Equinties - Irish Grand National

Sponsored by UK Meds.

Gm Equinauts

More so here in the UK, the racing has been quite uninspiring at best with even the Racing Post struggling for headlines.

Aside from a few small plays yesterday, there really hasn't been too much to want to get stuck in to meaning I was free of anxiety and the uncontrollable urge to check prices every three minutes, making for a lovely Masters Easter.

On that note, a big well done to Rahm who's been killing it this year and has now topped this seasons earnings up to a cool $13m. A weekend of riches for the Spaniard,

..quite the contrast to the weekend for the big name in racing you all know, John Dance. I've spent too long this weekend thinking about his situation.

He's a clever bloke, has a wife and kids, lots of employees working for him...How the hell did he get himself into this shit storm? Is this all an accident through naivety or unknowing neglect? Or did he know what he was doing and just thought he was above the FCA?

I have no idea what he has been arrested for but given the nature of his business, it's more than likely going to be money laundering.

Let me remind you, he has a wife and kids and countless other livelihoods he's responsible for, not least James Horton's new yard.

If Dance is found guilty, depending on the severity of his case, 14 years in prison and or a fuck off fine might be coming his way as well as all assets seized under the proceeds of crime act.

I wont lie, it now looks all too suspect when last year he moved the ownership of his horses into joint ownership with his wife... that means she owns 50% and they can't take that away. I'd love to know if he put anything else in his wife's name recently. Would stink.

Anyway, BGP know Dance quite well and he's a lovely, lovely bloke and I don't think he'd ever want to do something that could end up hurting his friends and family. That said, I did always feel he held disdain towards the FCA... and I just hope pride or arrogance haven't clouded his judgement.

Anyway, enough guessing about Dance, time to start the real guessing! The nags!

We'll set up a league again today, join it here using code QHZ36G.

Let's dive tf in.

Headline roundup

Grade 2 Juvenile Hurdle

It’s a mix of the Triumph and Boodles today in the first Graded race of the day as the hype horse of Cheltenham, BLOOD DESTINY, is attempting to bounce back from his disappointment last month.

He was well beat from a long way out lto and it would take a fair effort to bounce back.

A horse who was ahead of him lto was GUST OF WIND for the same stable as he was best of the rest in fourth place in the Triumph.

He has most of his form in softer conditions so the yielding ground will be new, however, reading the form purely, he is ahead of his stablemate.

TEKAO completes the trio of Mullins horses heading the market.

He was disappointing at Cheltenham when warm favourite and Graded company is called on now. Again, he couldn’t perform on the big stage when in a handicap so this Graded company looks to be a stretch too far.

Grade 2 Fairyhouse Chase

It’s a clash of the Willie Mullins ‘who are they’ in the final Graded race at Fairyhouse as MONKFISH is back and facing ASTERION FORLONGE over hurdles. Weird.

The former RSA winner is making his first start for over a year, and as mentioned it is over hurdles , which is very interesting, however, he was apparently looking good at Willie’s pre-Cheltenham stable tour in February.

As for the latter, he made his first start of the season last month at Thurles and was well beaten by Summerville Boy, if he has come on for the run, he’ll be there, but the form of that race doesn’t look amazing.

Of the non-Mullins horses, FIL DOR the big runner for Elliot after his stint in the Coral Cup (admittedly, very far back) - off a mark of 150 he will find handicaps tough, so Graded company will be where he needs to be for the time being.

Irish Grand National 

Last year, the runner-up and third were novices finishing off their season in the Irish Grand National. 

This year, roughly one-third of the field is a novice and plenty of them are market pretenders including the favourite, THEDEVILSCOACHMAN. 

He has won his last two starts and looked good while doing it and off a mark of 147, he will be in the front end, however, a quick turnaround and potential lack of experience could be cause for concern. 

The British representation in this year’s renewal is ROYALE PAGAILLE off top weight for Venetia Williams. 

He has a 3/3 record in handicaps having won the 2022 Peter Marsh off a three-pound lower mark and the 2021 Peter Marsh off 2021. Softer conditions suit best and a drop back into handicaps after a good run in the Gold Cup will put him right there. 

30 go to post for the race - it’s a minefield which you don't need to bet on to enjoy. To maintain your interest in it and test your skill at picking the winner, use the TOTE Fantasy game - it's one of the featured race today.

So, who is our new sponsor?

UK Meds is an online clinic where you can get medications delivered to your door. Handy if you can’t be arsed to have those awkward convos with your doctor face to face!Our bets not getting you hard? Tough crowd...but UK Meds can help:

Struggling with the Monday hangover? UK Meds has just won the distribution rights to MYRKL.

MYRKL is a miracle pill that makes you feel fresh the next day, after the fun of the night before.

I'm serious. It works and that's the only reason they're sponsoring the newsletter. I swear by it so much, I reached out to UK Meds asking if I could work with them - and here we are now, plugging it to you.

Use discount code BGP10 for 10% off everything*

*Discount can be applied on anything except Saxenda. 

Bumper previews

Chepstow

A really shit bumper for Chepstow with a lot of horses with alright NH pedigree's competing off the back of very average recent appearances. Can see why Twiston Davies is favourite, ahving stayed on well lto. Improvement to come? Right fave imo. Really struggling to make a strong case on the others. PIC ROC is too big a price, I think he could go well. Fergal O'Brien always has them ready and his PRESENTIN MARVIN doesn't own the worst pedigree.

Summary: Tough and wouldn't get involved. Twiston Davies probs wins and Pauling PIC ROC to place.

Huntingdon

I rarely take on Nicky Henderson in bumpers and I'm not going to fuck around and find out today, despite the weak pedigree (didn't cost a lot either). Who would I have taken him on with? Probably Fergal's KAMSINAS who was well touted ahead of his previous runs. Owners did want to have a crack at the Champion bumper but I imagine they knew he wasn't up to it and saved for another day... today?

Summary: Nicky always always has them ready for bumpers but KAMSINAS 9/2 will give the warm fave something to thing about and could prove a good ew.

Fakenham

There's to I'm looking at in this. YOUNG AT HEART for local trainer Wadham and FLOATING LINE for Murphy both have the best peds. Wadhams is only 4 so will be weaker than the latter but does get weight PLUS the 10lbs allowance from Eddie Edge! She'll think she's running free!

FLOATING LINE has a lovely pedigree and she's my pick despite the extra weight she'll be carrying vs YOUNG AT HEART (more than a stone!).

Summary: I'd play both fillies FLOATING LINE 12/1 and YOUNG AT HEART 7/1 ew as per write up above.

Risk on

15.45 BERTIE WOOSTER

Backed this lad before at 12's. Joe says he'll win this season... well lets be honest he should have won last time so today could be REDEMPTION. BGP Capital on at 8-7's with 11/2 still available everywhere for a half bet ew.

The TOTE FANTASY...I'm playing. Create your stable and use code QHZ36G to join the BGP league here: