The Horse racing thread

[beer baron]

Punchestown this week boys,any fancies? Think i'll go down Friday to see Hurricane fly try beat Jezki and i wouldn't be too surprised if he did in what i suspect will be his last run  .

Faugheen dropped in trip's an interesting 1,not a move i'd make myself but Willie knows better than i do.

I walked the track today and it's in great nick. It's disappointing there is not more UK representation in the big races but there should be some good action nonetheless.

Faugheen is a strange one. He should have too much class regardless of the trip but he didn't strike me as a horse who would improve for a sharper test at Cheltenham. It would not surprise me in the slightest if he ran on Tuesday and then again on Friday.

I expect Walsh to ride Boston Bob on Wednesday and think he will win. I know Rolling Aces let the form down at Sandown but Boston Bob has always promised to be a better horse over three miles. He's only beginning to come back to himself now after what happened him in the spring last year.

On The Fringe is potentially very interesting if he lines up in the La Touche. He ran a cracker in the Foxhunters and could be better over the banks and stone walls.

The entries for the Bishopscourt Cup won't be known until tomorrow but I have already been reliably informed of three different horses who "can't be beaten" in it!!

Have you decided on 1 for the Bishopscourt DH? Maybe it'll be a 3 horse dead heat 

[Donnellys Hollow]

Hasty Times. Slightly tricky customer but he did manage to get his head in front at Monksgrange a month ago. I think they will be disappointed if he's out of the first three.

[beer baron]

DH,hopefully you get to see this,i'm going today but using Bus Eireann for the 1st time,which bus stop would be handiest to head for the course from?

[beer baron]

Maybe this has been put up before,no harm if it has but  here's a link to a youtube account with a huge number of past races http://www.youtube.com/user/espmadrid. I had heard a lot about Carberrys ride on Frenchmans creek and finally got to see it there,might be of interest to some of you lads to bring back a few old memories.

[DrinkingHarp]

California Chrome going for the Triple Crown on 7th of June, would be the first TC Winner since 1978.

[beer baron]

Anyone got any fancies for Royal ascot? I was hearing good things about Mustajeeb at the weekend and after seeing Kingmans run yesterday i don't think his 4 length defeat to him looks bad form now and have had a few bob e/w.

In the fillies race later in the card Willie Mc Creery sends over Fiesolana and i think she's a bit overpriced at 18/1 and have had a few  bob e/w. She was 2nd last time a short head behind Purr along and 2lb better off here but Purr along's 11 and 12/1 with the bookies,the 5th horse in that race Pearl of Africa won a listed race last week at leopardstown(different ground) so the form mightn't be too bad.

Sky Lantern came on a tonne for her 1st run last year so i'd be surprised if she wins and i find it hard to see the fav Integral as the superstar some claim her to be although i find that to be the case with me and a lot of Stoutes horses so maybe i subconsciously have something against his stable. The horse that beat her last time and reopposes today Esoterique had hardly set the world alight in France either so i wouldn't be completely surprised if Fiesolana and Purr along are both in the 1st 3 or 4. Well hopefully 

In the Prince of Wales i'd be very surprised to see Treve beat,the only thing stopping me having a big bet is it's her 1st run outside France.

[Donnellys Hollow]

In the fillies race later in the card Willie Mc Creery sends over Fiesolana and i think she's a bit overpriced at 18/1

He'll near be a better trainer than he was a midfielder if he keeps going the way he is at the moment!

I know a few who are very sweet about My Titania in the Coronation on Friday. They fancied her for Newmarket but she had a setback the week before. She will love the quicker ground.

Hard to look past Leading Light tomorrow in the Gold Cup but he's not much of a price now. Very taking reappearance at Navan a few weeks ago.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Well done with Mustajeeb Beer Baron. DKW is having a great year.

[beer baron]

Cheers DH,was quite impressed with the run after being at the front for so long,as for Weld he'll have no horses well handicapped at Galway the way he's going  .

I was happy with Fiesolanas run too(just flattened a bit the last half furlong) but Purr along confirmed the form from their previous meeting so i was wrong on that front and i was also wrong about Integral,nice performance from her.

As for Treve a furlong in i was glad i hadn't backed her,never seemed to be enjoying it,Frankie looking over and back and around isn't exactly something i'd expect off him if he feels he's going well.

Been a poor week for the O'Briens but The horse in the 1st is highly regarded and Leading light should be hard beat too but i'll not be backing either at odds on . For some reason i'm drawn to their horse Carlo Bugatti in the last off top weight,his run at Galway last year on his 1st appearance on a racecourse caught my eye. His 1st run this year was decent finishing about 4 lengths behind fascinating rock before flopping in the Chester Vase when emptying quickly in the last 2 furlongs . I'm a bit surprised O'Briens kept him at the trip but he went from the front that day so could get dropped in and cheekpieces might help him put it all in at the business end . I'm a sucker for following these horses  that catch my eye in 1 race and following them for  3 or 4 runs before i see the light   

[Donnellys Hollow]

Been a poor week for the O'Briens but The horse in the 1st is highly regarded and Leading light should be hard beat too but i'll not be backing either at odds on . For some reason i'm drawn to their horse Carlo Bugatti in the last off top weight,his run at Galway last year on his 1st appearance on a racecourse caught my eye. His 1st run this year was decent finishing about 4 lengths behind fascinating rock before flopping in the Chester Vase when emptying quickly in the last 2 furlongs . I'm a bit surprised O'Briens kept him at the trip but he went from the front that day so could get dropped in and cheekpieces might help him put it all in at the business end . I'm a sucker for following these horses  that catch my eye in 1 race and following them for  3 or 4 runs before i see the light   

Expect the O'Briens to have a good day today. They haven't had many fancied horses running yet. The horse in the Queen Anne, the 2yo in the Coventry, Magician and Giovanni Boldini all ran well without being strongly fancied. I get the impression his fillies are way behind this year.

[WT4E]

Might be going to Leopardstown this evening - Haven't been following the racing as much recently - any insights?

[AZOffaly]

I know some of ye lads here will be interested in this. Best of luck to him.. (From Midlands Radio 3 Sport)

15 months after his life changing fall at the Cheltenham Festival, John Thomas McNamara has returned to his home village of Croom in County Limerick for the first time.
He flew back to Ireland on tuesday from a rehabilitation unit in North West England.
In a statement issued through the Turf Club JT and his family have issued their heartfelt thanks for the support of everyone,.
The Racing Community on both sides of the Irish Sea have reacted with delight...
Speaking to Mike Vince at Royal Ascot, this is the reaction of Ruby Walsh:
https://soundcloud.com/midlandssport/ruby-walsh-on-jt-mcnamara

[bcarrier]

Glad to hear that AZ.

I heard he was being delayed in getting home because of some hold up in granting planning for some modifications to his house.

[Donnellys Hollow]

That's the best news I have heard all week.

[beer baron]

Halfords horse Toscanini with Foley onboard is expected to run a big race in the 1st at Ascot.

I like eye of the storm  e/w in the hardwick,a 4 length defeat to Missunited on his reappearance doesn't look bad form after her run the other day.

Could be a good day for the Irish with the like of Slade power,Gordon Lord Byron and Pique sous all likely to run good races.