The Horse racing thread

[homeofhurling8]

I own a couple of legs in Premier Dane running in the Kerry National today, cant tell ye much really as the ground and trip are unknowns, he is officially well in at the weights and David has him as fit as he has ever been but he wont have encountered ground like this before, we ran him on the soft at Newton Abbott there a couple of weeks ago to see how he would handle it as his previous trainer Nicky Richards always said he hated soft but he sluiced up and AP said he loved the ground, go figure !

His price is baffling though considering the unknowns, we have had a bit of a cut at him ante-post but not anywhere near enough for him to be a single figure price, i can only assume he has been punted because of who his trainer is, he has been a solid performer for us over the years, he was third in the County Hurdle for us five years ago but he is as odd as a box of frogs, like another of ours Faasel, Pipe seems to have found the key to him winning his last three but he is as likely to be pulled up as he is to win.

[Donnellys Hollow]

I own a couple of legs in Premier Dane running in the Kerry National today, cant tell ye much really as the ground and trip are unknowns, he is officially well in at the weights and David has him as fit as he has ever been but he wont have encountered ground like this before, we ran him on the soft at Newton Abbott there a couple of weeks ago to see how he would handle it as his previous trainer Nicky Richards always said he hated soft but he sluiced up and AP said he loved the ground, go figure !

His price is baffling though considering the unknowns, we have had a bit of a cut at him ante-post but not anywhere near enough for him to be a single figure price, i can only assume he has been punted because of who his trainer is, he has been a solid performer for us over the years, he was third in the County Hurdle for us five years ago but he is as odd as a box of frogs, like another of ours Faasel, Pipe seems to have found the key to him winning his last three but he is as likely to be pulled up as he is to win.

Good to see some new posters on the racing thread. There used to be good racing discussion over on An Fear Rua so hopefully a few more of the refugees might end up on here. I hope Premier Dane is ok after his fall today. They might be two rogues but I'd say they are two great horses to be involved with.

I thought Teelin Star was quite impressive today in the bumper. He looks a real dour staying chaser in the making and could be one for something like the Irish National in 2013.

Real sign of the times tomorrow with only two runners declared for the bumper. I expect we'll be seeing smaller and smaller fields throughout the NH season.

[homeofhurling8]

I own a couple of legs in Premier Dane running in the Kerry National today, cant tell ye much really as the ground and trip are unknowns, he is officially well in at the weights and David has him as fit as he has ever been but he wont have encountered ground like this before, we ran him on the soft at Newton Abbott there a couple of weeks ago to see how he would handle it as his previous trainer Nicky Richards always said he hated soft but he sluiced up and AP said he loved the ground, go figure !

His price is baffling though considering the unknowns, we have had a bit of a cut at him ante-post but not anywhere near enough for him to be a single figure price, i can only assume he has been punted because of who his trainer is, he has been a solid performer for us over the years, he was third in the County Hurdle for us five years ago but he is as odd as a box of frogs, like another of ours Faasel, Pipe seems to have found the key to him winning his last three but he is as likely to be pulled up as he is to win.

Good to see some new posters on the racing thread. There used to be good racing discussion over on An Fear Rua so hopefully a few more of the refugees might end up on here. I hope Premier Dane is ok after his fall today. They might be two rogues but I'd say they are two great horses to be involved with.

I thought Teelin Star was quite impressive today in the bumper. He looks a real dour staying chaser in the making and could be one for something like the Irish National in 2013.

Real sign of the times tomorrow with only two runners declared for the bumper. I expect we'll be seeing smaller and smaller fields throughout the NH season.

We have a good few at this stage now Donnellys spread between home and various trainers in England, some of them pretty good but i can say without any hesitation that Faasel has given us the most pleasure ( and pain, three seconds at the Cheltenham festival twice in the Kim Muir and once in the triumph, he was also second in the Bet 365 at Sandown and fourth in an Arkle) over the years, he is a monkey but it will be a sad day when we put him out to paddock, he gave us our best day out in racing the day he won the Aintree hurdle, by god we bet like men that day

[Donnellys Hollow]

I'm sure most NH followers have a few experiences of Faasel alright! I actually had a decent each way punt on him for that Arkle. He was hampered after Twist Magic and Don't Push It came down at the second last wasn't he?

I remember him beating Alexander Goldrun in a nursery at Listowel when Kevin still had him. Must be nearly ten years ago now.

[homeofhurling8]

I'm sure most NH followers have a few experiences of Faasel alright! I actually had a decent each way punt on him for that Arkle. He was hampered after Twist Magic and Don't Push It came down at the second last wasn't he?

I remember him beating Alexander Goldrun in a nursery at Listowel when Kevin still had him. Must be nearly ten years ago now.

Faasel was bought, for too much imho, Kevin saw us coming , to win the triumph, we had him schooled over hurdles and he looked the part, we all took fairly fancy prices about him, in fact i put him up here when he was around 25/1 i think, he would have won that Triumph if our jockey had done as instructed but living is learning as they say.

I think in hindsight we sent him to the wrong trainer, at the time the main man in the syndicate had a historical connection with Gordon Richards so he was keen to send Faasel to Nicky, the decision was also influenced by his falling out with Martin Pipe, at the time i had just been enticed on board by a mutual friend  and was happy enough to go along with the decision, Jim semi-retired around three years ago, although some of the horses still run in his name and colours, and myself and a couple of others took over the decisions with regard to where we send the horses from the various syndicates now involved, i have stepped back a bit myself now as i don't have the time since the family arrived and as much as i love the horses they cant compete with Tipp in the summer months

We have a fair spread of trainers now, Pipe, McCain, Henderson and Martin Todhunter in England and Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliot and Eddie O'Grady at home, on the flat we have a couple with Richard Hannon, a couple with Richard Fahey and we have recently sent a couple to Denis Coakley, we like to have a spread as various syndicate members are spread between the two islands and we all like to see our horses run, most of the lads have a few bob and its just a hobby although we actually made a few quid last year selling a couple of our flat horses to Hong Kong, one thing we have learned over the years though is that 90% of this game is guesswork and as long as you accept that fact its great craic.

Actually we have learned two things, the second being that if you want a gamble then Pipe is your only man ( or men if you count the mad hatter still making the decisions in the background

[Candyman]

Boston Rocker in the 2.20 at Ayr bound to have a good chance ;-)

[homeofhurling8]

I own a couple of legs in Premier Dane running in the Kerry National today, cant tell ye much really as the ground and trip are unknowns, he is officially well in at the weights and David has him as fit as he has ever been but he wont have encountered ground like this before, we ran him on the soft at Newton Abbott there a couple of weeks ago to see how he would handle it as his previous trainer Nicky Richards always said he hated soft but he sluiced up and AP said he loved the ground, go figure !

His price is baffling though considering the unknowns, we have had a bit of a cut at him ante-post but not anywhere near enough for him to be a single figure price, i can only assume he has been punted because of who his trainer is, he has been a solid performer for us over the years, he was third in the County Hurdle for us five years ago but he is as odd as a box of frogs, like another of ours Faasel, Pipe seems to have found the key to him winning his last three but he is as likely to be pulled up as he is to win.

Good to see some new posters on the racing thread. There used to be good racing discussion over on An Fear Rua so hopefully a few more of the refugees might end up on here. I hope Premier Dane is ok after his fall today. They might be two rogues but I'd say they are two great horses to be involved with.

I thought Teelin Star was quite impressive today in the bumper. He looks a real dour staying chaser in the making and could be one for something like the Irish National in 2013.

Real sign of the times tomorrow with only two runners declared for the bumper. I expect we'll be seeing smaller and smaller fields throughout the NH season.

Unfortunately we had to have him put down over the weekend DH, he cracked his shoulder in the fall at Listowel and despite a couple of vets feeling he would eventually recover it was decided that as he would be in a lot of pain during the recovery process it would be best to have him destroyed humanely.

[Asal Mor]

That's a shame hoh. Sorry to hear it.

[Don Johnson]

Bit of a weird question but think this is the place for it.

Ever hear the phrase 'money from America' used in bookies or wherever about a so called certainty bet?

Anyone know the origin of this phrase?

[Hardy]

I would guess it refers to the icon in Irish culture that is the "letter from America" that generations of Irish people received regularly, containing money from family members who had emigrated to the states to supplement the family income. So, in the betting context - easy money - reliable money - money that you don't have to do anything for.

[sammymaguire]

  thats a real shitter hoh, promising horse who has now perished

[bcarrier]

Well back Home of Hurling.

I remember you putting Faasel and I think Premier Dane up on an old version of the board circa 2005. There was good few on Faasel that day.

Sorry to hear about PD.

[homeofhurling8]

Thanks for the kind words lads, no matter how many times you lose a horse it doesn't get any easier, its bad timing really as Pipe seemed to have found the key to him recently with three wins in a row before Listowel but that's racing for you.

Howrya BC, yeah i put Faasel up for the Triumph when he was around 25/1 all those years ago, i still feel sick when i think about that race and especially Dobbins ride and his attitude afterwards, it was the one that got away alright, his win in the Aintree hurdle made up for it to an extent but Jim, whose colours he ran in, always wanted a winner at the festival, we have remedied that situation since with Gaspara first and a couple of others since but they all ran in other syndicate members colours unfortunately.

As for Premier Dane, he was third for us at 100/1 in the County a few years ago after looking the winner a furlong out, he always promised a lot but Richards never worked him out.

[Donnellys Hollow]

I own a couple of legs in Premier Dane running in the Kerry National today, cant tell ye much really as the ground and trip are unknowns, he is officially well in at the weights and David has him as fit as he has ever been but he wont have encountered ground like this before, we ran him on the soft at Newton Abbott there a couple of weeks ago to see how he would handle it as his previous trainer Nicky Richards always said he hated soft but he sluiced up and AP said he loved the ground, go figure !

His price is baffling though considering the unknowns, we have had a bit of a cut at him ante-post but not anywhere near enough for him to be a single figure price, i can only assume he has been punted because of who his trainer is, he has been a solid performer for us over the years, he was third in the County Hurdle for us five years ago but he is as odd as a box of frogs, like another of ours Faasel, Pipe seems to have found the key to him winning his last three but he is as likely to be pulled up as he is to win.

Good to see some new posters on the racing thread. There used to be good racing discussion over on An Fear Rua so hopefully a few more of the refugees might end up on here. I hope Premier Dane is ok after his fall today. They might be two rogues but I'd say they are two great horses to be involved with.

I thought Teelin Star was quite impressive today in the bumper. He looks a real dour staying chaser in the making and could be one for something like the Irish National in 2013.

Real sign of the times tomorrow with only two runners declared for the bumper. I expect we'll be seeing smaller and smaller fields throughout the NH season.

Unfortunately we had to have him put down over the weekend DH, he cracked his shoulder in the fall at Listowel and despite a couple of vets feeling he would eventually recover it was decided that as he would be in a lot of pain during the recovery process it would be best to have him destroyed humanely.

Sorry to hear that. Such a pity. It's part and parcel of the game unfortunately but for some reason it seems to happen more often to the good ones. I'm convinced that one horse I was involved with was destined for great things. He was a big strapping Old Vic and we won a p2p with him as a 4yo. We had turned down a few good offers for him and were getting fit for a bumper at Naas. The week before the race he was being led out for a gallop when he was spooked by something and got loose. He ended up breaking his legs trying to jump a gate.

[sammymaguire]

Izzini coming in for a few quid in the bumper at Sedgefield was 14/1 this morning, now down to 9/2

11/2 winner.... hope someone picked that up!