It’s very hard to complain on the back of two winners today, returned 6/1 and 9/4 respectively. Followers of the blog were hopefully on at bigger prices!

At first glance tomorrow looks like it could be a slog in every sense of the word. The bigger races have smaller fields with odds on favs and woeful each way terms. It’ll be a day for discipline and keeping your money in your pocket. It’s  lashing rain here in Dublin again this evening. The show must go on, however! So without any further ado, here’s my take on the final day of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival 2015.

12:10 Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Chase – Court Frontier heads the betting in what looks a relatively open race. The one I’ve taken an E/W chance on is Kilcrea at 9’s. I’d be of the opinion he runs off a workable mark still and is well able for bad ground. If Montana Slim runs I’d sit up and take note.

12:45 Copper Face Jacks Maiden Hurdle – Space Cadet hasn’t been around long but he’s a horse I like. Even money and a shade of odds on in places, on this ground especially, is madness, however. An each way player is Acapella Bourgeois, available at 12’s currently. This son of Network handled the ground well but was keen last time when third behind Up For Review with Space Cadet in second. If he can switch off, which I’m sure Sandra Hughes has been working on, he could go close. Plenty of value in the price.

13:20 Willis E.B.F Mares Hurdle – Morning Run looks the obvious choice but this race does nothing for me from a betting perspective. I’ll be sitting it out.

13:55 Neville Hotels Novice Chase – Looks reasonably straightforward for the Drinmore winner No More Heroes who has his eyes firmly set on bigger and better things this season one would imagine but again no bet for me. What I cant understand is why there are only 4 horses in this race. 5th place would have paid €2,550 in prize money and 6th €1,700. Not much, but money for old rope never mind if there was a faller or two. Maybe a trainer would tell me to shut up, that I’ve no clue what I’m talking about but I’ve always wondered why the smaller yards don’t poach money like that more often.

14:30 Ryanair Hurdle – I could make the same argument here about runners for prize money, but it gets tedious for the people who are here for nothing but tips! Nichols Canyon finished 3rd behind Windsor Park at the Cheltenham festival but has steadily progressed ever since climaxing in the Morgiana Hurdle last time when undoing Faugheen. If he continues his upward trend he should get the job done but again no bet for me here. Boring, I know but discipline has paid off for me on days like this.

FYI – The Morning Run-No More Heroes-Nichols Canyon treble pays bugger all. Think long and hard before you go down that route, you mug!!

15:05 Ryanair E.B.F Novice Handicap Hurdle – Tricky one. JP’s deserves respect but I’d give Ma Garrett an EW squeak on her handicap bow. Handles the ground and I’d be disappointed if she wasn’t in the mix in the straight.

15:40 Ryanair Flat Race – First Figaro is a game sort and looked sharp when winning at the Galway festival. This is a tight race to call but I’ve sided with DKW’s with one firm offering 3/1 currently.

So there you have it, folks. Leopardstown Christmas 2015 is a wrap.

Hopefully we can pull a few out of the fire.

Slán tamaillín,

T

So close but yet so far with Ucello Conti at a big price in the Paddy Power. Ivanovic Gorbatov kept the wolves from the door on what was an otherwise quiet punting day at Leopardstown for yours truly.

It’s late so I’ll plough on.

12:10 At The Races Maiden Hurdle – An interesting little affair. Road To Respect just bumped into a good one in Yorkhill last time and deserves his place at the top of the market. I’m on the hunt for value here, however, and I think given the each way terms if 8 runners remain, Chain Gang is very easy to back at 7/1 currently.

12:45 Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle – Value down the betting here and two I’d chance for each way bets against the field are Woodford Island, considered good enough to be dispatched to Ascot last time from Cullentra finishing a decent third, and Malt Gem who switches back over timber and handles the heavy stuff.

13:20 Ballymaloe Foods Beginners Chase – Tell Us More is classy but 2/1 here is too short for me. As I type, Balbir Du Mathan, a horse I would give an each way squeak to regardless, is 8/1 with Ladbrokes, compared to 4/1 with Paddy Power. I love when compilers differ, it gives mugs like me hope! I’ve backed Blabir Du Mathan E/W.

13:55 Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle – This is a race I’m quite looking forward to. Arctic Fire is the hot pot, but for me Martello Tower is very easy to back at 7/2. A proven stayer, handles the ground but needs to improve a fair bit. Hopefully he has!

14:30 Irish Daily Star Christmas Novice Handicap Hurdle – A tricky enough race but I’ve concluded Elusive Ivy has pretty good shout having run into traffic problems when second last time out. Still improving.

15:05 Lexus Chase – No bet here for me. Really hoping Don Poli gets the job done but couldn’t have him at that price.

15:35 Midland Legal Solicitors Flat Race – 4/6 is not quite up my street so I’ll overlook Some Neck, at my peril. Gurteen get’s the nod here after shaping well in a novice hurdle last time on heavy ground. A lovely price and has been tipped up by the shrewdest man to ever walk the streets of Lucan. Take note.

Sin é.

Slán tamaillín,

T

It was as grim a Stephen’s Day as I remember weather-wise, but a small E/W saver on Ice Cold Soul and a Douvan-Sizing John forecast helped brighten up a rather bleak day, although the other selections were found wanting in a serious way.

Disappointing to see attendance was down over 6% on last year, but the weather cannot be helped. Hopefully a dry(ish) day tomorrow might bring the punters to the track. I’ll spare the waffle. It’s been a long day.

Here’s day two in a nutshell…my nutshell.

12:10 Paddy Power ‘Download Our New IPhone App’ 3yo Maiden Hurdle – The market speaks for the progressive profile and top connections of Let’s Dance. However, at odds on it’s easy for me to look elsewhere. Ivanovich Gorbatov looks very interesting. Good enough to a win a flat handicap off 97 and top weight by a snug two lengths at this track and his display in the stalls that day would suggest some of that trademark Montjeu tenacity has been passed on. Hopefully he’ll handle the heavy stuff.

12:40 Paddy Power Maiden Hurdle – This bunch of maiden hurdlers look fairly exposed on the whole. With that in mind, it would look a reasonably straightforward task for the talented Silver Concorde, Cheltenham Festival winner and, of course, winner of the November Handicap a few short weeks ago.

13:15 Paddy Power ‘So Quick, So Easy’ IPhone App Chase – An oddly named race, but one that will be watched with keen eyes. Un De Sceaux looks to prolong his winning way and is likely to do so. Exuberant jumping combined with a relentless gallop has left rivals devastated in the past and there looks to be no reason why that should be the case here. The bet for me is a forecast: Un De Sceaux-Sizing Granite.

13:45 Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle – A field absolutely stacked with potential. I could give plenty an honorable mention, but I’m sure most of you aren’t interested in that lark. I’m pretty sweet on Tombstone here. Looks to be steadily progressing, should handle the ground and Ice Cold Soul has since franked his Fairyhouse win.

14:20 Paddy Power ‘One Account Multiple Ways to Bet’ Handicap Hurdle – Plenty of interesting participants here. The one that grabs my eye, however, is Sizing Tennessee who has changed yards since last seen 742 days ago. This Henry de Bromhead recruit can go very well fresh and makes his handicap hurdling debut.

14:55 Paddy Power Chase – You’ll allow me two against the field here. I was very taken by the way Sumos Novios got the job done at Punchestown last time. Whilst the Tyestes was touted as a target for the son of Flemensfirth, this test could be right up his street. The other of interest is Ucello Conti who makes his first run for Gordon Elliot having been dispatched to Navan for a run in a Handicap Chase by his previous trainer, G Cherel, from France. An intriguing profile, and possibly difficult to keep sound, but could be well handicapped.

15:30 Paddy Power Games Flat Race – Hard to take on Tarare here but there’s no value in backing him. I may well keep my powder dry although a small each way bet on the big priced Indian Court may well be the way I go. Still undecided.

So that’s it for for Day 2 folks. Here’s hoping!

Slán tamaillín,

T

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night. The very best festive wishes to you and yours.

Needless to say the wine has been swilled, turkey scoffed and, as has become tradition over the past few years for me, I’m now tapping away at the laptop with gusto whilst the red wine induced chaos continues around me.

How and ever, one must carry on!

It is great to be writing to you once again. The professional lifestyle is not exactly conducive to any sort of extra-curricuar of carry on. Especially when there’s pints to be drank and craic to be had nearly every other night of the week it seems. Maybe I need to sort out my priorities….maybe not.

Four great days of racing lie in wait and I, for one, cannot wait. The rain is an issue, however. It has spilled in Dublin pretty much all day. As I peer out the window here in D6 (not my normal Christmas haunt I hasten to add) the rain has eased, but the ground is holding idle water on the surface. The water table is high. ‘Bottomless’ is the word that will be on many riders lips as they come in from the first tomorrow, I suspect. With that in mind, selecting horses may be tricky….never mind selecting winners.

Anyway, it’s Christmas, so I’ll forgo any further waffle. I’ve got a G&T waiting for me. Tanqueray, in case you were wondering.

12:15 Clayton Hotel Leopardstown Maiden Hurdle: Tricky. Plenty of unraced entries here, and I suspect there may well be a few non-runners. Not just here, but throughout the card. Ball D’Arc is interesting for me. Dempsey claims 3 off the back, acted well on the heavy at Navan and that French pedigree would signal his ability to continue to get through that bad ground. His previous visits to the track will stand to him when those around him could be quite green when they encounter ground that is very different to any all-weather/wood-chip gallop they might have encountered in their eduction. Of the unproven types, Usurp could be interesting, but to be honest I’ll be staying out of trouble here!

12:45 Thornton’s Recycling Maiden Hurdle: On this ground and at that price I’ll be taking on Vigil. Don’t Touch It showed promise when handling the soft sod at Gowran. 7/2 available at present could prove skinny enough but I’ll take a chance. Volavien looks the danger, to my untrained eye.

13:20 Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle: Jer’s Girl has been the springer over the past few days. This has been a market I’ve been keeping a close eye on over the last few days. I’d give Rashaan a serious shout in this and I’ll have fingers, toes, arms, legs and eyes crossed for the Treacy family. Here’s hoping he’ll get the job done and keep the fairytale alive. Fairytales aside, he is a classy individual and should be in the mix, despite the fact he has to give weight away to the rest.

13:50 Cardinal Capital Handicap: Given the nature of this race you’ll allow me two against the field, surely! The one that sticks out to me ticks a number of boxes. Thrice raced maiden. First time in a handicap. Mark Walsh for Tony Martin with a JP horse in it. Spacious Sky. Mmmmmm. Worth a tenner a 5’s…. Each way players could do worse than have a look at the top weight Ice Cold Soul.

14:20 Download The Free Racing Post Mobile App Handicap: Trappy. Normally I’d run a mile from a Kings Theatre in this type of ground but I’m All You Need could be the one to cure your hangover. Can handle the bog and still looks well handicapped.

14:55 Racing Post Novice Chase: Despite any ground worries Douvan should still get this done. I’m not going to spout on here. The experts can tell you all how good he is. The bet for me is a reverse forecast. Douvan & Sizing John. Up and down the line.

15:25 Donohoe Marquees Flat Race: You’d want to be a brave man or woman to back a 4/6 fav in that muck. Thirsty Work could quench your thirst and pay for a pint after racing,  however. Katie claims 5 and he runs for a yard in form. I may have a each way play on a horse called Bobo Mac as well. I have a hair brained theory that horses with experience, regardless of ability, will often outdo their classier ‘first-time-out’ counterparts on the heavy stuff. He could be a yak but 20’s is tempting.

Open Eagle in the first at Kempton has been well touted by the shrewdies. word a pound or two. I probably wont have a bet in the King George at this stage….how boring…

Anywho, that G&T is getting flat. Goodnight and God bless.

Slán tamaillín,

T