A lovely lovely day today with a juicy 14/1 each way bet on the Charlie Swan trained winner Courage and a win on the 5/2 shot Silver Concorde. I got the Lexus fairly wrong though!

It is quite late so with your permission I am going to plough on.

12:25 Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Chase – A tricky handicap. I think Baily Dusk could go well for the Mouse Morris team. He’s off a new mark now up to 106 from 99 for a recent win. It remains to be seen whether he is still competitive off his new mark but the 4 pound claim from Chris Timmons should help. Each way chance with Emperor Concerto who came to Elliot’s this season from the UK. May need better ground however.

12:55 Mongey Communications Novice Handicap Hurdle – Looks like Sea Light is going again but while he has a great chance, he will be too short for me. You can do worse than have an each way flutter on Noah Webster. Hopefully his jumping is better.

13:30 Ryanair Maiden Hurdle – Rockdown won a bumper on heavy by a head last March. Not enough for me to justify backing him at 11/10. I prefer the look of Shanahans Turn with the added bonus of race fitness.

14:00 Ryanair Hurdle – I would be untrue to myself if I didn’t go with the Fly. Still the class horse on the category on both sides of the Irish sea. Hurricane Fly, that is all.

14:35 Ifg E.B.F. Mares Hurdle – Upsie is without doubt high class. However, I feel Urticaire could be decent and is still relatively unexposed.  At 3/1 she is my preference. Cant afford to back too many odds on shots these days!

15:05 Topaz Novice Chase – Very interesting. Both the top two in the market have taken to chasing quite well. I’m not really sure why, but I’m going to take on the favourite here again with Bright New Dawn. I think he should go well.

15:35 Ryanair Flat Race – Think the fav Value at Risk, the son of Kayf Tara (sire I’m becoming fond of) should justify his market attention here.

So that’s it for Day 4 folks! Hopefully we can find a few winners again!

Slán tamaillín,

T

Rockyaboya, owned by PWM, trained by WPM, takes the Paddy Power Chase!

When Immediate Response fell at the last in Limerick I shed a tear. Thankfully my tears of sorrow were turned to tears of joy as Rockyaboya rocked my world and held on to clinch the Paddy Power and Victrix Gale ran on into 4th. Other than that things were bleak. The Mullins horses, especially the bigger names, do not seem to be firing.

Next up is Lexus Chase day. Let’s have a quick run through the card.

12:20 Madigans Maiden Hurdle – Riverside City appeals to me from a bang in form Elliott yard. Form doesn’t read fantastic but has an each way chance (depending on the price).

12:50 Pertemps Handicap Hurdle – Empire of Dirt chased home what I think to be a sharp horse in Faugheen last time. I think he should feature here. Also in with an each way shout is Courage who steps up for the first time to 3m.

13:20 Star Best For Racing Christmas Rated Hurdle – A trappy little race. Pires catches my eye. Ground a possible concern.

13:50 Woodiesdiy.com Christmas Hurdle – On ratings it has to be Solwhit. Zaidpour will enjoy the ground but will be bridesmaid again I imagine. Solwhit a non runner. Zaidpour is too short. Small bet on Mala Beach.

14:20 Ballymaloe Country Relish Beginners Chase – I’m a Si C’Etait Vrai fan. Hopefully he can continue to progress over the larger obstacles and holds race fitness over the Mullins horse.

14:55 Lexus Chase – The main event. Last year’s Gold Cup seemed to have emptied its contestants and for that reason I’m willing to take on Bobs Worth. Sir des Champs has a pretty horrific fall last time. I’ll also be taking him on with Unioniste who, after winning a listed contest at this trip at Aintree this month, makes the trip from Ditcheat.

15:30 Thornton’s Recycling Flat Race – Derek O’Connor takes the
ride on the highly thought of son of Dansilli Silver Concorde. The
one.

So that’s it for Day 3! Hopefully there are few winners in there somewhere!

Slán tamaillín,

T

The weather outside is frightful. No, Biblical! After a good days racing the heavens have open and the wind is howling. Racing is pending inspections in the morning I would imagine. Hopefully they race.

I had a nice day punting wise Day 1 so hopefully we can find a few again today.

12:20 Paddy Power Ipad App 3-y-o Maiden Hurdle – Going on flat form Ivan Grozny is the one to side with. He was last, but only 4 1/2 lengths off, one time Derby fancy Ocovango in the Prix Greffuhle. Keep it reasonable if you are having a bet. These 3yo maidens can throw curve balls.

12:50 Paddy Power Maiden Hurdle – Hmmm. I’m a bit stuck on this. I’ve decided to go with an each way bet on Rich Coast was a useful flat performer off an all time high of 105. Hopefully he will have learned from his bow over timber and comes on for that run.

13:20 Paddy Power Dial-a-bet Chase – A tasty encounter. The Mullins big guns didn’t exactly knock me for six on day one which make me think Arvika Legionaire is opposable. Sizing Europe is still by right the best Irish 2 mile chaser, and 11/4 seems more than fair. It’s going to be an interesting contest. Siding with the champ. Looking at the market I’d say Shark fancies his lad to run a big one too.

13:50 Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle – I am not in the slightest bit convinced by the Tullow Tank smack talk. You’d swear he’d one the Royal Bond of the century. Yeah he is a grade one winner but there are plenty of middling horses with grade ones to their name. Moyle Park’s to lose.

14:20 Paddy Power Handicap Hurdle – Very trappy race. Bishopslough for a small bet. No huge interest.

14:55 Paddy Power Chase – I have had two each way bets. I could go on forever talking about this race but Im not. It’s far too late for that craic! Rockyaboya handles a cut well and gets weight off the majority of these. Victrix Gale has a run in there somewhere. She is highly thought of and I think she has a chance again today.

15:30 Paddy Power Ipad App Flat Race – I think Bosman Rule, a half brother to Kicking King, will have learned a lot from his racecourse debut second and can redeem connections here.

The more I type, the windier it gets. I hope they race!

Our horse, Immediate Response, runs tomorrow in the big handicap in Limerick! Make sure to cheer him home. I’ll be down there doing just that!

Slán tamaillín,

T

Felicitations of the season to you all, my punting friends! I hope you have had an enjoyable Christmas and that you are all set to enjoy the fantastic equine action in store for us over the next few days.

I’m going to try and not be too anti-social with the family ce soir so with out any further ado lets have a gander at the card at Leopardstown tomorrow and a look at the Grade 1s at Kempton.

12:20 Thorntons Recycling Maiden Hurdle – This looks to be a penalty kick for Clondaw Court at a forecast price of 1/5. Originally a points winner for Colin Bowe, he has joined an extremely high achieving class of novice hurdlers with the champion trainer. The betting angle is the forecast. I think the one to chase home the long odds on fav is Little Rocky from the Hughes yard. Unexposed over jumps, and well able to handle a cut in the ground on the flat and a nice price. Jumps left – suits here.

12:50 Bookmakers Bar At Bewleys Hotel Leopardstown Maiden Hurdle – This is a pretty interesting maiden. Stuccodor could prove to be an interesting hurdler in time. He beat Fiesolana (a bloody good filly) over 7f on the flat. However I’ve gone for an each way nibble on The Winkler at 7/1. Chased home Faugheen and Empire of Dirt last time, the later is possibly nothing major. Handles the cut well.

13:20 Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle – Again a penalty kick for the fav Analifet here who is shaping up to be a major Triumph Hurdle contender. The angle here is again the forecast. Guitar Pete ran a game enough second behind Royal Irish Hussar at Cheltenham last time. Game enough to impress me. Thats the 1,2.

13:50 Copper Face Jacks Handicap Hurdle – In the betting forecast Not For Changing is priced up at 4-1 fav. Id be happy enough to take the Elliot charge on. Allez Vic, who has beaten the fav and gets weight off him here  has a nice each way chance at 12’s. Sin é! No big interest.

2:20 Racing Post All You Need For Irish Racing Handicap Chase – Each way is the name of the game again here for me. Cairdin for Mags Mullins catches the eye. Quite inconsistent but has form with a second to Trifolium. An each way squeak at a decent price.

2:55 Racing Post Novice Chase –  Ask anyone who knows me. I am one of the biggest Champagne Fever fans on the face of this earth. Back him in nearly all of his runs to date. Bar when he was beat in the Royal Bond. He has an incredible cruising speed and jumps like a stag on steroids. Again the value is with the forecast. This horse is pretty tough to beat under 2mile 4f. Defy Logic will probably chase him home. COME ON THE FEVER!!!

3:30 Donohue Marquees Flat Race – This is a bloody hot bumper. A champion bumper contender could come out of this race. People are talking up Macbride here for a bit of improvement. I’m not convinced. Siding with Vedettariat for a bit of improvement from the last run.

KEMPTON PICKS:

Kauto Star Novices’ Chase – Just A Par

Christmas Hurdle – The New One to best speed horse My Tent. If on faster ground the JP horse would have a huge test. New one wins out on stamina.

King George – Silviniaco Conti to go well on heavyish ground. I also like an each way nibble on Menorah.

So thats it folks. I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and the very best wishes of health and happiness for the New Year. Thank you all very much for what has been one of the most crazy years of my life.

Slán tamaillín,

T