Equinties - the Christmas review

Gm Equinauts

After a few days of rest after the Boxing Day madness, the newsletter is back and boy is it a good one today.

Let’s dive in.

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For the first time ever, Cialis is available without prescription. And boy it’s an absolute game changer.

Approved for medical use only in 2003, the French call it ‘le weekend’ because basically this thing lasts in your system for 3 day.

Boner’s on demand, for 3 three days!

Perfect for a weekend away when you know you’re going to need a little help.

Try it through UK MEDS, use discount code EQUINTIES10 and thank us later.

p.s none of this is medical advice but we’ve tried it…

CHRISTMAS REVIEW

The Christmas period has been a joyous one for many - good food, good company, and good racing.

That being said, there has been a lot our brilliant sport has given us the last few days, a lot to digest and remember, so here are our favourite performances so far.

Special mention goes to NASSALAM in the Welsh Grand National who will now have to be campaigned as a Graded stayer now, the freak CONSTITUTION HILL (who is clearly the best but we wanted to highlight other horses) and little HEWICK for his glorious day in the sun.

5) SIR GINO – December 27^th

There was plenty of word flying around for SIR GINO ahead of his debut over hurdles for Nicky Henderson on Wednesday, as reflected in his price, a price warranted by the time he turned for home at Kempton.

Who knows what the level of form will turn into, but Nico had a good handful for most of the journey and if he learns to give his hurdles more respect, he will be a lovely juvenile. He adds to the strong juvenile division of BURDETT ROAD, BUNTING (who was good on Boxing Day), SALVER, and KALA CONTI.

4) IRISH POINT – December 28^th

Hands and heels. That’s all the encouragement Jack Kennedy gave to IRISH POINT on the way to his success in the Grade 1 Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle.

In what was his first start at three miles, the French-bred five-year-old jumped with fluency to put 11 lengths between himself and the 154-rated ASTERION FORLONGE who ran a great race.

Connections now have the top two in the market for the Stayers Hurdle, though IRISH POINT may miss the Stayers for the Aintree Hurdle. We think he could be better than stablemate TEAHUPOO as he has nice form with IL EST FRANCAIS and MARINE NATIONALE, though it would seem the pair are going to be kept apart.

3) GALOPIN DES CHAMPS – December 28^th

He’s just a big brute who is special to watch, isn’t he?

We loved GALOPIN DES CHAMPS yesterday as he reminded us of his ability. We knocked him down a place due to a few sloppy jumps – which you would love to see improved on ahead of Cheltenham – but apart from that, there’s nothing you can throw at him.

GERRI COLOMBE attempted to go the pace of the Gold Cup winner, but when push came to shove, he failed to find and faded after the last. Furthermore, although GDC did get in tight to a few fences, he was much better than GERRI COLOMBE in the jumping department. GERRI has now shown on three occasions (Brown Advisory, Ladbrokes Champion Chase, Savills Chase) that he is a slow jumper which costs him multiple lengths.

2) GAELIC WARRIOR – December 28^th

Like his stablemate, GAELIC WARRIOR is a monster, though he is an athletic-type monster who, apart from the third, also jumped well.

When he was contested at the second-last (in what turned into a big thing between family members Patrick and Danny Mullins) Patrick hovered his finger over the button and his mount flew away.

He is now an even-money shot for the Turners and it looks unlikely he will be beaten. He’s a genuine horse.

1)IL EST FRANCAIS – 26^th December

Yes, we are with everyone else on Racing X by nominating IL EST FRANCAIS as our number-one performance of the Christmas period. This isn’t to say he is better than GAELIC WARRIOR, but this performance on Boxing Day had it all.

Jumping. Stamina. Speed. Class.

Furthermore, if you backed HERMES ALLEN in second, you could have no complaints as he was given a great ride by Harry Cobden, though he was unable to go with the French raider, prompting Paul Nicholls to suggest that we could be dealing with another KAUTO STAR. Woof.

Connections are unlikely to head to Cheltenham with their superstar as the French Gold Cup is firmly on their agenda, though it seems like they have already earmarked the 2024 King George VI Chase as his next British assignment.

Who would we prefer at this stage? Although he was very good and he has track experience, GAELIC WARRIOR would get a slight nod. We think he is very good.

BIG RACE PREVIEW

 13.45 GRADE 1 NEVILLE NOTELS NOVICE CHASE

Six head to post for the first Grade 1 race of the afternoon and after a successful day with FACT TO FILE yesterday, CORBETTS CROSS heads the market for JP McManus and Mark Walsh.

Although he was disappointing on his chase debut at Naas, he put that well behind him at Fairyhouse and, in all honesty, he won snugly.

His form got a boost on the weekend as he beat FOUND A FIFTY – the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase winner – in the Grade 2 Johnstown Novice Hurdle in February, so he’s an understandable favourite.

That being said, GRANGECLARE WEST is the horse who beat him comfortably at Naas yet he is much bigger in the market than the Emmet Mullins runner.

He has had issues, as shown by his 547 days off the track between his bumper win in May and maiden hurdle win in November, and as such he failed to build on that maiden hurdle win in two runs last season.

That being said, this season is a new task and with a season under his belt, he could be a much sounder horse and may confirm the form with CORBETTS CROSS.

FLOORING PORTER is the classy horse coming into this race, though his chasing campaign hit a bump in the road after he was beaten at Punchestown lto.

Before that, he beat BROADWAY BOY by two-and-a-half lengths at Cheltenham who has since franked the form twice, and today’s return to a left-handed track will suit.

FAVORI DE CHAMPDOU is the sole Gordon Elliott representative who beat FLOORING PORTER by over 15 lengths at Punchestown in late November.

He is being touted as a National Hunt Chase horse for the latter stages of the season and today’s slow ground will be to his liking – he is a proven stayer, but he was beaten twice in Grade 1 company last season albeit over hurdles.

Verdict: Elliott’s FAVORI DE CHAMPDOU impressed lto and we’ll stick with him in these conditions.

14.20 GRADE 1 MATHESON HURDLE

In what was a surprise to many, Willie Mullins has declared both STATE MAN and IMPAIRE ET PASSE for the Grade 1 Matheson Hurdle at 2:20.

The market leader was always going to head here to try and defend his title and based on his Grade 1 Morgiana Hurdle win last month, there shouldn’t be much to worry about.

IMPAIRE ET PASSE is the surprise inclusion having finished second in the Grade 1 Hatton’s Grace Hurdle to Teahupoo lto. This surprised many, none more so than the people who backed him at odds on, and the performance even provoked a few to suggest if he should go chasing this season.

Despite his entry for the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, it seems likely he will come here and preference would go to his stablemate.

ECHOES IN RAIN is the third and final Willie Mullins runner who shouldn’t be winning this race, but her form does warrant a discussion about her end-of-season aim, the Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The seven-year-old is a 14/1-shot for March despite finishing second to STATE MAN (widely regarded as the second-best two-mile hurdler) in the Morgiana and comfortably winning the Grade 1 Mares’ Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.

With the uncertainty around LOVE ENVOI and due to the fact we haven’t seen GALA MARCEAU or LOSSIEMOUTH yet this season, she could be an interesting outsider for the contest in March.

FILS D’OUDAIRIES completes the field, though it’s hard to see him as the winner.

Do we need a verdict for this race?

YOUNG BLOOD

After an easy 14/1 winner in our last Young Blood preview, the next bumper is Haydock tomorrow.

TODAYS BEST STATS

The only stand out stat today would be for ZAMBELLA’s hat trick bid but she hasn’t got her favoured heavy ground so will leave her today.

RISK ON

12.10 CHASE A DREAM

We don’t get the pricing here. Moffats odds on but was walking through the line lto. In contrast, a more prominent ride would have seen CHASE A DREAM go close lto. He was only just getting going so the step up will suit. Good bet at 11/8.

12.45 HASHTAG BOUM

Will love ground and if he runs to a similar form as last time then he should win. 7/2.

Leverage today is TRAPRAIN LAW. Add to HASHTAG BOUM to make a good 7/1 bet. We have also followed Finndog in on RODNEY small ew.

Once you’ve placed your bets, play the TOTE FATANSY - it’ll keep the betting chimp locked up and stop you chasing the W. Add your stable to the BGP league using code QHZ36G.

Best of luck! LFG!