The Horse racing thread

[beer baron]

Thinking of going to Punchestown for a few days,i'm a bit late and i presume Naas will be all booked out,where'd be good to stay outside of that?

If it's hotel accommodation you're after then look at the Westgrove in Clane or the Keadeen in Newbridge. You'd should be able to get a taxi to/from either to/from Naas for around €20 if you have a few drinks in Naas after racing.

People keep changing their minds so its going to b a last minute thing surely. Camp on the course maybe 

[beer baron]

Anyone hear anything on the grapevine about some potential scandal going to break today ? Possibly something about it on late late show tonight ?

I've heard some things breaking but don't know what it is. One thing i did notice that's far from a scandal is Aidan O'Brien has Moore booked to ride for him at the Curragh and has one over timber at Limerick with no jockey booking as yet. Joey's weight finally got the better of him and going National hunt riding?

[beer baron]

At the races confirm joey rides at Limerick

[Donnellys Hollow]

It could be one of a number of stories. Interesting.

Irish racing is very parochial and is usually good at keeping these things in house.

[Hardy]

Just some promotional hype for some crappy radio programme.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Someone shove those skeletons back into the closet.

[maddog]

Anyone got an early shout for the national on Monday ?

[beer baron]

Hard to be too strong on anything in these type of races but if Raz due Maree runs at Fairy house ill have a little e/w got dropped a few lb for a good run in 2nd behind Goonyella in the Midlands National over in Uttoxeter.

[Hardy]

The stats for the Irish National don't separate the contenders very well this year. Two runners meet all ten criteria, a third fails to do by a fraction, another seven meet nine of the ten and a further nine meet eight of the ten. So it's saying that lots of runners have a chance based on the stats.

I apply a weighting to each criterion based on (1) the strength of the stat (how frequently it applies) and (2) my subjective take on how important each one is relative to the others. So, for instance, the fact that a horse has won at least once over three miles is more significant than the fact that he doesn't fit in the band of weight carried by the last ten winners. The system then computes a score for each runner based on the combination of strength and weighting.

This separates three two slightly from the rest, but it's not a formula for a major wager.

Usuel Smurfer    35.10
Rogue Angel    35.10
Lots Of Memories    34.15
The Job Is Right    31.30
Los Amigos    31.50
Vics Canvas    31.90
Thunder And Roses    31.68
Band Of Blood    31.50
Silver Tassie    31.50
The Crafty Butcher    31.68
Grand Jesture    27.70
Perfect Gentleman    28.10
Cantlow    28.86
Lion Na Bearnai    28.86
Rivage D'Or    28.86
Tammys Hill    28.86
Empire Of Dirt    27.70
She's Got Grit    28.86
Clar Na Mionn    27.90
If In Doubt    23.90
My Murphy    25.06
Pass The Ha    24.66
Dogora    23.70
Champagne James    23.70
Alpha Victor    25.06
Daring Article    25.26
Toby Lerone    24.10
Bose Ikard    24.28
Rule The Wor    19.90
No Secrets    21.84
Sizing Coal    20.68
Ipsos Du Berlais    21.66
Alderwood    14.06

[Donnellys Hollow]

Fairytale result for the two Kildare ladies Sandra & Katie.

[bcarrier]

Rogue Angel    35.10 UR
Lots Of Memories    34.15 PU
The Job Is Right    31.30 PU
Los Amigos    31.50 PU
Vics Canvas    31.90 Fell
Thunder And Roses    31.68 1st
Band Of Blood    31.50 4th

1st and 4th in your top 7 picks hardy. Not too shabby.

[Hound]

Rogue Angel    35.10 UR
Lots Of Memories    34.15 PU
The Job Is Right    31.30 PU
Los Amigos    31.50 PU
Vics Canvas    31.90 Fell
Thunder And Roses    31.68 1st
Band Of Blood    31.50 4th

1st and 4th in your top 7 picks hardy. Not too shabby.

What more caught my eye was that 2nd, 3rd and 5th were in his bottom 4 selections!
I think it was quite an odd race given the mess at the first and the warm day

[Hardy]

1st and 4th in your top 7 picks hardy. Not too shabby.

What more caught my eye was that 2nd, 3rd and 5th were in his bottom 4 selections!

I don't care whether the glass is half full or half empty, as long as there's whiskey in it.

[beer baron]

Noel Fehily gave SIlviniaco Conti a gem of a ride today.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Ryan Moore confirmed as the Coolmore no1 rider for 2015.