Equinties - weekend review

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Gm Equinauts

In what was a crazy weekend of racing, the only horse we really liked was BREWIN'UPASTORM who couldnt even manage the first hurdle.

I'm pretty sure it was the white hurdle that caused him to spook - he'd probably never seen one before. (I personally think Bowen should have sat it but in fairness to him, he was sitting on such a pro horse, I'm sure it took him by surprise).

An apology from BGP if you expected winners this weekend but we thought we'd be one and done with him.

A little hard to take after what happened with Adam Wedge on LIBBERTY HUNTER earlier in the week...but that's racing.

Anyway, back to it. Let's dive in.

Headline Roundup

The world's best?

John Sadler's FLIGHTLINE shook the racing world on Saturday as he made it a perfect six from six in the Gr1 Breeders' Cup Classic.

The four-year-old by TAPIT set frighteningly quick sectionals alongside LIFE IS GOOD and kicked away from the bend to produce one of the best performances ever seen on a racetrack.

As expected, this sent Racing Twitter into an absolute meltdown.

Despite calls for this superstar to remain in training next year, connections have decided to retire him to stud and he will stand at Lane's End Farms.

I was trying to work out how much he'd need to be insured for should he run again... and the numbers quickly got way too big.

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Appleby vs O'Brien

Charlie Appleby and Aidan O'Brien remained at three winners a piece by the time this year's Breeders' Cup came to an end on Saturday as the two top operations lead a British & Irish charge over in Keeneland.

Following MISCHIEF MAGIC's win in the Juvenile Turf on Friday, MEDITATE levelled the scores an hour later in the Juvenile Fillies Turf under the guidance of Ryan Moore - she was extremely well-backed before the off and is now a 7/1 poke for the 1000 Guineas at Epsom.

This victory began a three-race hot streak for the 'Master of Ballydoyle' as VICTORIA ROAD valiantly denied Godolphin's SILVER KNOTT in the Juvenile Turf on Friday before TUESDAY waltzed past the field in the Filly & Mare Turf at 17.50 on Saturday. Bastard - I thought SILVER KNOTT was a banker!

A late double from Godolphin's number one trainer saw the boys in blue leave America smiling as MODERN GAMES justified favouritism in the Mile and REBEL'S ROMANCE, his second-string in the race, handed James Doyle his first Breeders' Cup victory in the Turf.

Throughout all of the turf races at this year's Breeders' Cup, only one non-Godolphin/Ballydoyle horse picked up success - that horse was CARAVEL for Qatar Racing in the Sprint, a race that saw CREATIVE FORCE finish a staying-on third. Woof!

Nicholls is on fire

No one can stop Paul Nicholls atm. The Ditcheat-based trainer is on fire and this form only continued over the weekend as he banged in nine victories between Friday and Sunday.

The personal highlight of these came in the Badger Beer at Wincanton as FRODON picked up his first handicap success over two years under the gallant Bryony Frost.

Following a final fence mistake from LORD ACCORD, the ten-year-old fought off late pressure to secure his 19th victory under rules, a truly remarkable achievement.

Open Grade 1 company seems to be next on the agenda for the people's horse as Nicholls said FRODON will head straight to the King George on Boxing Day, a race he is 25/1 for.

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Elsewhere at Wincanton, much to our annoyance at BGP, KNAPPERS HILL received big market support before the start of the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle and justified his joint-favouritism in good style.

In the same colours as FRODON, the six-year-old denied SCEAU ROYAL of his fourth win in the race by making all under Harry Cobden to add to Nicholls' day.

As mentioned in the preview, that was SCEAU ROYAL'S 'Cheltenham' but the 11yo simply couldn't keep up with the younger legs. A metaphorical passing of the torch perhaps?

The Aintree Hurdle is the "ultimate aim" for him going forward, though a stab at the Fighting Fifth is not off the cards.

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These two wins came a day after GREANETEEN's win in the Grade 2 Haldon Gold Cup off top-weight - he had been targeted for the race, yet again showing how good of a target trainer Paul Nicholls is, and the Tingle Creek look like the next target.

ENVOI ALLEN IS BACK

ENVOI ALLEN, once hailed as the 'next big thing' in horse racing, made his way back to the winner's enclosure on Saturday as he took the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Chase in emphatic style.

As big as 8/1 at the forfeit stage on Tuesday, Henry de Bromhead's eight-year-old was heavily gamble and went off the 7/2 second favourite to beat KEMBOY and CONFLATED - GALVIN, the 5/6 favourite, finished nowhere.

This wasn't just a big win for the horse (his first 'proper' Grade 1 victory in two years as we aren't counting his Grade 1 victory at Leopardstown at Christmas in a three-runner race), it was a huge win for the stable and everyone connected following the recent events surrounding Henry de Bromhead's son, Jack.

Where next for ENVOI ALLEN? The King George looks like the obvious option, a contest he is 20/1 for, but Robbie Power said after the race: "That opens up plenty of options - you’d have to think down that line [of the Cheltenham Gold Cup]. We’ll get him home and see how he is after that."

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Risk On

Risk on

Redemption bet pending.