Irish Champions Weekend

an capall

an capall

Senior Jockey
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
5,628
Location
Dalkey
I have yet to notice a topic on this subject so here goes.

Horses I most look forward to seeing.

1. Madhmoon
2. Alpha
3. Roaring Lion
 
Yes, I'd have picked the same trio. It's going to be a Saturday-only affair for me, I'll stay away from the Curragh until next year.
 
Small field/no pace angle? Wouldn't surprise me much but would be a shame. Think he's been campaigned terribly.
 
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I'm going to have a serious lash at him -the stable are absolutely flying.Excuses are the fastest way to the poorhouse but I don't think he has had things go his way since Newmarket.Oisin Murphy will be seriously tested on Saturday and I can see the Ballydoyle boys getting a result.
 
I will be there. The forum intelligensia (Me, Ed, Art, et al) tend to congregate before each race at the bottom end of the parade ring (where horses exit) on the stand side. We would be happy to share our wisdom with the guessers.
 
an capall said:
I will be there. The forum intelligensia (Me, Ed, Art, et al) tend to congregate before each race at the bottom end of the parade ring (where horses exit) on the stand side. We would be happy to share our wisdom with the guessers.
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I'll stop by. Madhmoon is the greatest certainty of all time.
 
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Extremely enjoyable day at Leopardstown, great racing, great company. Nice to be sitting next to Slim watching Madhmoon stroll home and observe him mentally calculate winnings that would pay off the national debt of a small country.
 
an capall said:
Extremely enjoyable day at Leopardstown, great racing, great company. Nice to be sitting next to Slim watching Madhmoon stroll home and observe him mentally calculate winnings that would pay off the national debt of a small country.
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I've watched the replay back and realised it was won after they broke level. A different experience when you have the lot on.

Great day, great to meet the forum regulars and so sweet for young women to see me in the company of an capall...
 
SlimChance said:
I've watched the replay back and realised it was won after they broke level. A different experience when you have the lot on.

Great day, great to meet the forum regulars and so sweet for young women to see me in the company of an capall...
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I later beat the shite out of Our Rita for Slim as a thank you for paying for my trip to Cheltenham next spring.
 
Damn shame about Alpha..just watched the replay and you can clearly see where she stumbles just as Colm O'Donoghue, full of confidence, was coming there with a perfectly timed run
 
Indeed but take nothing away from Laurens, taking her fourth Group 1 , all won the hard way .
Marvellous performance by Roaring Lion, again tainted by the retirement of Saxon Warrior due to tendon damaged "in the course of the race".
Remember Henbit got a similar fracture yet won the Derby in 1980, adrenaline making the animal not necessarily feel any injury until they cool down.

My respect for Martin Pipe dimmed somewhat when he announced his retirement on the day Paul Nicholls first training championship should have been headline news.
Listening to APOB at The Curragh today about Saxon Warrior was rather tedious;
1 I did not expect the horse's 2000 Gns win to be his last no more than anyone else on here.
2. His 2000 Gns' Derby' Irish Derby, Eclipse, Juddmonte, Irish Champion schedule is unique; could he have been so sick between Sandown and York ?
If so why bring him back so quick; emphasise rather his tough constitution to take the training and the racing to come back time and again.
His cool demeanour in the parade ring in Leopardstown was in direct contrast with Roaring Lions sweaty appearance. Emphasise that by all means.

Lovely weather both days meant even Ivan Yeats braved The Curragh today, something he swore he would not do.
Such was the quality of racing on offer.

Paddy Prendergast III had a red letter day with Scitter Scatter in Moyglare Stakes being the third generation to train the winner after grandfather Darkie and uncle Kevin, a first Group 1 win for jockey Ronan Whelan also.
Renaissance man Karl Burke doubling his Group 1 tally for the weekend and the syndicate wins for Jessie Harrington's It"s All About The Girls and Peter Fahey's Stable Friends book ending the weekend gives hope to all of us with a share in part leg that some day some time it could be me.
Looking forward to 2019, a new stand, full size parade ring and ticket prices to put Paris Longchamps Arc day to shame.
 
They sure were won the hard way. In fact all 6 winning distances combined is under 2 lengths and the fist 5 didn't even make up 1 length.

The great thing about that is by the time she pops out a couple of foals all buyers will see and care about is lots of black type.

As for our Aiden he would sell a 3 legged mule as the next Frankel if it keeps the shed price up. You are right it's tedious but many hang on his every word.

Have you noticed how many people including top UK trainers now say "NOW LISTEN" in interviews?...something I never heard until AOB started every sentence with it.

Annoys the **** out of me at times
 
edgt said:
My respect for Martin Pipe dimmed somewhat when he announced his retirement on the day Paul Nicholls first training championship should have been headline news.
Listening to APOB at The Curragh today about Saxon Warrior was rather tedious;
1 I did not expect the horse's 2000 Gns win to be his last no more than anyone else on here.
2. His 2000 Gns' Derby' Irish Derby, Eclipse, Juddmonte, Irish Champion schedule is unique; could he have been so sick between Sandown and York ?
If so why bring him back so quick; emphasise rather his tough constitution to take the training and the racing to come back time and again.
His cool demeanour in the parade ring in Leopardstown was in direct contrast with Roaring Lions sweaty appearance. Emphasise that by all means.

Lovely weather both days meant even Ivan Yeats braved The Curragh today, something he swore he would not do.
Such was the quality of racing on offer.

Paddy Prendergast III had a red letter day with Scitter Scatter in Moyglare Stakes being the third generation to train the winner after grandfather Darkie and uncle Kevin, a first Group 1 win for jockey Ronan Whelan also.
Renaissance man Karl Burke doubling his Group 1 tally for the weekend and the syndicate wins for Jessie Harrington's It"s All About The Girls and Peter Fahey's Stable Friends book ending the weekend gives hope to all of us with a share in part leg that some day some time it could be me.
Looking forward to 2019, a new stand, full size parade ring and ticket prices to put Paris Longchamps Arc day to shame.
Click to expand...

It was obvious that Saxon Warrior was hanging badly during the race. I thought maybe he'd fallen out of love with it, but the injury made sense in hindsight. I think tedious is a touch harsh. If he'd said nothing when asked and then it leaked via a drift for the QEII on the exchanges, he'd have been hammered for that. Shame really, I'd have loved to see him at Ascot.

I saw Yates (not the horse!) on Sunday and he can't have been impressed. I've been a Curragh member for years but those facilities really have been shocking this year. I don't know how you're meant to view the race. The 'stand' is a non starter and even congregating at the rail with the rotten camera angle on the big screen you haven't a clue what's happening until they're on top of you. They were damned lucky with the weather too on their big days. Those 'high end' tents are a sweat box when half full and would have been unbearable if packed.

As for the parade ring, I came upon an old race card from a few years ago which had their design plans in it. Whatever about the size of the ring, the plan was for it be sunken for much better viewing. Something went badly wrong there.

And for those of us who've been paying full whack to support them on their building site, another kick in the solars with news of a host of Thursday and Friday fixtures next year. I've nothing against free Sundays for stable staff, but did the Curragh have to take the full hit? Grand if you're living near the track, but what about people who travel and, God forbid, work? They don't make it easy to keep supporting them.
 
I agree Ed. It's long past being a product that turnstile revenue is going to finance.

+I thought the free entry for 3rd level students on Saturday added a lot of energy and buzz (and fake tans) to the experience. And such was the quality of the evening I'd say quite a few of them will be back.
 
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