Equinties - power couple

Gm Equinauts

Bitter sweet to have downed tools yesterday after seeing the results. The were several horses on the ‘Risk On’ shortlist we were close to betting, namely BOBO MAC for Symonds who finally got his atrocious conditions and won well…

But then we would have had a strong bet on SMART CASUAL who, like BOBO MAC, needs heavy ground. But this happened:

Sometimes, just watching is the best thing to do to stay ahead in this game.

Before we dive in.

A big shout out to Graham Lee who was seen for the first time since his accident last year.

With a smile on his face too… legend. Good luck with the rehab Graham, we’re all thinking of you and cheering you on.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

ALL CHANGE

If you have been reading this newsletter since it’s inception or indeed, followed us on X before that, you’ll know that unless a good heads up comes in, we really really don’t care for the futures markets, more, couldn’t give a sh*t about trying to guess where are big, fragile, fluffy animal is or isn’t going to run.

All that guessing and staking on utterly ridiculous future acca’s simply makes ‘betting’s a mugs game’ a truism.

What we do enjoy though is watching everyone else worry about it. Cue Willie Mullins bingo. It never fails to disappoint. 

As David Jennings put it in the Racing Post, the master of Closutton has had a “midweek rethink” and decided that GAELIC WARRIOR will not take on MARINE NATIONALE in the Irish Arkle and instead head to the Ladbrokes Novice Chase on Sunday at the DRF. 

Mullins will now be represented by FACILE VEGA who was as big as 10/1 ante-post for the race but has been cut to 5/1 since declarations. 

Mullins has highlighted a recent piece of work from FACILE VEGA as the reason for the change, as he said: "We have been very happy with Facile Vega's work. His last piece of work was really good and we were very happy with it, so we decided he would be the one to go for the shorter race on Saturday."

"Gaelic Warrior will run Sunday now. There was a change of plan from the way we were thinking earlier in the week. Nothing was set in stone at that stage and, when we went back over things, we changed our minds and decided to go for the longer race with him.” 

When looking at the decision, it’s hard not to be a little bit disappointed that we won’t get to see the clash with MARINE NATIONALE. Although the Ladbrokes Novice Chase may be a better race for GAELIC WARRIOR, this is another time where racing fans are a little disappointed they don’t see that ‘best vs the best’ action.

What you can’t do is blame the trainer though as he plotting his horses with one thing in mind - ultimate success. See it as a business strategy.  

POWER COUPLE

Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden, they’re the power couple right now. 

Paul Nicholls has fired in nine winners over the last two weeks, notably with Cobden steering a treble at Wincanton yesterday.

Paul’s done all the flu jabs and his horses will now be building back up and going to war, one of the big invasions being Musselburgh this weekend.

Elsewhere, HERMES ALLEN has been well-backed for the Scilly Isles at Sandown on Saturday and LIARI could be too good in the Scottish Triumph Hurdle on Sunday. 

It looks a bullish weekend for Paul and a favourable opportunity for Harry to get level pegging with Sean Bowen. 

BROODMARE BUSINESS 

Shadwell sold a nice broodmare at the sales yesterday as TAQAAREED, the SEA THE STARS full sister to the King George winner TAGHROODA, went for 200,000gns to agent Jill Lamb. The 11-year-old has already produced a nice horse in TAFREEJ and is currently carrying a three-parts sibling to TAFREEJ by PINATUBO.

TAQAAREED is off to Childwickbury Stud and Lamb is excited with the purchase, as she said: “She’s the only one we came here for. She stood out really, being a full sister to a champion. She’s a lovely model and in foal to a champion whose yearlings were very well received. We tried very hard to buy a foal by him last year but couldn’t get one. I think the fact her foal is closely related to Tafreej, who’s rated in the 90s, is all quite encouraging.”

More: https://www.racingpost.com/bloodstock/sales-reports/that-was-definitely-our-last-bid-taghroodas-sister-heading-to-historic-new-home-after-200000gns-transaction-afTw73N58i23/

MEYDAN FRIDAYS

That action at Meydan is on again to make for the perfect Friday you need ahead of the Six Nations and Dublin Racing Festival.

The British and Irish have invaded the desert again with a strong line up today. Here are a few races highlighted and the horses to keep on side:

The 14.40 market is dominated by the boys in blue - Buick on CINDERELLAS DREAM and Barzalona on BEAUTIFUL LOVE. The former is heavy odds on but they’re both unexposed and the latter, BEAUTIFUL LOVE is arguably better bred. The rev fc probably comes in here.

15.50 see’s a match race against two flat names everyone will recognise in WALBANK and MISCHIEF MAGIC - two horses who have served this newsletter well previously, in fact, WALBANK has a special place in our hearts for landing the final leg of our 30/1 acca in our first ever weekend edition!

WALBANK was well gambled lto but this is a tougher race and one to watch.

In the next 16.25, NEW LONDON is odds on (as most Godolphin horses are today) but he won’t have it all his won way with TREVAUNANCE running who has been mixing it in Group 1’s around the world all last season. He will find this company a lot easier!

In the 17.00, NAXOS for Boughey and Buick has been found in the market. This horse was unsold before Royal Ascot for £240k, the owners kept faith and didn’t let him go. He has the pedigree for dirt and his last run should have wiped the cobwebs away after a few months on the side lines. 9/4 is a win bet.

TWEETS OF THE DAY 

YOUNG BLOOD

14.05 CATTERICK

Supplementing this section with a juvenile hurdle in the slop today and it features a couple of very expensive flat recruits.

First up is the Snowden horse GOLDEN MAVERICK who has been given the squeeze 2’s into 6/4. Bought for over 100k out of the Ian WIliiams hard, hes versatile on ground and is by an up and coming sire ZARAK, the same sire as that rocket Willie Mullins unleashed the other day in MISTERGIF.

MAASAI MARA should have won lto, it’s a travesty he didn’t. He travelled powerfully into the race but made a mess of the last for then jockey Scholfield to be absolutely schooled by James Bowen in the run in. Might be versatile on ground as ROARING LION was.

In time, MR LE PHILOSOPHE for Menzies could be a nice jumps horse - he has a proven pedigree for it. He has been shipped over from France though so might need time to acclimatise.

The others can’t win.

Verdict: We think it’s only between the top two in the market GOLDEN MAVERICK and MAASAI MARA with preference for the former (getting backed). The forecast pays 4/1.

RISK ON

We will play NAXOS and the Young Blood forecast as well as:

16.00 HAMMER DAN

Stepped markedly up in trip. Stinks. Connections did exactly the same thing with SHOT BOII and won. Pipe’s yard coming into some form but still can’t be wholly trusted. 7/1 ew.

12.45 LOCAL DYNASTY, 14.25 ACT OF AUTHORITY, 16.10 LETTHEDUSTSETTLE & 17/35 LEGEND OF TIME

All short, all should just win. 5/1 acca.

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