Dundalk

Grey

Grey

Senior Jockey
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Does anyone know how well Dundalk is doing?

I have heard that not everyone is satisfied with the track. According to some it gets too slick, horses are going too fast on it and picking up injuries. Their theory is that on cold nights the rubber in the mix hardens up too much.

I don't know the truth of this, but it's noticeable that Aidan O'Brien hasn't run any horses there for a while.
 
I've long been of the view that although the surfaces are all called "Polytrack", there's a lot of difference between them.

Lingfield looks very different to the others - darker and much less kickback. To me it is how the surface should be.

Dundalk reminds me of Wolverhampton - quite a lot of kickback. Given that both venues race often in the evenings, I'd have thought that IF there were problems at Dundalk, they should have a word with the team at Dunstall Park.

They could also talk to the Kempton people - I don't watch the racing there as I don't have RUK - is there much kickback ?

Oddly enough, the symptoms you describe at Dundalk sound like what happened on the old Lingfield Equitrack.
 
it's noticeable that Aidan O'Brien hasn't run any horses there for a while
Click to expand...

He has Greatwallofchina tonight. Oxx seems quite happy to be running promising horses there.

It does appear that horses are having trouble quickening on it. I have only seen maybe a third of the races there but I've yet to see a Jamie Spencer style cruise from last to first, anything winning from behind is usually hard at work for the last couple of furlongs and possibly aided by the leaders slowing, which would tie in with your theory about the pace, and track, being too fast.
 
I heard there where inconsistencies in the going as the harrow was not the same all the time and horses where getting hurt. This does appear to have been sorted out though. At this early stage it looks to me like horses that like it don't like soft going i.e. it favours better ground horses, I'm open to other opinions on this though.
 
It was laid by Martin Collins http://www.mceltd.com/

He also laid the tracks at Lingfield, Wolverhampton and Kempton [and Turfway Park]
He's also supplied the private gallops at Newmarket to Godolphin.
I guess his team will have enough experience to iron out any teething problems at Dundalk, and I'm sure he provides full backup when a track is installed. He's the doyen of the business after all

I met MC once at the Lidds [he's an old chum of theirs from Compton days] and he's a very interesting guy to talk to
I hope he'll be at Great Leighs for the opening meeting on Sunday which has been given the go-ahead.
All being well I'm attending as part of the Press corps for our local East Anglia news agency norty
 
That Prince Shaun looks a really exciting type, great for a small yard to have something like him turn up!
From the race report for his only other run, Leopardstown 4th Nov 07:

<< PRINCE SHAUN made a winning debut, showing plenty of battling qualities in the closing stages to foil the well-backed Mourinho by the narrowest of margins. The winner had made the top price of €105,000 at the Goresbridge Breeze-up Sales in May and had been working very well at home according to his rider. He also described him as the best juvenile he had ever sat on in Pat Flynn's yard so he could pay his way as a three-year-old next term. >>

There must have been a few fingers burned tonight... Greatwallofchina looks pretty flattered by his OR, was that just on the yard's reputation do you think?
 
I would rate Dundalk as my third favourite Irish racecourse behind The Curragh & Leopardstown.Maybe its because the results have been good to me but it has brightened up more then one Friday night.I think it will become an integral part of the Irish racing scene.
 
I agree that it is a great addition, Luke, provided the surface is kept to the right standard. If I'm not mistaken one of the English tracks had to be completely relaid at some point, but nobody's complaining about it now. In other words, these things require a bit of trial and error.

Re Greatwallofchina, his OR is based on running down the field in some of the big Gr1 races last year, in which he never threatened, and is indeed far too high. It is an illustration of why trainers are afraid to run their horses in such races in case the handicapper murders them.
 
I was at goresbridge when Prince shaun was bought, I reckoned he was over priced at the time but he's won two now so we'll see. I don't think he's a star though. Pat Flynn has had plenty of good ones over the years. French Ballerina and gers Royale off the top of my head.
 
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