In Ireland

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NAVAN

22nd Nov 24f C (0-133) 2.35

Interesting scenario going on here today:

A friend of mine went to Cheltenham last week and came back saying he got talking to an Irish trainer who gave him a couple of horses to look out for next time – one of them, GOOD FELLA (nice place record but has somthing to prove regards, trip, ground & course) 20/s generally, runs here….

But it just so happens that I am building a little band of horses from Ireland that look worth following and was about to start this thread anyway as just about half of them are due to run in this very same race. The last time TREACLE ran the first five made my notebook, the fourth, OPERATION HOUDINI, has won twice since & the 3rd, PADDY PUB, followed up too, they have both been raised in the weights & it might pay to stick with TREACLE but is unproven on this sort of ground at this trip & has never raced here before & while scanning the entries I came across another interesting contender who qualifies on my little h’cap process and is returning here to his optimum conditions and is also Napped by the Racing Post’s Spotlight, Ladbroke’s are 25’s while I am limited to Betfair at present & had to settle for 18.5 but really, BELLA MANA MOU looks to me the better EW option over my buds tip above?

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There's a couple running today who have made it onto the as yet not updated list here running today at Punchestown:

2.05 Joncol(Ire) - arguably a better horse than In Compliance when he was a 6yo.

2.35 Lenabane(Ire) - looks solid & is available 9/4 Bet365 as opposed to 5/4 with Paddy Power

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I'm going to propose an EW Ante-Post bet for Cheltenham before he runs at Leopardstown over the forthcoming festive festival - so far available on only one list, that of Stan James @ 50/1

The Arkle - River Liane(Fr)

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Dear oh dear! I thought avoiding Sizing Europe might be a good idea but to walk straight into 3 of the above Mordin system qualifiers! Nightmare!

I have heard he is outjumping the stable's Padydeplasterer and by my reckoning his last run at Naas was comparable with that of Tranquil Sea on the same card but now River Liane is stepping up in trip too in the 2.15 @ Limerick, good race though!

Can't be too confident of anything here, save to say he can afford to lose this & still be on course for the Arkle.

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Quality day @ Leopardstown today

12.20 - too many runners to consider betting me thinks but I'll be interested to see how Puyol gets on, he was 2nd in the race last year & 2nd to Supreme Novice favourite Dunguib last time - it'll take a good one to beat him. Dr Whizz is interesting, I had him down as a Festival Bumper horse but he's going hurdling already, owned by J P McManus.

1.30 - Pandorama, another top-drawer candidate!

2.00 - Lie Forritt, is 8lb clear of the rest on official ratings.

2.35 The Lexus, Fascinating contest! Quite like the 20/s about Aran Concerto EW

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Lie Forritt a NR Pandorama scrapes home & the Lexus is brought forward to today:

I'm having a little saver:

1.25 Lexus - What A Friend (in the hope that Sam Thomas doesn't use the whip until after the last!)

& I suppose I ought to shout Rick(Fr) 11.50 EW as I told an old friend to keep an eye out for him t'other day.

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Thanks to wb for reminding me of What A Friend's run in the Hennessy, I think we're in profit!

That Rick(Fr) though, I was hoping for a better price but he was placed at 7/2 jt fav - think he'll be a better chaser in time... but today

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It would seem that Beroni (above) is a qualifier on more than 2 Nick Mordin systems -

Goes in the 2.15 @ Punch back in a hurdle race from a rating some 26lb lower than his revised chasing mark, interesting!

& the same jockey has another Nick Mordin system qualifier to ride for the first time: 1.15 Punch The Dew At Night

Likely favourites those two but one that may not be - there's a hot fillies' race in the last on the card: If one of the above wins I may have a couple of quid on 3.45 Punch - Lonesome Dove - I do like horses that once headed, rally to regain the lead as she did last time.

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1.20 Cork - Dolly Hall(Ire) 7/2f Pretty much banking on her jockey claim holding sway here.

1.55 Cork - Mr Warbucks(Ire) 2/1

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Dam & blast! Smoking Aces is a NR in the 2.20 @ Leopardstown on Sunday & is in the 3 miler instead but I got another & we have to have a bet -

Leopardstown is unraceable as I write & the trainer has two other entries but ASIGH PEARL(IRE) is of a better age group statistically but will she run? Will it be on? I think she has got into the h'cap lightly off've 114 so if not Sunday, there should be another day but as soon as we get a little confirmation, she looks an EW good thing to me. Presently 33/1 generally.

[wb]

I live two miles from Leopardstown and I can assure you there will be no racing this Sunday!

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I live two miles from Leopardstown and I can assure you there will be no racing this Sunday!

Cheers Wayne - I just noticed it's off! There'll be another day for sure off've 114 for this one though - certainly one for the notebook. Typical though, I had started telling people round town

[wb]

Yeah, it's a shame as we haven't had racing here since January 2nd now.

It seems like an Irish joke, but our all-weather course at Dundalk closes for the winter!

They should reconsider though, as I've met loads of owners and trainers who would love to give their NH horses a stretch of the legs just to get them out. Indeed, Noel Meade has used it 60 times at this stage.

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It seems like an Irish joke, but our all-weather course at Dundalk closes for the winter!

They should reconsider though, as I've met loads of owners and trainers who would love to give their NH horses a stretch of the legs just to get them out. QUOTE]

I thought it a bit strange - I was just getting into it (even though I was struggling to get a grip on their figures, for some reason Dundalk always has a ++ going correction) but hey! They've just announced an 'all bumper' card for Southwell next week, that could be the way to go at Dundalk ? ?

[wb]

I think so. I don't want to go down the banded road and have racing for the sake of it, but we could be without racing in Ireland for two weeks if the weather stays like this.

Horse Racing Ireland say there wouldn't be enough flat horses to sustain the winter season but I've spoken to loads of owners and trainers in Ireland that are really frustrated by the balloting out of their horses and never getting a run. I'm certain they could fill a fixture once a week, especially when all other racing is called off.

Indeed, we've seen quite a lot of Irish raiders travel to the UK in the wintertime simply to get a race. Fair enough, they've been doing OK but the cost is a lot when you consider that the prizemony is lower in the UK. Loads of owners would let their jumps horse have a spin around the Polytrack just to watch it race.

They could at least try it out and if it doesn't work, just scrap it. I can't see the fuss about trying something new and not many seem to oppose.

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Google 'Super7 Challenge Horse Racing' & an article from the Racing Post should come up about a new series of races to be run on the AW (including one from Dundalk) that will have a final on Lingfield Derby trial day, £50k to the winner!

Could make it worth while but also, they are building a new AW track at Longchamp!

It's also interesting how well AW horses have done on a lot of the newly relayed tracks like Ascot & Doncaster & Ghanaati for instance winning the Guineas from humble beginnings at Kempton AW but also there is a new track in Dubai where the Carnival will be run which is near polytrack & if any Irish horses had aspirations for that ? ? Surely they could handle one meeting a week? ?

I don't see the fuss about trying something new either, racing is changing all the time & pretty soon it will just be a case of having to do it just to keep up with the Jones' kind of thing!

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I’ve been a little lucky here as I only noticed as the race was off that Bemo Two was running at Tramore today, came 2nd @ 6/s…

Though there seems a hatful of qualifiers in the previous handicap hurdle - could take me an age to sort the chaff from the wheat there - Bemo Two looks to be an only qualifier (that's the way I like it!) in the 3.20 Handicap Chase @ Naas. Though he faces the winner again from last time, the two furlong shorter trip could well be in his favor.

The rpr's of Marks Rusty & Got The Urge are based on hurdles form & while the fc favourite, Seabass, could be a spanner in the works - he has yet to achieve anything on the figures to get excited about & of more interest could well be Major Glendinning though not technically a qualifier so we will stick to a Win bet on Bemo Two.

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Think that meeting is to be rescheduled later in the week, hope so as liked that one but

2.20 Thurles - Golden Gem Win

3.30 Thurles - Undergraduate EW

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Bit depressing - yesterday's drubbing, 2 not even placed & knocked my confidence to the point of not posting a Mordin qualifier, 7/1 winning Droim Toll today, back to Bemo Two....

Though there seems a hatful of qualifiers in the previous handicap hurdle - could take me an age to sort the chaff from the wheat there - Bemo Two 3.35 Handicap Chase @ Naas. Though he faces the winner again from last time, the two furlong shorter trip could well be in his favor.

The rpr's of Marks Rusty & Got The Urge are based on hurdles form & while the fc favourite, Seabass, could be a spanner in the works - he has yet to achieve anything on the figures to get excited about & of more interest could well be Major Glendinning though not technically a qualifier so we will stick to a Win bet on Bemo Two.

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Some fair racing at Punchestown Wednesday & me thinks perhaps more than half the races will go to the favourite but

1.25 The Dew At Night looks solid enough, a little short though

2.00 Mourad looks solid too but think Rubi Light could be a rising star & trainer must like or think a lot of (to be honest I think he's making a mistake, figures like that suggest a big handicap would be at his mercy!)

3.10 Kylebeg Krystal WIN Most recent qualifier on the Mordin 20lb system (above) after hacking up on Moday. Today's best bet in Ireland me thinks.

3.45 Frascati Park (a foreign invader!) Solid but 6/4 in a 18 runner, no thanks!

& Good Luck to Mr Flynner with his first time tongue tie in the last.

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Gowran Pk

2.35 - Checkpointcharlie EW

3.05 - Jered Win

3.35 - Whosaidso Win

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Leop 1.45 - Lilywhitedancer W

1.55 Lim

Night Alliance & Ach Aye Surely Win each

2.55 Lim Satwa King W

3.55 Leop

Dante Hall & Montan EW each

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Seems the SR is taking a dive, hopefully, one of these might put things in the right direction:

2.40 Fairyhouse

Sharekan & City Of Doral Win the pair

& if one of those should oblige we'll have a £1 on Slippers Percy in the next....

MEETING ABANDONED

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Gotta few system qualifiers going at Naas - two of which, Bob Will Fix It & City Of Doral go in the big field h'cap hurdle, 3.45 & I quite fancy Bootlegger ew @ 25/s but it looks like anyone's guess & it would probably pay to be a little more selective, we'll go for..

3.15 The Dew At Night Win Another qualifier on the same system but a nice low weight, cheek pieces first time & a lot less opposition making the 7/2 about him slightly better value than the 5/s about Bob Will Fix It me thinks.

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Dam & Blast - that's twice this week I have decided not to dutch a couple of qualifiers in big field h'caps & lived to regret it, as City of Doral won alright @ 6's. I don't like these big field h'caps as the bookie over-round is so massive in Ireland it puts me off somewhat but if they keep winning I may just have to go with it, anyway

1.35 Leop Kylebeg Krystle (Ire) W
2.10 Leop Whodoyouthink (Ire) EW
3.10 Leop Fistoulig EW
4.20 Leop Agus A Vic W

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Sorry pps, dreadful day!

All the system horses get whacked, accept for Dunguib who I didn't bother to mention as too short a price & I also forgot to mention, Whodoyouthink should have only been done if there was 8 runners. I also don't like odds on so Agus A Vic would have been turfed out too!

But a typical wind up day where my own personal fancy, Citizen Vic who, besides clocking a decent time last time but didn't quite qualify on anything else, romps home at 12/s unbacked, untipped & would seem is now all the rage for the Arkle...

The only positive, Dunguib clocked easily the fastest time on the card & enhanced his Cheltenham prospects even more but he's pretty much unbackable, there must be something out there that can have him, I'm on the case!

[wb]

But a typical wind up day where my own personal fancy, Citizen Vic who, besides clocking a decent time last time but didn't quite qualify on anything else, romps home at 12/s unbacked,

How come you didn't back it if you fancied it?

Seems like a very strict rule that you only back horses if they fall into a system.

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How come you didn't back it if you fancied it?

Seems like a very strict rule that you only back horses if they fall into a system.

A few posts ago - Lilywhitedancer, same reason, same trainer - let us down & like on the AW thread I'm learning the hard way not to let one disappointment, whether it horse or figure affect my confidence in it -

At the minute though I'm just trying to keep a record of system qualifiers & was quite happy with what I had, I was expecting better from Whodoyouthink & Fistoulig really.