Racing Chat - Monday 18th April

[The Brigadier]

Kempton 2.55

Four promising colts line up here for this one mile conditions stakes with arguably John and Thady Gosden’s Saga the form horse. Owned by Her Majesty The Queen he bumped into a couple of smart sorts on his first two starts as a juvenile in the Godolphin pair Modern Games (subsequent Breeders Cup winner) and Coroebus before breaking his duck at Ascot in September. He still has an entry in the 2000 Guineas. William Haggas saddles the main danger in Maljoom who won on his racecourse debut when pushed out to win a novices stakes at Doncaster on their opening Lincoln meeting. That form is not as good as Saga’s but he will have the edge in fitness you would have thought. Owen Burrow’s Bayraq brings the course form having won over a furlong shorter last October from an odds on shot of the Gosden’s. The Crisford’s Artois make up the quartet but looks likely to come up a bit short. On all known form Saga should be winning this and he’s a confident selection under Frankie Dettori. 

SAGA 4 points win @ 11/8 Paddy Power

 

Fairyhouse 3.15

Although there are seventeen runners declared for this 2m 5 1/2F handicap hurdle it may not be as competitive as it first looks. Many are out of sorts with the exception of the front two in the market who look the pair to concentrate on here. Carrig Sam had already won a point to point and a maiden hurdle here before taking a similar contest to this over a two furlong shorter trip. An 8lb rise is unlikely to stop him following up and the extra distance will be very much in his favour. Pushing him for current favouritism is the Gordon Elliot trained Festival D’Ex who actually finished 5 1/4L behind Carrig Sam here in February and is 5lb better off today. He has run well in defeat agin since at Naas but today preference has to be for the Arthur Moore trained Carrig Sam. The only other horse that appeals is the double green silks of Homme D’un Soir of Stuart Crawfords who has claims with the selection on recent running. 

CARRIG SAM 2 points each way @ 9/2 Bet365 1/5^th 12345

 

Kempton 3.30

A decent turn out for the Racing TV Roseberry Handicap run over just short of 1m 4F. There’s some interesting handicappers here including a pair of Sir Michael Stoute runners in Boss Power to be ridden by Ryan Moore and perhaps of more interest the Richard Kingscote ridden Hasty Sailor who won his last two starts on the all weather rising 13lb. The pair of them though are having their first runs of the season, and with Stoute yet to have a winner this year couldn’t be backed with any real confidence. Fitness will not be an issue mind with my selection from the bottom of the handicap. Diamond Bay was very impressive on his comeback following a 141 day break when easing home over course and distance with his jockey Richard Kingscote looking around for non existent dangers. I’m not sure if there is any significance in the fact that Kingscote is now on the Stoute runner but such was the visual appeal of Diamond Bay that day that he has to be the selection here from a 7lb higher mark for trainer Tom Ward and jockey Tim Marquand. 

DIAMOND BAY @ 2 points each way @ William Hill 9/2 1/5 1234

 

Fairyhouse 3.50

A very competitive 2m 4F grade 2 hurdle with plenty with chances. JP McManus runs three with his stable jockey choosing Thedevilscoachman for Noel Meade who won the grade 2 Boyne Hurdle last time out at Navan having briefly flirted with chasing. He does have to carry a 5lb penalty for that victory here along with one of JP’s other runners Darasso and the P M Doyle trained Flame Bearer who is two from two at the track. Willie Mullins is always feared in these type of contests are saddles two in Whiskey Sour a runaway 15L winner last time out and Jon Snow who we haven’t seen for 606 days. Stable jockey number one Paul Townend appears to have chosen the former but that will only help the price of Jon Snow who will be partnered today by Brian Hayes. He looked a proper horse when we last saw him and is actually the highest rated of the field today. Whether he’s straight enough is another matter but at the prices I’ll pay to find out. 

JON SNOW 1 point each way @ 12/1 William Hill 1/5^th 1234

 

Kempton 4.05

Only 7 fillies go to post for the listed Racing TV Snowdrop Fillies Stakes run over a mile. It should only really concern the front three in the market with Tom Ward’s Roman Mist the top rated. A consistent sort he maybe the fittest of the front trio and should go close. I do prefer the chances though of the William Haggas runner, My Astra who is making her all weather debut having won two of her three career starts, the latest coming in listed company at Salisbury last October on heavy ground. She had previously won on fast ground so it seems all ground comes alike to her. Sir Michael Stoute has yet to get off the mark for the year but has only had five runners so far. He saddles Potapova who kept decent company last season and was a very impressive winner on her only start on the all weather back in November 2020 at Chelmsford. It’s hard to split between the pair with slight preference for My Astra. 

MY ASTRA 2 points win @ 9/4 Bet365

 

Fairyhouse 4.20

Only six go to post for this 2m 4F Grade 2 Devenish Chase with Willie Mullins holding the aces saddling three of the six runners. Janidil was last seen running a credible 14L second to stable companion Allaho in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and despite a 8lb penalty here looks the one to be with. Owned by JP McManus he will be ridden by his retained pilot Mark Walsh. Mullins may provide the danger in the Paul Townend ridden Blackbow who on official ratings at these weights is only a pound below Janidil. He bounced back to form last March when landing the odds at Clonmel and can chase home the selection for a Mullins 1-2. 

JANIDILL 2 points win @ 6/5 William Hill

 

Fairyhouse 5.00

This year’s BoyleSports Irish Grand National has once again attracted a full field of thirty runners and will be run over 3m 5F. Willie Mullins saddles the likely favourite in Gaillard Du Mesnil, a novice who ran third at the Cheltenham Festival in the Brown Advisory and could be seriously well handicapped. There’s many others with chances including a handful that ran in in last weekends Aintree Grand National including Mount Ida (unseated at first), Run Wild Fred (fell at 8th), Enjoy D’Allen (unseated at first), Samcro (finished a well beaten 11th), Death Duty unseated at 8th and School Boy Hours who almost fell at the 9th and was pulled up. I do feel that the latter, who his trainer Noel Meade has been extremely complimentary about has another big staying handicap like this in him (he won the Paddy Power Handicap Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas) and in a wide open contest is worth a small each way wager. 

SCHOOL BOY HOURS 1 point each way @ 14/1 Bet365 1/5^th 1234567

 

[Budgie 65]

Let's c who gets the Irish grand national winner 

My£5 goes on Screaming colours 20/1