Equinties - the review

Sponsored by UK Meds.

Gm Equinauts

Big day for BGP Capital yesterday as we hosted our first owner's day at BGP HQ.

People came from all over the UK (including Northern Ireland!) for BGP Capital’s first ever showcasing.

A parade of the horses, stories from the sales and a hell of a boozy lunch after made for a proper Sunday.

Yesterday was so good, we’ve already started planning the next one… a sit down dinner at BGP HQ in March with a live Cheltenham preview hosted by all the BGP squad (probs get a jockey there too) and then after, well, have a big old party. See if I can get a DJ involved. Bullish.

Anyway, let’s dive in.

Weekend review

Jonny Burke on fire

Jonathan Burke made Cheltenham his home on Saturday as the Irish-born jockey went two from two, landing a 22/1 double at the home of jumps racing.

His first ride of the day was in the feature race of the weekend as Burke guided GA LAW home in the Paddy Power Gold Cup for the Lambourn-based trainer Jamie Snowden, capitalising off a jolting jump from the Irish-raider FRENCH DYNAMITE to power up the Cheltenham hill – this victory was extra special to a lucky punter who landed a £300k prize through the Tote Scoop6.

Although FRENCH DYNAMITE might have gone closer for Mouse Morris if he had jumped the last, Burke believes that GA LAW was equally unlucky with his jumping around the undulating track.

Less than two hours after, Burke hopped on his second and final horse of the day as he got the leg up on QUEENS GAMBLE, a very impressive winner of the Listed Mares’ Bumper.

This looked very stylish from Oliver Sherwood’s four-year-old, a filly who is going to stick to bumpers this season rather than going over hurdles.

How well did you think QUEENS GAMBLE won yesterday?

The Grade 1-winning pilot completed the weekend with a good second in the Greatwood Hurdle on Sunday onboard the well-backed GIN COCO as three hurdles were dolled off for low sun, something the racing public had issues with – the race was won by the very impressive I LIKE TO MOVE IT off top weight who will now head to the International Hurdle at the December Meeting.

Joseph’s new jumping star?

It wasn’t just GA LAW in the Paddy Power as the headline acts on Saturday, Joseph O’Brien’s BANBRIDGE laid down a marker in the novice chasing division as he bolted up to beat TOMMY’S OSCAR by six lengths in the Grade 2 Arkle Trial.

The Martin Pipe winner jumped beautifully throughout and took lengths out of the opposition over the final two obstacles to pick up £30,000 for connections – JJ Slevin was full of praise post-race.

Currently 16/1 for the Arkle and 12/1 for the Turners, the Faugheen Novice Chase, Racing Post Novice Chase, or Drinmore Novice Chase are being weighed up as the next step for this six-year-old.

More:

Three Challow Hurdles in a row for Nicholls?

On the opening day of the meeting, Paul Nicholls’ HERMES ALLEN took a huge step up from his 27-length Stratford win to make all and collect the Grade 2 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle by nine lengths.

The £350,000 purchase jumped for fun on the good ground and kicked away after the last under a mustard Harry Cobden to show himself as a bright spark in this middle-distance novice division – the five-year-old is 12/1for the Grade 1 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle back at Cheltenham in March.

Where next for the Sir Alex Ferguson-owned horse? It seems a crack at collecting Nicholls’ third consecutive Grade 1 Challow Hurdle is on the cards for this good novice.

More:

Irish shocks at Navan

Both short-priced favourites in Navan’s Grade 2 events were turned over yesterday as HOME BY THE LEE and CAPTAIN GUINNESS sparked surprises.

In the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle, the highlight race of the day, the former produced a career-best to sweep up BOB OLINGER, who was making his first appearance over hurdles in five starts, under a bold ride from JJ Slevin.

35 minutes later, following the late non-runner announcement of FERNY HOLLOW, Henry de Bromhead’s CAPTAIN GUINNESS saw off the odds-on favourite RIVIERE D’ETAL by one length in the Grade 2 Fortria Case.

A crack at the Grade 1 Tingle Creek at Sandown could be on the agenda for him now, a race he was third in last year – this race will not include Dan Skelton’s NUBE NEGRA, who won the Grade 2 Shloer Chase at Cheltenham, as the trainer said he will “definitely” not head to Sandown.

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!

UK Meds has just won the distribution rights to MYRKL and you are the first to hear about it!

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 code: BGP on the UK Meds website and get FREE STANDARD DELIVERY

Exeter bumper

It’s really hard to see past the fave here. He’s got a lovely pedigree and his pilot, Burke, has said he’s in a good place so they’re expecting him to run a big race.

Our view: CARRIGMOORNA ROWAN for win.

Risk on

Todays bets will be posted on Twitter.