13:30 - Lossiemouth 6/4 2pt win
Paul Townend definitely would have wanted the ride back on LOSSIEMOUTH at the Dublin Racing Festival where he managed to get in a world of bother after being stuck behind the rank outsider that day. She then had to switch and did remarkably well to get as close as she did at the finish considering the amount of ground that she lost.
Prior to that Willie Mullins’ filly had looked super impressive at Fairyhouse on her debut and at Leopardstown on her second try. She travels really well throughout her races and has an electric turn of foot. Her main market rival is Blood Destiny who has looked smart, but I don’t think he will be able to give away the 7lb sex allowance away to Lossiemouth and I think she will be very hard to beat.
14:10 - Gin Coco 11/1 0.5pt ew
- Milkwood 40/1 0.5pt ew
The County Hurdle is one of the most competitive handicaps of the year and it usually takes a very well treated horse to win this. Based off of that it is no surprise to see lots of unexposed horses heading the market for powerful stables.
I am firing two darts at the race with GIN COCO and MILKWOOD. The former ran a stormer behind I like To Move It in the Greatwood at the track earlier this season and a 5lb rise does not look too harsh considering what his rival that day has gone on to do since. Harry Fry can really lay one out for a race and he has surely done that with Gin Coco today. The latter is not your typical County winner but he is an extremely well handicapped horse off a mark of 141. Neil Mulholland’s horse was an unlucky 3rd in this race 2 years ago before and he went on to be 10lb higher by the end of that season. He hasn’t been in the same form since but his trainer thinks he is back in red hot form and the shape of a County suits him well and Sam Twiston Davies should get a good spin from this strong traveller at a huge price.
14:50 - Hiddenvalley Lake 8/1 1pt ew
I was very taken with the way HIDDENVALLEY LAKE won at Cork earlier in the season and have thought he would be the one for this race ever since. He travelled strongly and jumped slickly and just shaped like a very good horse in general.
People may be put off after his last run when he was turned over by stable mate Monty Star at Clonmel, but I am happy to excuse that as he was giving away 7lb that day and his jumping was never the same in tacky ground there. He also had to make running there which didn’t suit and I imagine they will revert to regular tactics today in a big field. Henry De Bromhead has put the tongue tie on to eek out a little more improvement and I think he is worth chancing against the field.
15:30 - Protektorat 20/1 0.5pt ew
Sounds Russian 50/1 0.5pt ew
This is a great renewal of the showpiece with a potential world beater in Galopin Des Champs as favourite, but I think you have to take him on at the price with his stamina still open to question. Last year’s winner A Plus Tard has missed the whole season after a shocking run in the Betfair Chase and has question marks. The rest of the field will fancy their chances of a big run and I think Protektorat still has a bigger performance in him than we have seen so far. He was 3rd in the race last year on his first try and he was emphatic in the Betfair Chase this year and I have full faith in Dan Skelton to have him tuned up to run a huge race in his second attempt at the race. The other horse who could outrun his odds is Sounds Russian who will just absolutely love the stamina test of a Gold Cup and is not a 50/1.
Dan Skelton will be hopeful of a big run from PROTEKTORAT today after admitting that he was not fully tuned up for the Cotswolds Chase on his prep run. He travelled like the best horse in the race that day, before blowing up when coming under pressure at the top of the hill, then staying on again at the finish to not be beaten that far into 4th.
SOUNDS RUSSIAN hit the front too soon at Cheltenham and Quinlan would want that ride back, he should be able to travel around in midfield and hopefully his stamina should see him finish strongly up the hill for the Ruth Jefferson stable.
16:50 - Impervious 2/1 2pt win
Colm Murphy’s mare has took off over fences and is unbeaten in 3 attempts. I think it is quite impressive how she won over the minimum trip a few times, including defeating the well fancied and well regarded Dinoblue at Cork. IMPERVIOUS has the best form in the book going in to this year’s renewal of this race in my opinion, courtesy of her beating of Journey With Me at Punchestown. She relished the step up in trip and really ground it out on testing ground that day, that should stand her in good stead for today. Her main market rival Allegorie De Vassy is clearly very talented but her marked jumping to the right could prove a big flaw at Cheltenham and I think she is well worth taking on with a more sturdy proposition.
17:30 - Might I 15/2 1pt ew
Comments