal of Ballycasey from the featured Galway Plate this evening at Ballybrit.

The gelding was withdrawn due to the change in going and his removal allowed stable-mate Patricks Park to line up in the €250,000 contest.

The following is the report from the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board:-

The Stewards enquired into the reason lodged by Mr WP Mullins, trainer, for the withdrawal of his charge Ballycasey (change in going) from this race. Mr Mullins stated that Ballycasey was always considered to be a horse that ran his best races on good ground even though he had gained success on many different ground descriptions. He added that the animal had not won for over a year and consideration was now being given to running him in cross country races where the ground is generally good or thereabouts. In analysing the horses career he felt that as a young horse he handled all ground descriptions and ran very well in Graded company without winning a Grade 1 race, but in latter years the horse struggled in handicap company and had been competing in conditions races where he had run well without always running to his handicap mark. As a result the horse had dropped significantly down the handicap. In summary he felt that Ballycasey was suited by small fields of runners but competing on todays ground conditions with a large number of runners where he would encounter kickback was not suitable to him at this stage of his career. Mr Andrew Shaw, IHRB Senior National Hunt handicapper gave an assessment of the horses career where he referred to successes on all going descriptions, the majority being on soft or heavy ground. He added that Ballycasey had dropped significantly from a rating of 160 last year to todays mark of 147. Having considered all the evidence, the Stewards noted the explanation.

Regarding the withdrawal of Ballycasey WP Mullins later said:-

“I was surprised to be called in and disappointed that we couldn't take him out here on the track.
“I was after sending someone up to walk the track and sent him in to the scales to withdraw him but wasn't allowed and had to go and ring some phone number.

“I can't understand why you can't take your horse out at the scales. I'm very disappointed and it's ridiculous actually that you can't take your horse out at the races on the day.

“I don't understand where racing is going when we just can't do things like that.

“When we seen all the rain we wanted to ask them to take him out and they couldn't so we hadd to go and ring some central number. I don't know whether it's bringing racing forward or back.

“It sounds ridiculous to me the rigmarole we had to go through today to take the horse out and withdrawnhim.

“Patricks Park was lucky to get in that we had a change of ground and the other horse was withdrawn.”




Champion trainer and Champion Liar!

[Kevloaf]

I don't think any trainer would do any different though zip... you've got to be able to make your own luck where you can to be the best in the business!



Some performance from Clarcam tonight! That 8L second in the 1:55 at Navan on 23/11/14 finally looks good form

[Zipiter]

I don't think any trainer would do any different though zip... you've got to be able to make your own luck where you can to be the best in the business!



Some performance from Clarcam tonight! That 8L second in the 1:55 at Navan on 23/11/14 finally looks good form

Id have told similar lies myself!!

But it also highlights one of the disadvantages to a trainer having so many entries in a race.....



Clarcam was exceptional...Id never had backed it though. My hard earned was on Snow Falcon who finished 4th having been hampered at the 5th fence and almost coming down at the 6th and very nearly ended his race. He stayed on remarkably well to finish 4th considering his hardship. He's one with a decent pot in him somewhere.

Mark Enright was very noble and honest in his post race interviews.

[archie]

JP pulls this stroke regularly (usually a 'stone bruise') and no-one seems to mind. If you allow withdrawals because of a change in the going, it's just posturing to have an enquiry in to only one of the half a dozen or so withdrawals due to the ground.

[mayo]

Ruby Thursday.

[robith]

Sharjah the only bet I placed all week here. Lovely. Guy I manage wouldn't let me go to the bookies on a way to a meeting, slagging off my record, so I did it on my phone. He's not enjoying me right now

[Kevloaf]

With Whiskey Sour being 6/1 fav I felt I had to take the chance on Sharjah 14/1. Obviously I'm hoping that the ground will be no worse than Yielding but Sharjah had Whiskey Sour so well held in that Future Champions Hurdle over Christmas when falling at the last that I didn't think he should be over double the price for only a 3lb pull at the weights. David's Charm has to be in anyones calculations though so those will be my two.

Was waiting for my loyal followers to big me up but looks like I was flying solo ....

I kind of anticipated Ruby avoiding Whiskey Sour and then as soon as he was jocked up on Max Dynamite I cipated believe it. I thought Sharjah was hoping to be his mount and go off joint fav!
.. however in hindsight Patrick made sense and winning from top weight does go someway to fulfilling the potential this horse showed.

[Middle_Of_March]

Good shout that Kev


How far does Limini win by tomorrow lads? It’s a lump job at 13/8 surely..