The Horse racing thread

Donnellys Hollow · May 07, 2013, 03:26:12 PM

I thought Camelot did it very nicely yesterday. He looked as big as a bull in the parade ring beforehand so I would expect him to come on a lot for the run.

Champagne Fever is entered up for a beginners chase at Punchestown on Saturday.

beer baron · May 22, 2013, 10:58:54 PM

Eddie Ahern the pup found guilty of corruption and banned for 10 years, there'll be some amount of boys panicking now after seeing this happen i'm sure

On a separate note,Anyone watch the 7.40 at Sligo this evening?

Seskinane won it by about 6 or 7 lengths i'd say but turning for home his jockey had barged his way through the Mullins pair (1st and 2nd favs)as it appeared he may have got stuck in a pocket if he sat and waited and ended up being disqualified.

I was quite shocked as although it was careless/dangerous riding on Derek Foxs behalf the horse had won so cosily i didn't think it'd be overturned,is this a case of keeping Mullins sweet so he'll bring half decent horses back in future? I've seen horses badly interfered in ireland on many occasions and the race ending with less than a length between horses and nothing being done.

Perhaps i'm being harsh on the stewards but i think if it was 1 of Mullins horses that won with Ruby doing what Fox did there'd be no hope of an ammended result. Perhaps DH knows the ins and outs? Is there a certain level of dangerous riding that triggers an automatic disqualification?If so how do they decide on it!?

I had no money on anything today so not talking out of my pocket i just know i'd be rightly pissed off if i was connections of Seskinane

NAG1 · May 23, 2013, 10:46:24 AM

Quote from: beer baron on May 22, 2013, 10:58:54 PM
Eddie Ahern the pup found guilty of corruption and banned for 10 years, there'll be some amount of boys panicking now after seeing this happen i'm sure

On a separate note,Anyone watch the 7.40 at Sligo this evening?

Seskinane won it by about 6 or 7 lengths i'd say but turning for home his jockey had barged his way through the Mullins pair (1st and 2nd favs)as it appeared he may have got stuck in a pocket if he sat and waited and ended up being disqualified.

I was quite shocked as although it was careless/dangerous riding on Derek Foxs behalf the horse had won so cosily i didn't think it'd be overturned,is this a case of keeping Mullins sweet so he'll bring half decent horses back in future? I've seen horses badly interfered in ireland on many occasions and the race ending with less than a length between horses and nothing being done.

Perhaps i'm being harsh on the stewards but i think if it was 1 of Mullins horses that won with Ruby doing what Fox did there'd be no hope of an ammended result. Perhaps DH knows the ins and outs? Is there a certain level of dangerous riding that triggers an automatic disqualification?If so how do they decide on it!? I had no money on anything today so not talking out of my pocket i just know i'd be rightly pissed off if i was connections of Seskinane

How wide spread is this carry on really? I would have thought it is one of the easiest 'sports' to rig that is out there and with so much to be gained by all parties I would have thought that this is the tip of a very big iceberg.

beer baron · May 23, 2013, 12:04:25 PM

I'd say you're right Nag, be interesting to see if they sit back and take the praise for catching Ahern or whether this will be the start of a number of similar cases

Donnellys Hollow · May 25, 2013, 08:08:40 PM

I think Fox admitted to dangerous riding which is an automatic DQ. If he had admitted to careless riding he would have got a ban but kept the race. It was bad race riding to get himself caught in that position anyway particularly when the horse won with plenty in hand.

It's been a bad week for flat racing with Eddie Ahern and the Al Zarooni sagas. Where there is money, there is corruption.

RealSpiritof98 · May 26, 2013, 03:25:31 PM

Magical Steps 5.35 Curragh

TacadoirArdMhacha · May 26, 2013, 08:14:26 PM

Camelot thumped this afternoon. Definitely thought the interference during the week was intentional, he deliberately barged into a horse when there was no gap there. Contrast that with Cathy Gannon's patience yesterday (albeit very different types of races).

So, does Dawn Approach stay?

Donnellys Hollow · May 26, 2013, 09:51:35 PM

Desperately disappointing from Camelot and no real excuses offered. He's just not the horse he looked this time last year.

I have my doubts over Dawn Approach's stamina. He has loads of speed on the dam side. It looks a moderate renewal so he might just get away with it but he's a very skinny price. New Approach was 5/1 and Sea The Stars was 11/4 to win their Derbies.

TacadoirArdMhacha · May 26, 2013, 10:27:41 PM

Quote from: Donnellys Hollow on May 26, 2013, 09:51:35 PM
Desperately disappointing from Camelot and no real excuses offered. He's just not the horse he looked this time last year.

I have my doubts over Dawn Approach's stamina. He has loads of speed on the dam side. It looks a moderate renewal so he might just get away with it but he's a very skinny price. New Approach was 5/1 and Sea The Stars was 11/4 to win their Derbies.

I certainly can't have him at the price. Applying any rational judgment, you can't believe now that he has a better chance of winning the Derby than he had of winning the Guineas a week before the race. So I won't have a bet at half the price. Frankie on a decent Coolmore hope is an interesting prospect. The vibes seem to be that they may let Magician take his chance.

Going to have a look at the two continental contenders.

Donnellys Hollow · May 26, 2013, 10:35:56 PM

Quote from: TacadoirArdMhacha on May 26, 2013, 10:27:41 PM
Quote from: Donnellys Hollow on May 26, 2013, 09:51:35 PM
Desperately disappointing from Camelot and no real excuses offered. He's just not the horse he looked this time last year.

I have my doubts over Dawn Approach's stamina. He has loads of speed on the dam side. It looks a moderate renewal so he might just get away with it but he's a very skinny price. New Approach was 5/1 and Sea The Stars was 11/4 to win their Derbies.

I certainly can't have him at the price. Applying any rational judgment, you can't believe now that he has a better chance of winning the Derby than he had of winning the Guineas a week before the race. So I won't have a bet at half the price. Frankie on a decent Coolmore hope is an interesting prospect. The vibes seem to be that they may let Magician take his chance.

Going to have a look at the two continental contenders.

Definitely. The Derby might be a bit of an afterthought. I think Bolger has his doubts over whether he will stay.

Donnellys Hollow · May 27, 2013, 12:24:54 AM

The Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh combination is no more.

beer baron · May 27, 2013, 04:10:08 PM

Ruby jumped a sinking ship,Nicholls has nothing like the quality of horses he had 5 years ago and i read Skelton's leaving to open his own yard and he's going to train the John Hales owned runners.

Will be interesting to see if Townend decides to go across the water and ply his trade or if he'll stay at Mullins now that Ruby's there day in day out.In fairness the way Mullins is going there's nothing wrong with being his 2nd jockey

TacadoirArdMhacha · May 27, 2013, 05:00:14 PM

Calling Nicholls a "sinking ship" is a bit harsh but clearly he no longer has the top class artillery which would justify to Ruby the personal upheaval associated with working in two countries.

I got the impression at least once at Cheltenham (that French bred in the RSA which won the December Gold Cup at 4) that Ruby was riding a Nicholls runner simply to placate the Ditcheat man as Mullins had the superior horses in most championship races.

beer baron · May 27, 2013, 05:33:53 PM

Sinking ship probably was a bit o.t.t,in fairness horses like Denman Kauto star are raritys and anything after them was never going to measure up.

Donnellys Hollow · May 28, 2013, 11:37:58 AM

Nicholls is a notoriously difficult man to work for. I think that Walsh can be quite gruff and contrary himself is half the reason that they worked well together for so long. The National Hunt landscape can change very quickly and Nicholls is going to struggle to have anything near the success he had over the last five or six years. He has some seriously wealthy owners behind him during that period but a lot of them are gone now. He's being outbid for all those top French 4yos and anything that wins a maiden p2p over here. Even with the best stock in your yard, having one of the top lads like Walsh or Geraghty on your side is worth a few lbs to every horse particularly in the big races.

I'd say Walsh will take out a training license himself within the next 5 years.