Leopardstown Christmas Festival
- Thread starter Guest_
- Start date
Yeah and I was hoping to present the prize to owners of Colm's Gormanstown Cuckoo. On the €15.....you can't really predict the circumstances......as I know with Kimberlite King and the weather.
chroniclandlord
Senior Jockey
Hard luck with the weather today Cantoris, it was disappointing too that the Lexus didn't go ahead today, I don't think that I'll be able to go again tomorrow.
granger
Senior Jockey
As a result, it is some days racing tomorrow. Won't get to it, but will pass the afternoon nicely at home
granger
Senior Jockey
Unsure what to make of our 3mile novice chasers. Meade said afterwards that he wasn't pleased with Pandorama's work leading up to the race so hopefully more is to come for him
Thought he ran really well from a poor position - would have been interesting if he raced closer up. Certainly one to keep an eye on.
Because he took your advice with Zeb and went for the Tingle Creek rather than staying at home for the cowardly easy pickings at Leopardstown and has now figured out not to listen to you
PS She picks up €8k more for winning the mares race than coming second in the Festival hurdle.....which is not to be forgotten
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granger
Senior Jockey
Solwhit is looking pretty backable to me at 11/10
G
Gearoid
Guest
Sowlhit looks an odds on shot but none of the hurdle races have gone to plan so far this season.
Also, I would think Voler would be suited by the two and a half mile mares race rather than the Festival Hurdle which is generally run on a distance that looks suspiciously shorter than 2 - unless they're gonna change that this year
Good card tomorrow I think - although you'd be mad to get too stuck into the beginners chase; one to watch though.
Good card tomorrow I think - although you'd be mad to get too stuck into the beginners chase; one to watch though.
My heart bleeds for the likes of Walsh...run the race regardless of weither or not the paying public can see the race or that the time window was so small it was still a huge risk. Right decision made and the "degree of controversy" was limited to those couple of people....Lee also loves to drag the Irish economy into every story related to Irish horses...
Alan Lee - The Times
The murky uncertainty that has descended so suddenly on Irish racing was symbolised in a chaotic hour here yesterday. Fog, the one element neither feared nor forecast on a day of fickle weather, chose a cruel moment to obscure this south Dublin track, just as the runners for its mid-season highlight, the Lexus Chase, were straining at the tapes.
So very recently, the sport in this country was swaggeringly successful, floating on a buoyant economy and generous government subsidies. Even Sea The Stars could not repel the ravages of financial crisis.
Cuts in jobs and prize money are savage and the last thing a beleaguered industry needed was for a Bank Holiday crowd of 15,000 to be so abruptly deprived.
After confusion, delay and a degree of controversy, the big race was abandoned along with the remainder of the card. Its rescheduling today, on an extended programme, is no consolation to four of the senior jockeys in the race, who will honour commitments at Newbury instead.
Nor will it cheer Sir Alex Ferguson, who flew in yesterday to see What A Friend, the Hennessy runner-up he co-owns with Ged Mason. Ferguson delighted the legions of Irish-based Manchester United fans in a 15,000 crowd with autographs and photographs but will be back home today preparing his Manchester United side to face Wigan.
Barry Geraghty, who had been engaged by Paul Nicholls for the mount on What A Friend, was disconsolate. “I thought he had a massive chance but I can’t ride tomorrow — Nicky [Henderson] has big runners at Newbury and that’s where I’ll be.”
Among the other jockeys, Ruby Walsh and Robert Thornton were understandably irritated that a window to run the grade one race was lost while the racecourse drove a second commentator to the foggy far side of the course.
Walsh, who will now surrender the ride on Cooldine to partner Big Buck’s at Newbury, said: “It took five minutes in which the race could have been run. No one might have seen it but it could have been run.”
The point was repeated by several trainers involved, though without rancour. Paul Nolan, trainer of Joncol, the favourite and Gold Cup aspirant, explained: “You can’t blame anyone — they were trying to do their best for the public and it went wrong.”
Tom Burke, general manager at Leopardstown, defended the decisions, saying: “They did wait briefly for a second commentator but the stewards felt there was a danger in starting the race anyway, as it could have got worse during its running. It was very unfortunate but there was a definite safety issue.”
Burke had spent a fretful night awaiting an early inspection, which was passed despite the predicted frost. The meeting began in bright sunshine but the first of the grade ones was run in pouring rain before the elements contrived a different mayhem. “Fog was one thing we were not forecast,” Burke said glumly.
The four British-based contenders were all expected to turn out again today, though three needed replacement jockeys. One contented trainer was Nicky Richards. Not only does he have no jockey issue for Money Trix — Davy Russell remains available — but the rain he required was forecast to arrive.
“I started the day digging myself out of Greystoke [his stables in Cumbria] and driving my jeep through a foot of snow to Manchester airport,” Richards reported. “So I don’t mind having to find a razor and toothbrush for tonight.
Sam Thomas will partner What A Friend, while Andrew McNamara comes in for the mount on Cloudy Lane, with Jason Maguire flying home to ride Whiteoak in the Long Walk Hurdle. No replacement had been found for Voy Por Ustedes.
Maguire is enjoying a breakthrough season for his retaining trainer, Donald McCain, and his enhanced stature was reflected in a full book of rides here. He won on Baily Rock, for “Mouse” Morris, and reckoned it was his first Leopardstown winner for “about ten years”.
Pandorama justified short-priced favouritism in the Knight Frank Novices’ Chase but by a bare short-head from Weapon’s Amnesty. It was a second grade one of the holiday programme for Davy Condon, who is standing in on Noel Meade’s string while Paul Carberry serves his suspension for a failed breath test.
Meade admitted he had not been entirely happy with Pandorama after a gallop at Dundalk last week. “He won’t run again now before the RSA Chase at Cheltenham,” he said.
Boylesports had the gall to cut his price for that race. To most observers, his performance simply added to the prevailing theme of fog.
Alan Lee - The Times
The murky uncertainty that has descended so suddenly on Irish racing was symbolised in a chaotic hour here yesterday. Fog, the one element neither feared nor forecast on a day of fickle weather, chose a cruel moment to obscure this south Dublin track, just as the runners for its mid-season highlight, the Lexus Chase, were straining at the tapes.
So very recently, the sport in this country was swaggeringly successful, floating on a buoyant economy and generous government subsidies. Even Sea The Stars could not repel the ravages of financial crisis.
Cuts in jobs and prize money are savage and the last thing a beleaguered industry needed was for a Bank Holiday crowd of 15,000 to be so abruptly deprived.
After confusion, delay and a degree of controversy, the big race was abandoned along with the remainder of the card. Its rescheduling today, on an extended programme, is no consolation to four of the senior jockeys in the race, who will honour commitments at Newbury instead.
Nor will it cheer Sir Alex Ferguson, who flew in yesterday to see What A Friend, the Hennessy runner-up he co-owns with Ged Mason. Ferguson delighted the legions of Irish-based Manchester United fans in a 15,000 crowd with autographs and photographs but will be back home today preparing his Manchester United side to face Wigan.
Barry Geraghty, who had been engaged by Paul Nicholls for the mount on What A Friend, was disconsolate. “I thought he had a massive chance but I can’t ride tomorrow — Nicky [Henderson] has big runners at Newbury and that’s where I’ll be.”
Among the other jockeys, Ruby Walsh and Robert Thornton were understandably irritated that a window to run the grade one race was lost while the racecourse drove a second commentator to the foggy far side of the course.
Walsh, who will now surrender the ride on Cooldine to partner Big Buck’s at Newbury, said: “It took five minutes in which the race could have been run. No one might have seen it but it could have been run.”
The point was repeated by several trainers involved, though without rancour. Paul Nolan, trainer of Joncol, the favourite and Gold Cup aspirant, explained: “You can’t blame anyone — they were trying to do their best for the public and it went wrong.”
Tom Burke, general manager at Leopardstown, defended the decisions, saying: “They did wait briefly for a second commentator but the stewards felt there was a danger in starting the race anyway, as it could have got worse during its running. It was very unfortunate but there was a definite safety issue.”
Burke had spent a fretful night awaiting an early inspection, which was passed despite the predicted frost. The meeting began in bright sunshine but the first of the grade ones was run in pouring rain before the elements contrived a different mayhem. “Fog was one thing we were not forecast,” Burke said glumly.
The four British-based contenders were all expected to turn out again today, though three needed replacement jockeys. One contented trainer was Nicky Richards. Not only does he have no jockey issue for Money Trix — Davy Russell remains available — but the rain he required was forecast to arrive.
“I started the day digging myself out of Greystoke [his stables in Cumbria] and driving my jeep through a foot of snow to Manchester airport,” Richards reported. “So I don’t mind having to find a razor and toothbrush for tonight.
Sam Thomas will partner What A Friend, while Andrew McNamara comes in for the mount on Cloudy Lane, with Jason Maguire flying home to ride Whiteoak in the Long Walk Hurdle. No replacement had been found for Voy Por Ustedes.
Maguire is enjoying a breakthrough season for his retaining trainer, Donald McCain, and his enhanced stature was reflected in a full book of rides here. He won on Baily Rock, for “Mouse” Morris, and reckoned it was his first Leopardstown winner for “about ten years”.
Pandorama justified short-priced favouritism in the Knight Frank Novices’ Chase but by a bare short-head from Weapon’s Amnesty. It was a second grade one of the holiday programme for Davy Condon, who is standing in on Noel Meade’s string while Paul Carberry serves his suspension for a failed breath test.
Meade admitted he had not been entirely happy with Pandorama after a gallop at Dundalk last week. “He won’t run again now before the RSA Chase at Cheltenham,” he said.
Boylesports had the gall to cut his price for that race. To most observers, his performance simply added to the prevailing theme of fog.
G
Gearoid
Guest
I did like the go at Boyles at the end, it made up for the rest of the rubbish in the piece.
davidjohnson
At the Start
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2007
- Messages
- 3,434
Good chance for me that the Festival Hurdle will be run in similar fashion to last year's renewal and the Fighting Fifth. That being the case, Sublimity looks a big price at 4/1.
Ground is getting softer which would be a concern for Sublimity.
Narcotic Nora
Apprentice
I find Zarinava a very difficult horse to assess - I'll be very interested to see where she pops up later in the season, there's a big pot in her. I wouldn't be too put off by Voler after today, but don't think she would have been in the first two in the Festival Hurdle so wise decision by trainer.
Sheikh
At the Start
Couldn't see Solwhit getting beaten on all known form. I was encouraged that Byrnes says the horse needs 2m4 on good ground as that is how the champion hurdle rides. I can see Celestial Halo and Solwhit being the ones they have to pass. Sublimity ran very well. Is Muirhead a bit of a dog ?
Right decision by Murphy to pick up the prize money in the Mares race. There are other opportunities to find out how good she is.
Right decision by Murphy to pick up the prize money in the Mares race. There are other opportunities to find out how good she is.
I think the problem with Voler was they couldn't go fast enough for her and he had to take a pull a few times. Her jumping is exceptional and that will keep her in races and she really wants better ground. Today was just a race to get out of the way. The Irish Champion has always been the plan and I don't see any reason why she shouldn't take her chance there. The way Solwhit and Sublimity finished so close, she would have to win the Festival hurdle to earn more cash than the mares race because anything short of that would have been third place. So right decision made. I was quite impressed with Zaarito today. It's coming together for him now although Sam Adams def one to put in the notebook.
She does jump well, and I thought some way out she would destroy them but for whatever reason it never happened.
Captain Cee Bee's form given a little boost. I think he could be the one from this side of the sea for the Arkle now Mikael de Haguenet looks unlikely to be an Arkle contender - Well Chief aside, I can't think of many who did or even could win an Arkle without making their debuts prior to xmas - this point was made on here by someone else recently i think.
Captain Cee Bee's form given a little boost. I think he could be the one from this side of the sea for the Arkle now Mikael de Haguenet looks unlikely to be an Arkle contender - Well Chief aside, I can't think of many who did or even could win an Arkle without making their debuts prior to xmas - this point was made on here by someone else recently i think.
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Gearoid
Guest
If the mare were to run in the Irish Champion against the obvious opponents, what price would you want before you would back her? Is 9-2 a fair starting point?