The Horse racing thread

[Avondhu star]

Sadly Cheltenham has passed me by this year..but I'm going to go e/w on Djakadam in the Gold Cup, as I heard Willie Mullins on the radio saying it might be his year - it's as scientific as that!

Ruby said something similar but then he is fully praise for Might Bite. It is an open race if Might Bite doesn't click

[leaveherinsir]

Followed yer man John Duggan from Today FM tips. Finished £15 down over the week and I think I get a free £5 back in the next few days so cant really complain. Bit of craic with a few lads in work following it all week.

[Avondhu star]

Have gone through several newspapers seeing how the various "experts" worked out with their tips. They were all over the places. Horses tipped that gave no performance to justify the opinions. Big priced winners not even given a chance. It's very difficult for Joe Punter to pick out a winner when there are a number from the top stables in the one race.

[bannside]

With 17 Irish winners this week Id say we could get the best ever meet at Punchestown in 6 weeks. I'm definitely going there for for 2 days at least this year.

Highlight of the week. Presenting Percy or Laurina for me anyway.

[thewobbler]

Have gone through several newspapers seeing how the various "experts" worked out with their tips. They were all over the places. Horses tipped that gave no performance to justify the opinions. Big priced winners not even given a chance. It's very difficult for Joe Punter to pick out a winner when there are a number from the top stables in the one race.

Racing Post collate the tips from national newspapers, along with own experts, each day. If you leave out the Gold Cup today, they got 4 from 84 tips. Leave out Laurina yesterday and they got 5 from 90.

Cheltenham is a bruiser.

[Hardy]

With 17 Irish winners this week Id say we could get the best ever meet at Punchestown in 6 weeks. I'm definitely going there for for 2 days at least this year.

Highlight of the week. Presenting Percy or Laurina for me anyway.

Cheltenham winners often don't perform well at Punchestown - hard to keep them at the peak they've been brought to for Cheltenham. Can make Punchestown a bit of a betting lottery.

[Donnellys Hollow]

It's no wonder that the number of horses in training and licensed trainers are dropping when you see the dominance of Mullins and Elliott at Cheltenham. Give it a few years and Joseph O'Brien's operation will be up there with them.

Disappointment of the week was the failure of Douvan to complete. He looked a million dollars up close in the ring beforehand and had that field flat out down the back. Maybe the lack of a run would have cost him with a clear round but it would have been nice to find out. He's not the first top class chaser to be caught out by that fence (Moscow Flyer springs to mind) and hopefully they can keep him sound for Punchestown.

The dilution of the festival has undoubtedly damaged the event. The small fields in some of the races should be a warning for the loons who want 5 days, a Saturday Gold Cup, a Ryanair Hurdle, a mares chase, mares bumper, veterans chase etc. How interesting would it have been to see Laurina in the Supreme Novices or Benie Des Dieux in the Ryanair. The Close Brothers, Fred Winter and Martin Pipe are poor handicaps that wouldn't be worth a second glance on an average Saturday. Those races have no place at a Cheltenham Festival.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Interesting little race at Dundalk last night. Mendelssohn now heading for Dubai with a view to having a tilt at the Kentucky Derby.

Dotted up by 18 lengths setting a new track record in the process. Deeply impressive.

[Mickey Linden]

Interesting to see how it performs in kentucky. No european horse has ever won the famous race.

[Don Johnson]

Grade 1 (4.30pm) at Fairyhouse yesterday with nine runners: five of them Mullins and the other four Elliott. Ridiculous.

[Avondhu star]

Grade 1 (4.30pm) at Fairyhouse yesterday with nine runners: five of them Mullins and the other four Elliott. Ridiculous.

It is putting a lot of the shop punters off. How many times have we seen Mullins/Eliott favourites turned over by outsiders from the same stable? I was a reluctant backer of Irish based jump stables anyway but really gone off them this season. At least on the flat Bolger Weld etc are not overwhelmed by O Brien.

[never kickt a ball]

Grade 1 (4.30pm) at Fairyhouse yesterday with nine runners: five of them Mullins and the other four Elliott. Ridiculous.

It is putting a lot of the shop punters off. How many times have we seen Mulluns/Eliott favourites turned over by outsiders from the same stable? I was a reluctant backer of Irish based jump stables anyway but really gone off them this season. At least on the flat Bolger Weld etc are not overwhelmed by O Brien.

Why don't punters speculate on the outsiders then?

At least they aren't dominating the Irish national today 😂

[SHEEDY]

The national is going to take some getting in that ground. Cant see too many finishers.

[Avondhu star]

Grade 1 (4.30pm) at Fairyhouse yesterday with nine runners: five of them Mullins and the other four Elliott. Ridiculous.

It is putting a lot of the shop punters off. How many times have we seen Mulluns/Eliott favourites turned over by outsiders from the same stable? I was a reluctant backer of Irish based jump stables anyway but really gone off them this season. At least on the flat Bolger Weld etc are not overwhelmed by O Brien.

Why don't punters speculate on the outsiders then?

At least they aren't dominating the Irish national today 😂

Punters will follow what form leads them to believe is the form horse. There could be three or four outsiders from the one stable in some races

[never kickt a ball]

Grade 1 (4.30pm) at Fairyhouse yesterday with nine runners: five of them Mullins and the other four Elliott. Ridiculous.

It is putting a lot of the shop punters off. How many times have we seen Mulluns/Eliott favourites turned over by outsiders from the same stable? I was a reluctant backer of Irish based jump stables anyway but really gone off them this season. At least on the flat Bolger Weld etc are not overwhelmed by O Brien.

Why don't punters speculate on the outsiders then?

At least they aren't dominating the Irish national today 😂

Punters will follow what form leads them to believe is the form horse. There could be three or four outsiders from the one stable in some races

As a General Principle it always pays to have one eye on the outsiders whenever Elliott, Mullins and O'Brien have multiple runners.