A Quick Look Back
Just a quick look back firstly on a cracking Good Friday, judging by the turnout with over 8,000 in attendance at Lingfield it was greatly appreciated by the paying public and I'm sure jockeys are more keen on turning out in front of big crowds for decent pots as opposed to the standard midweek fare. One of the arguments against Good Friday racing was that it wouldn't give the jockey's a break, however if George Baker's opinion is a fair representation of the weighing room then it would seem they love it as he was really positive in an interview I heard him give to Timeform Radio. It's not as if shops and the like are remaining closed at Easter any longer, society has changed and it is welcome to see racing change with it for once! This is a great opportunity to get people watching our sport with the double Bank Holiday and we saw a really good card at Lingfield. Grandeur was an impressive winner of the finale, after hearing Noseda post-race I can't believe I bothered trying to oppose him but our selection was a good 2nd at 7/1. I was pleased to bag the winner of the Apprentice race for the blog in addition to Ertijaal who deserves to line up for the 2000 Guineas after a couple of good successes over winter now. The crowd were even treated to an Adam Kirby trademark ride as he stormed to victory on board Living the Life in the mares race, off a slow pace he produced his classic kick off bend into the home straight to win by 3 and 1/2 lengths, justifying the trainers decision to replace the stable jockey with Kirby. Overall the day was a great success and I hope the series can use this as a platform to build on going into the 2014/2015 season.
After a quieter weekend than usual we get some cracking action back over the Irish sea at their Irish Grand National meeting at Fairyhouse on Bank Holiday Monday. I really enjoy this card but I must warn you, like the English Grand National I have a terrible record of picking the winner! This year the feature race at 5.00pm doesn't look easy to call by any stretch of the imagination but I'll try my best and I'll check out some of the supporting races as well.
2.45 Tayto Hurdle
Unbeaten on Irish Soil Kitten Rock lines up here in the capable hands of Barry Geraghty, trainer Edward O'Grady deciding to miss the major festivals so far this season in order to be kept fresh for this task. He faces a few rivals who have been to the well more often than he this season, including Ivan Grozny, Gerdago and likely favorite Clarcam who were all well beaten in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham (or in the case of Clarcam a faller when admittedly travelling well) and Lindenhurst and Plinth, both well behind Tiger Roll in the Triumph Hurdle. It concerns me slightly that Fairyhouse could well be an afterthought for connections of these young, less-battle hardened horses, after all Cheltenham takes a huge deal out of a horse. Clarcam will head the market after running a really good 2nd to Guitar Pete at Aintree, however with two back to back festival races the fresher Kitten Rock can maintain his unbeaten record on Irish soil in the opener on Monday.
3.15 Keelings Irish Strawberry Hurdle
This Grade 2 race has some Cheltenham form with Get Me Out Of Here coming over from England after finishing behind Whisper at Cheltenham, the winner having franked that form well since. GMOOH is 2nd top on official ratings behind Thousand Stars, although I'm not too convinced a step back in trip is what the Mullins horse wants at this stage of his career and do prefer the chances of Jonjo O'Neil's charge here. GMOOH also finished closer to Whisper than Thousand Stars could so on a line through that horse should be up to beating TS here. Mourad, wearing blinkers for the first time, has been pretty disappointing this season but one at the other end of the age-scale is Un Beau Matin for Gordon Elliott who has been coming along OK this season and enters this race off the back of a win last time out. However he didn't beat much that day and has previously been seen off by the likes of Dunguib, Zaidpour and City Slicker this season, and don't think he is up to winning this. Interestingly Wingtips lines up here off the back of a 4 month break and with a first time tongue-tie on, an indication of a possible breathing operation or at the least a slight tweak and any market support for this fellow could be worth watching for. Upsie is of interest receiving weight from the field , however I think Barry Geraghty can prove an extremely able deputy in the place of the suspended AP McCoy and take this on board Get Me Out Of Here.
5.00 Irish Grand National
Cantlow heads the weights for this 3 mile 5 furlong chase and would make for a hugely popular winner with Andrew McNamara on top. I thought Shutthefrontdoor would run far better than he eventually did at Cheltenham after news of his breathing operation broke, however he didn't jump that well there and it may be that he will benefit from the assistance of a professional jockey on board to help him over his obstacles and is certainly not one to rule out. The drying ground will be in his favour. If Sraid Padraig jumps better than he did at Cheltenham he is also in with a big should, he absolutely ploughed through everything that day and still didn't disgrace himself; down a few lbs in the weights an improved round of jumping could see him in with a chance as well.
Looking at the market leaders, one massive stat we must bear in mind is that each of the last 11 winners did so carrying a weight of 10-12 or less which would just about rule out the aforementioned Shutthefrontdoor (4th fav at the time of writing) as well as the likes of Home Farm(2nd fav), Oscars Well and Cause of Clauses. We've seen a few go in at big prices in recent years so don't let market position put you off whatever you fancy.
A few more I do like and for whom a case can certainly be made for; Pendra, who ran well at Cheltenham to finish 3rd and the step up in trip may find some improvement. Goonyella, his trainer and their family have a wonderful record in this race although I would need to see the rain come with the ground currently good and apparently drying all the time. Daring Article, for whom the drying ground will massively be in his favor and for he won't be worried by the large field as he has plenty of big-field handicap experience. Finally Tammys Hill, a winner of the Foxhunters at Cheltenham who looks to be on a decent mark, however he hasn't been missed in the market and could go off favorite.
I'm going to side with the Jonjo O'Neil trainer Alfie Sherrin as my main selection here. A good third in this race two years ago he has now dropped by 7lbs in the weights since then. Sent of favorite for a handicap at the Cheltenham festival he could only finish 7th but the form of that race is working out very well with the first and 2nd coming out and winning since. Alfie Sherrin hasn't been running badly by any means in the last couple of years, with a couple of 4th places finishes in big handicaps to his name, and with a further ease in the weights, at a course he goes well at, he can take this at a juicy price - 25/1 at the time of writing. Others I would have an e/w nibble on would be Daring Article if the ground keeps drying, Goonyella if the rains come and Pendra who could still be on a really good mark as his trainer was putting him up as his best chance of the Cheltenham festival upon hearing his handicap mark for the Coral Cup.
Thanks for reading and enjoy the racing this Bank Holiday Monday, there's certainly plenty of it!
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