The Horse racing thread

[Treasurer]

Barker at 12-1 with Paddy Power for the Tingle - mightn't be a bad ew?

[boojangles]

I know it was Saturday but I really don't think I ever enjoyed a winner as much as Denman in the Hennessy.Especially when I had told all and sundry that he would win.People seemed to forget he still ran 2nd in the Gold Cup after a disastrous year.That was far better form than any other horse had shown in the race. Another thing that made my mind up was Nicholls coming out and saying the best he could hope for was 4th or 5th.He pulled the same trick 2 years ago when he walked away with it at 5/1.
Ruby has an unenviable job and it really is hard to know what to choose.Denman will have 1 more run before March and at the moment my head would have to say the Tank.Although its a race that already has me excited.
Try Maurisca ew 240 hereford

[Donnellys Hollow]

Barker at 12-1 with Paddy Power for the Tingle - mightn't be a bad ew?

I've been told his entry at Sandown is only a precaution and that he is more likely to run at Punchestown in the Durkan or at Cork next weekend in the Hilly Way Chase.

Pity that old Harchi won't be seen on the track again. What a joker of a horse! Will never forget that '05 Champion Hurdle, Hardy and the Inca both at it hammer and tongs up the hill with Harchi swinging on the bit in between them, Carberry with his arse perched in the air. One of the best Cheltenham finishes ever.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Great action at Fairyhouse tomorrow.

Have taken the last of that 5/2 available about Dunguib for Cheltenham before it goes.

My RSA Chase bet Pandorama goes in the Drinmore. He'd prefer to be going left handed but is probably still overpriced for tomorrow at 5/1. Might have another few bob on for the RSA with Ladbrokes @ 25/1.

The Hattons Grace looks a poor enough renewal with the winners of the last two runnings - Catch Me and Aitmatov taking each other on. Catch Me is the hot favourite but he has been chasing and I think it is worth taking a chance on Aitmatov at 4/1. Looked back to his best with the blinds on first time at Navan last time out. His owner, John O'Meara from Kilcock, sadly died last Friday so he'd be a poignant winner.

The bumper is an interesting contest on paper. The word is that the Mullins horse Avrika Ligeonniere is something of a machine.

[Homer]

Have taken the last of that 5/2 available about Dunguib for Cheltenham before it goes.

He might not go much shorter than 5/2, especially since an impressive win tomorrow may see him targeted at the Champion Hurdle instead.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Have taken the last of that 5/2 available about Dunguib for Cheltenham before it goes.

He might not go much shorter than 5/2, especially since an impressive win tomorrow may see him targeted at the Champion Hurdle instead.

Reckon he could be 7/4 even 6/4 in places after tomorrow. Don't think he'll go Champion Hurdle route no matter how many of the market principals there get turned over. Fenton is a fairly cautious type and he only has him in the novice at Christmas. If they are considering the Champion Hurdle then they'd have to run him against the established hurdlers at some stage before Cheltenham. Irish Champion Hurdle in January would be the only chance for that now that he isn't in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown. I've already had small savers on him for the Champion and even the Ballymore but I think its long odds on he'll be in the Supreme.

I await Fenton being interviewed after the race tomorrow saying he thinks he'll run him in the Champion! 

[boojangles]

So I take it he's gonna win 2mrw? Think I seen 4/11 in Paddys earlier.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Well the two other horses that the market gives a squeek to - Sweeps Hill 9/2 and Some Present 5/1 were both beaten by 9L and 10L by Dunguib in the Punchestown and Cheltenham bumpers respectively. They'd want to have made serious improvement and Dunguib would want to put in a terrible round of hurdling for them to turn that form around.

4/11 wouldn't be many people's idea of a bet. Much prefer to play the 5/2 antepost myself but each to their own. Can't see anything in Ireland getting this beast off the bit so there could always be the opportunity to lay some of that bet off at a much shorter price before Cheltenham.

[sammymaguire]

Fairyhouse picks this afternoon

12:45 Dunguib 

13:20 Jered

13:50 Catch Me

14:20 Give It Time

14:55 Bigbiggerbiggest

15:25 Arvika Ligeonniere

[Homer]

Another impressive win for Dunguib and good news for Donnellys Hollow as it's looks like Fenton & Co. are staying with the Supreme.

Dunguib canters to victory in Royal Bond

Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m

DUNGUIB continued his rise to stardom at Fairyhouse on Wednesday cantering to victory and maintaining his unbeaten hurdles record in the process.

Bookmakers reacted by cutting the Philip Fenton-trained six-year-old for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, while Paddy Power make the son of Presenting 4-1 favourite for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle with a run. However, most bookmakers have him at 16-1 for the race in March.

Sent-off the red-hot 30-100 favourite for the rescheduled Grade 1 contest, Dunguib hacked along behind pacesetting outsider Deise Dan before cruising past him at the top of the home straight.

Jockey Brian O'Connell, who was riding his first winner since turning professional, had a quick look over his shoulder before jumping the penultimate flight and saw main rival Sweeps Hill in trouble under jockey Tony McCoy.
Philip Fenton

Dunguib, running in the colours of part-owner Daniel Harnett, burst clear approaching the last hurdle and eased home to win by seven lengths from 6-1 chance Some Present.

A delighted Philip Fenton, who indicated that Dunguib is likely to stick to novice races this season, said: "That was marvellous, it could not have been better. His jumping was excellent bar one mistake and he was particularly good at the last two when Brian asked him.

"We'll have to have a chat about Leopardstown [the Grade 1 Paddypowerpoker.com Future Champions Novice Hurdle on December 27], but we might give it a miss and go for the Deloitte [Hurdle on February 7] before Cheltenham."

O'Connell said: "He was very good. The gallop helped his jumping and he jumped well."

Thomas Mullins, trainer of runner up Some Present, said: "I'm well pleased with that run. The winner is exceptional however, and we'll have a think before deciding on Leopardstown at Christmas [same target as Dunguib]."

[JohnDenver]

Cara Mara 3:45 Punchestown.  Won for me last two times out at 16/1 both times. Going to have another go on it today. Owes me nothing!

Wins the 2-20 at Fairyhouse at 20/1.

Sidelinekick has just informed me that he had went to place a bet on this horse at 33/1, got as far as the bet confirmation screen and it wouldn't let him process it. 

[Lecale2]

What happened to Arvika Ligeonni? 

[Homer]

Some ride by Ruby on Lochan Lacha in the 2.55 Fairyhouse. The horse looked beat, Ruby kept pushing. Lost the whip 2 out and used his hand to drive the horse through a small gap to win on the line.

[T O Hare]

Some ride by Ruby on Lochan Lacha in the 2.55 Fairyhouse. The horse looked beat, Ruby kept pushing. Lost the whip 2 out and used his hand to drive the horse through a small gap to win on the line.

Is was some peformance to pull the horse over the line,after coming over the last in fourth but he gave the horse an awful lot to do.. I felt he stayed at the back for too long!!!!!

[Donnellys Hollow]

We saw a future superstar of the flat on Saturday in St Nicholas Abbey. I think we'll see a future steeplechasing superstar in the beginners chase at Punchestown tomorrow.

Pandorama makes his debut over the larger obstacles. He won't be a backable price tomorrow but he's well worth an antepost investment for Cheltenham even at this stage. There's plenty of 20/1 and bigger available about him for the RSA Chase. The only horse to beat him over hurdles was Mikael D'Haguenet and Pandorama finished lame that day. Noel Meade thinks he's a future Gold Cup horse and that's good enough for me.

Great action at Fairyhouse tomorrow.

Have taken the last of that 5/2 available about Dunguib for Cheltenham before it goes.

My RSA Chase bet Pandorama goes in the Drinmore. He'd prefer to be going left handed but is probably still overpriced for tomorrow at 5/1. Might have another few bob on for the RSA with Ladbrokes @ 25/1.

Great when a plan starts coming together!

This Dunguib is a special horse. Some Present and Sweeps Hill are no slouches and he has absolutely murdered them. Had a look at him coming back in and he wasn't blowing at all. He'd have harder mornings up the gallops at Philip Fenton's. Champion Hurdle all but ruled out so all guns blazing for the Supreme Novices. The 2/1 available could still be some value. There's no horse in Ireland that will get him at it and they'll want to have something exceptional in England to stop him.

Pandorama did what I expected him to do. The jumping out to the left was a concern to me at Punchestown but Meade knew what he was doing. If he was worried about it he wouldn't have risked him here and gone straight to Leopardstown. Hard to believe he was 5/1 last night. Can't wait to see him going left-handed over three miles at Christmas. Reckon his price could half for the Sun Alliance Chase after the Knight Frank. With Mikael D'Haguenet likely to go the Arkle route, I can't see that many class staying novice chasers around apart from Punchestowns.