Equinties - Corkers

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Gm Equinauts 

The Troll of Trondheim has wreaked havoc with the jumps meeting (and Newcastle lol…HOW!?) so it’s the desert rate only today which means we’ll do a full big race preview of Dundalk.

Dundalk preview:

Now that’s done and before we jump into the weekend review, I want to give a big shout out to my BGP Capital owners and the community we’ve made. It’s so fucking strong. The bets have been flying in and BGP have had a little helping hand from our US owner who really knows his shit (he did it again last night landing a double and NAP, check the booms). 

With the cold temps only going lower, we needed some heavier rugs for the yearlings and our owners kindly chipped in way more than enough to cover the costs and keep our rockets warm (so much so I’ve got enough to buy our 4 yearlings a Christmas stocking each. I’m thinking salt licks, apple/coconut treats, treats balls, carrots and of course, a shit load of polo’s). 

The BGP community has always been the strongest on racing twitter but the BGP Capital owners group is creating something special.

Headline Roundup

Trolling the jumps 

From potential cancellations to realised one’s, nearly every meetings across the country was forced to abandon following the severe declining temperatures. 

Cheltenham gone.

Punchestown gone. 

Even Newcastle, on the all-weather, was a no-show. 

However, there was one meeting that saved us this weekend. Yes, can we call give a huge round of applause to… WOLVERHAMPTON! 

We’re kidding, it was Cork yesterday. 

The Grade 2 Hilly Way took centre stage and with racing set for another week of frustration, let’s review what we can! 

The Champ returns 

Last week we saw Edwardstone stake his claim for the Champion Chase in March and yesterday we were treated to ENERGUMENE’s return in the Hill Way at Cork, a race he won comfortably by 15 lengths. 

The Willie Mullins-trained eight-year-old made all and never looked like losing to firmly oblige at odds of 1/9 – he is now odds-on to retain his title in three months’ time. 

Did we learn anything from yesterday? No. If anything, we learned that he is prone to a few big mistakes, but apart from that, this was just a check to see how he was doing – he is entered for the Grade 1 Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown on December 27th, whether he turns up is another story. 

The de Bromhead show 

Henry de Bromhead saw two promising stars hit the limelight yesterday as the expensive ARTIC BRESIL and HIDDENVALLEY LAKE won their relevant races impressively. 

The first of these, bought for £305,000, clattered a few hurdles but still managed to sprint clear of the odds-on favourite MERCUREY giving CONSITUTION HILL sire BLUE BRESIL another serious notch on his progeny list. 

Now as short as 16/1 for the Ballymore at the Cheltenham Festival after his striking debut, de Bromhead believes he is a chaser in the making and that he WON’T be heading to the Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Christmas as they are set to take their time with him. 

As for the latter, HIDDENVALLEY LAKE, bought for £200,000 at the 2021 Cheltenham December meeting sale, he was probably the most impressive victor of the day as he flew home in the three-mile Grade 3 Stayers Novice Hurdle to win by a street. 

He looks a classy type and the way he took his final hurdles was seriously impressive – he is an 8/1 shot for the Albert Bartlett in March and there are much worse prices to be taking currently than that. This is not financial advice (I don’t believe in speculative antepost plays), it’s more of a general comment on some of the shocking ante-post prices for the Cheltenham Festival already. 

This was actually the first time de Bromhead has won this race and although recent years haven’t produced any world beaters, BLACK HERCULES, a subsequent Grade 1 JLT (Turners) Novices Chase victor, was the 2014 successor for Willie Mullins. 

IMPERVIOUS in victory 

JP McManus’ DINOBLUE found one horse too good in the Grade 2 Mares Novice Chase yesterday as Colin Murphy’s IMPERVIOUS scorched away from the fancied favourite to win by three lengths at the finish. 

Guided home by Brain Hayes, the pair jumped upsides at the last but the six-year-old continued her momentum well to win – she is currently priced up at 7/1 for the Mares Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. 

But will she go there? There are a few people on Twitter who have been making noise about her potential chances up against the boys in the Arkle instead, similar to what RIVIERE D’ETAL did last season. 

Declan Carroll from the Under Starters Orders Podcast has been vocal about her as an outside chance for this season’s premiere two-mile Grade 1 Novice Chase at 100/1 and considering the apparent lack of depth behind JONBON at this current time, she could well give the boys a good race given her mares’ allowance on the day of the race. 

Via the Only Fools Love Horses Saturday Show: 

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Risk on

We’re not even looking at the aw this time of year but if there’s any US bets I’ll post those on Twitter.