It’s all about holding the line now. Every thing is priced up defensively. I’ve been doing push ups all morning to keep my mind occupied.
A few pointers for me would be horses of stables being in form. If willie, Gordon or Nicky get rolling they won’t stop all week. Ventia Williams is on fire. Keep an eye on hers all week. Horses need to run seasonal bests to win next week. All their ducks have to be in order.
Now at this stage the way into the county/Martin pipe is what happens in the coral and other novice hurdles. We will find out which band of hurdlers Ireland or English is better and that can be key. If willie wins the supreme and the ballymore you can guarantee he’s a few lurking in the county and Martin pipe.
Ruby talked about it the other day. Jockeys can become inspired during the week. He mentioned paddy Brennan and Robbie power winning the gold cup and then the grand annual on cloud nine.
Jp mcmanus had his best group of novice hurdlers last season and loads are putting his up for handicaps this season and they could become too short.
It’s Far more likely Jp has a pile of well handicapped novice chasers this year.
Recent trends for the grand annual are pointless due to the track change.
Don’t stare at tuesdays card for the whole weekend. You’ll go mad from it.
The top three in market have no concerns on that front. If you pick a double figure price horse against the front of the market you need everything to go absolutely spot on. A horse with jumping frailities just dont win at festival.
Great point regarding Willie and if he wins the supreme and ballymore early in the week then he likely has other novices well handicapped in races like the Martin Pipe, Coral Cup and County hurdle to name a few. I think Willie will have an unbelievable week again.
@Copper_pipe mentioned a horse at 33/1 for the Martin Pipe. I was briefly looking over the race earlier and as ever it’s a minefield with potentially well handicapped horses everywhere. Personally I wouldn’t be backing anything short in that race for that very reason and I like anything Gordon has at a price in it above other trainers as such is his respect for Pipe it’s no secret he tries to win it every year. I saw there was money earlier for Fleur from 33s to 20s in a few places but you can still get 25s and I like his profile and he’d do for me at the moment in that race.
Triumph hurdle is going to be a great race surprisingly, it’s not often you’d pick it out as one to look forward to. Really looking forward to the whole week now.
I’d love to see Didero Vallis run in the ultima @ 40/1. Another double for Venetia Williams today. She’s had 7 winners from 19 runners in the past two weeks.
I really fancy this fella because he ran a cracker in the 2 and a half mile handicap in 2019 leading the way before failing to quicken but having rewatched the race a few times you can see him staying on again. He’s a fantastic jumper.
It’s interesting Venetia Williams has left Cepage in this race as that gives didero vallis a racing weight of 10-2.
He had lost his way a but won easily enough in catterick lto and still only aged 9 I think if he’s declared he could really go close from a prominent position.
Obviously he could run in the Kim muir too but it might be telling Venetia left in the top weight here.
I always think of Venetia’s as (mainly) soft-ground dependent, it wouldn’t be unusual for her to be firing in winners when it’s predominantly heavy going as now
Lads, never mind looking at the form for Martin Pipe. Back Gabynako early, and back him often. When Bob Olinger wins the Ballymore his price will be slashed even more.
He’s ran well on good ground before so I’d have little worries on that front.
His pedigree is interesting by poligate and out of an April nights mare. April nights dam have some record producing Bristol de Mai, engermene, uds, clans des obeaux and various other good horses.
there is fuck all between them on the lines through ferny hollow and blue lord, bob olinger going over 2 and a half and in the mud and shit would put me off.
I think appreciate it has too much class. Bob Olinger is a superb e/w gamble though, if he goes off anywhere around 8’s
