Irish 2000 Guineas

Galileo said:
I agree it is far more likely the Rip will go for the Derby, but I think there is a chance that they will be so happy with the rest of their Derby team that they might divert him elsewhere and the Irish Guineas could be an option.

If he did go for the Irish Guineas I would certainly back him to confirm form with Mastercraftsman.
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I see what you mean... I suppose I'm thinking a bit differently to most at the moment. Fame And Glory aside, I see the others as fitting in around Rip for middle distance honours rather than the other way round.
 
I've been waiting for a bookmaker to price it up since the Newmarket version. I was tempted to ask for the 10.5 that has been matched on Betfair but I see Cashmans have it priced up.

Intense Focus is 7/1, yet his victor at Leopardstowm Recharge is 16/1. I think that is an astonishing price and will be checking their shops tomorrow to see if it's available. I'd have thought 8 or 9/1 was around his mark. His form behind Sea and The Stars is not too bad either. The horse has certainly improved from 2 to 3 and last time I mentioned the horse I was told he was flying at home.


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Having been so heavily invovled with IF at Newmarket, I have to have enough on to recoup those losses but there has to be anagging doubt that he'll prove good enough. After all, the horse that replaced him at Newmarket couldn't win there so you have to reckon IF wouldn't have been any closer than about fourth.

But there's no knowing with Mr B.
 
Thread merged...

Recharge is a Group 3 or 2 horse at best.

Loads of rain in the last day or so and more forecast.
 
Galileo said:
Thread merged...

Recharge is a Group 3 or 2 horse at best.

Loads of rain in the last day or so and more forecast.
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Re: Recharge ,Is that a hunch or is there more to that assertion ? He looked a fine prospect last time out. Kevin Prendergasts don't generally improve too much for a run but Recharge dam was an improver and he has plenty of scope.
 
I don't believe that either Intense Focus or Recharge are even close to Delegator and Mastercraftsman. In the Leopardstown trial, Recharge was only 3.5 and 5 lengths ahead of the two Ballydoyle horses at a time when O'Brien's horse were running half tuned, and one of them,Hail Ceasar was running at a distance way too short for him.
 
Thanks for merging the threads, I had a quick look down the list and did not see a thread started already.

I think Recharge is still unexposed so to categorize him as a group 2/3 horse at this stage is premature. As for the proximity of the Ballydoyle horses LTO, why is there such an obsession with O'Briens runners? Regardless of the distance he put between them he beat what was put in front of him on day and I thought was quite impressive.
 
chroniclandlord said:
I don't believe that either Intense Focus or Recharge are even close to Delegator and Mastercraftsman. In the Leopardstown trial, Recharge was only 3.5 and 5 lengths ahead of the two Ballydoyle horses at a time when O'Brien's horse were running half tuned, and one of them,Hail Ceasar was running at a distance way too short for him.
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He won snugly after traffic problems.
 
With the likelihood of heavy ground, Intense Focus might be a doubtful runner. Would Bolger give Vocalised another go after France?

It looks like Oxx will run Rayeni and Kinane seems confident of a decent run.
 
Ashram
Coat Of Arms
Delegator
Drumbeat
Dukes Art
Fergus McIver
Hail Caesar
Intense Focus
Malibu Bay
Mastercraftsman
Monitor Closely
Rayeni
Recharge
Sayif
Soul City
Viceroy Of India
Westphalia
 
Paddy Power

Delegator 13/8
Mastercraftsman 3/1
Rayeni 4/1
Recharge 9/1
Westphalia 10/1
Soul City 10/1
Intense Focus 12/1
Malibu Bay 16/1
Ashram 14/1
Sayif 25/1
Monitor Closely 20/1
Drumbeat 25/1
Fergus McIver 25/1
Hail Caesar 33/1
Viceroy Of India 40/1
Coat Of Arms 40/1
Dukes Art 100/1
 
Intense Focus looks big at 12/1.

I didn't like how MCM ran at Newmarket, and think he's very badly priced. I'd rather Westphalia of the O'Brien runners.

Could be a race for Rayeni to step forward on promise shown last year.
 
I like Mastercraftsman but a mile in soft ground does not look ideal.

Rayeni is certainly very interesting. Really impressive last season in heavy ground.
 
Galileo said:
I like Mastercraftsman but a mile in soft ground does not look ideal.

Rayeni is certainly very interesting. Really impressive last season in heavy ground.
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Mastercraftsman wouldn't want it too soft I agree, despite managing to win the National Stakes on soft. He's just so much better on a decent surface. Given a reasonable surface I'd expect him to reverse form with Delegator. He looked like he needed the run to me at Newmarket.

Like yo say Rayeni should relish soft or softer. All thing being equal re going, Recharge may be the interesting one at the price and Westphalia no doubt has a big race in him.
 
Mastercraftsman probably will come on for the Newmarket run, but I'm struggling to see why he will turn around form with Delegator. I'd expect a Ballydoyle pacemaker to set a sound gallop and the stiffer mile/more conventional track might help, but I'm still not convinced.

Rayeni is an interesting animal alright, though 4/1 is more than short enough.
 
Just that Delegator looks far from invincible to me and not a great favourite here. Well worth taking on anyway. If Mastercraftsman is half the horse I think he is he should win this well. I agree with Gal though that soft ground may stop him.

If Mastercraftman can't win this I'd be disappointed. The race looks wide if he can't put up his pulverising best though.
 
Expect Mastercraftsman to be much happier on the Curragh. Watch the Guineas against and he travelled very well but got lost in the dip before staying on strongly again. Ground is the worry for him but also for Delegator - hard to use a turn of foot in the likely going.
 
Take all those points, and they're certainly enough to stop me backing Delegator.

What's the forecast Aidan? Ground will surely be important.

I can see Mastercraftsman being steamed into on the day (a la Duke Of Marmalade a couple of years back).
 
Loads more rain today...

There is an inspection planned for Punchestown tomorrow...that tells you how much rain there has been.
 
Galileo said:
Loads more rain today...

There is an inspection planned for Punchestown tomorrow...that tells you how much rain there has been.
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I see the forecast is for more rain, but a clear spell from Wednesday afternoon up until the race with only the odd shower forecast in that period. So perhaps the going won't be too bad.

BTW I see Meehan is saying Delegator will be better with a bit of give.
 
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