Flat Racing - 23rd March

[robertob]

Thanks god the flat is back! Irish flat season kicks-off at the Curragh today! :nana 14.10: Bwana @ 10/1 Boylesports - 1pt win + Master Planer @ 14/1 VC - 1pt win Two against the very short favourite: Bwana has speed on sire side, might turn out to be a fine miler in time though. The soft ground should be fine on pedigree. Prendergast usually doesn't do too badly at the start of the season. Bwana should be ready to go well on his debut. Master Planer has bit of speed in his pedigree on dam side but most importantly is by Mastercraftsman, the crowned champion British and Irish first-crop sire of 2013! Soft ground should very much suit on pedigree and seems a big price for that reason. 15.10: Srucahan @ 5/1 William Hill - 2pts win + Master Speaker @ 14/1 Boylesports 1pt win Srucahan is the horse with the right past form in his book as he has won this race last year. He absolutely loves the mud, he was already well backed last night, and he is 1lb below the mark he won of this race twelve month ago. Also Jamie Spencer booked for the ride - a big performance is surly expected! Master Speaker switched yards, now in care at Hassett's, formly with Aiden O'Brien. Mark is high enough, but travelled like a dream on his debut over course and distance in heavy conditions last year, just to get beaten on the line. Won a Dundalk maiden subsequently in fine style. First start for new yard after almost a year off in a conditions race at Dundalk two weeks ago, finished a close third in a three runner race, travelling strongly throughout. Should improve for that outing, and will be fine with todays conditions. 15.40: Vote Often @ 7/1bet365 - 2pts win + Indigo Lady @ 25/1 Coral - 1pt win Vote Often won a Naas maiden in impressive style last October, at the second time of asking. She seemed to relish the soft ground and the further they went the further she drew away from the rest of the field. step up to 1m surly to suit, ground perfectly fine and improvement expected, even though this is a big ask for a young filly. Indigo Lady switched yards over the winter, is now trained in Ireland. She didn't quite fulfill the early promise she made as a 2yo, when stepped up to middle distances last year. But she looked talented when she won a maiden as a 2yo and finished subsequently 3rd in a Group 3 in France over 1m on soft ground, in front of Flotilla that day, who went on to win at the Breeders Cup a couple of month later! Last year over 10f and 12f in Group company she didn't show too much. But new yard, drop in trip, and ground conditions in favour tomorrow, might see her in better light. 16.10: Go For Goal @ 13/2 VC - 2pts win + Pearl Earing @ 8/1 VC - 1pt win Won nicely at the second time of asking last year at Cork. Drew clear turning for home and maintained a healthy lead till crossing the line. Should be more to come from him. Probably stays further, but 7f on slow ground is probably about right for now. Opening mark seems stiff enough but the field is not the overly exciting and with improvement expected he might turn out to be better than that. Pearl Earing could be the main danger in my mind. Won a maiden at Sligo really impressively on only her third start. She absolutely loved the soft conditions that day. Opening mark seems fair and more to come from her. Conditions perfect. 16.40: Bold Thaddy Quill @ 40/1 VC - 1pt e/w I feel my old friend Bold Thaddy Quill is way too big in the betting market and he has every chance to run into the places at least. He was desperately unlucky in this race last year when he didn't get a clear passage when it mattered and just got clear run really late, yet finished 3rd in the end. He's much higher in the mark tomorrow, but he improved over the course of last year and is up to this mark now. He won a Listed race at Cork, and he finished a strong runner-up to Declaration of War. he ran with loads of credit in a couple of Group 3's as well, while the second half of the season he was then probably over the boil. Key to him is the ground, the more rain the better for him. It's soft to heavy at the Curragh tomorrow, so exactly what he loves. I expect him to go really well.

[joeblitz]

Re: Flat Racing - 23rd March

2.10 Curragh Alertness 6/4 Boylesports BOG

Bolger has won the last 3 runnings of this with horses that turned out to be group performers so his main represtentative here Alertness by Teofilo is sure to take all the beating. Deegans horses have been winning on the all weather and Dancing Zafeen may be second.

10 Points win Alertness 6/4 Boylesports BOG

3.10 Curragh Srucahan 5/1 William Hill BOG

Last years winner Srucahan loves this ground, hails from a yard in form and won this last year carrying 6lbs less. He has strengthened up too. The only drawback is the jockey.

5 Points e/w Srucahan 5/1 William Hill BOG 3.40 Curragh Odeliz 5/1 William Hill BOG

Likes the ground, is a year older and was very progressive last year starting in maidens through to handicaps and winning a listed in Longchamps before running 4th in a group 3. I think she will win.

5 Points e/w Odeliz 5/1 William Hill BOG

5.10 Curragh Answered 7/2 Bet365 BOG With the O Brien horses a bit backward this year, Bolger can win this again as he did last year with Answered who is owned by Mohammed and is unraced by Authorized 10 Points win Answered 7/2 Bet365 BOG