Great card....ground was on the easy side at declaration stage but it was a stunning day today with temperatures around 17 degrees and another is set for tomorrow so the ground at Leopardstown will be drying out all the time.
Nice to see all the top yards represented in the two year old race tomorrow. The Ballydoyle newcomer ran a fine race today at Naas so it will be interesting to see how Air Chief Marshal goes considering its probably more likely O'Brien will introduce a nicer sort over 6 furlongs these days than 5. Still get the feeling he'll still need this run. Xtraxtra has the experience and has shown ability in each of his starts but I think the winner will come from Market Puzzle of Shabassh. Stack's juveniles have served me well down the years and they nearly always are a backable price despite his great record with the juveniles.
Three Rocks goes for his fourth win of the season and looks the class horse of this race. I am not sure about the mile for him though but if he gets it I think he will be very hard to beat. Will certainly open plenty of options if he can get this trip and I said a few weeks back he looks a group horse in the making. I think Poet will be a huge threat today, this is his trip and ground and I think he will leave his run at The Curragh behind him today. The other one to respect is Kargali who won well in heavy conditions in the Gladness but think he would probably prefer softer conditions that what he is likely to encounter here.
Ballysax Stakes looks a cracker and I think the winner is between the Oxx pair Mourayan and Vitruvian Man. I have heard to reports of Mourayan the first being that he was most impressive in a workout after racing here the last day and that they were thrilled with him. The other was that he had a little set back early this week or late last week which is a concern though Oxx would not be one to chance him if he was not 100% happy with him. I think VM might be the forgotten horse though as he was totally unsuited to how he was ridden last time against Rayeni when readily outpaced after making the running. He looked a top class prospect previous to that and looks the sort that would not be hard to get fit at home. If I was to stake my life on the winner today I would go for Mourayan but at 8/1 VM is just too big a price. Of the others I cannot see Fame And Glory being ready to win this first time out with a penalty - he'll be top class if he does and would deserve to be challenging for Derby favouritism. I think Hail Caesar could be the dark horse with the ground and trip in his favour plus having the benefit of a run already when he was far from knocked about. Interesting that Weld runs the filly in this but it was a weak maiden that she won while the Bolger horse is surely down the pecking order at home but deserves respect given the stable form.
Next race looks a race to keep a close eye on for the future. I backed Stately Home and Yankee Doodle a few weeks back for the Derby at crazy prices as I heard they were two of three unraced/once raced colts that can be expected to be above average this season. But this looks a hot race with Oxx's Big Game Hunter likely to be a different animal to the one we saw at the backend of last season and Barrell Of Fun having run well against Rockhamption and Pirate Ship at Leopardstown. Bolger introduces a son of Mr Greeley. Nice race but I will be particularly interested in how Stately Home runs.
Nice to see all the top yards represented in the two year old race tomorrow. The Ballydoyle newcomer ran a fine race today at Naas so it will be interesting to see how Air Chief Marshal goes considering its probably more likely O'Brien will introduce a nicer sort over 6 furlongs these days than 5. Still get the feeling he'll still need this run. Xtraxtra has the experience and has shown ability in each of his starts but I think the winner will come from Market Puzzle of Shabassh. Stack's juveniles have served me well down the years and they nearly always are a backable price despite his great record with the juveniles.
Three Rocks goes for his fourth win of the season and looks the class horse of this race. I am not sure about the mile for him though but if he gets it I think he will be very hard to beat. Will certainly open plenty of options if he can get this trip and I said a few weeks back he looks a group horse in the making. I think Poet will be a huge threat today, this is his trip and ground and I think he will leave his run at The Curragh behind him today. The other one to respect is Kargali who won well in heavy conditions in the Gladness but think he would probably prefer softer conditions that what he is likely to encounter here.
Ballysax Stakes looks a cracker and I think the winner is between the Oxx pair Mourayan and Vitruvian Man. I have heard to reports of Mourayan the first being that he was most impressive in a workout after racing here the last day and that they were thrilled with him. The other was that he had a little set back early this week or late last week which is a concern though Oxx would not be one to chance him if he was not 100% happy with him. I think VM might be the forgotten horse though as he was totally unsuited to how he was ridden last time against Rayeni when readily outpaced after making the running. He looked a top class prospect previous to that and looks the sort that would not be hard to get fit at home. If I was to stake my life on the winner today I would go for Mourayan but at 8/1 VM is just too big a price. Of the others I cannot see Fame And Glory being ready to win this first time out with a penalty - he'll be top class if he does and would deserve to be challenging for Derby favouritism. I think Hail Caesar could be the dark horse with the ground and trip in his favour plus having the benefit of a run already when he was far from knocked about. Interesting that Weld runs the filly in this but it was a weak maiden that she won while the Bolger horse is surely down the pecking order at home but deserves respect given the stable form.
Next race looks a race to keep a close eye on for the future. I backed Stately Home and Yankee Doodle a few weeks back for the Derby at crazy prices as I heard they were two of three unraced/once raced colts that can be expected to be above average this season. But this looks a hot race with Oxx's Big Game Hunter likely to be a different animal to the one we saw at the backend of last season and Barrell Of Fun having run well against Rockhamption and Pirate Ship at Leopardstown. Bolger introduces a son of Mr Greeley. Nice race but I will be particularly interested in how Stately Home runs.
- I shall have to have a go at one today.
