Horse Racing Podcast: The Flat is back

Graham Cunningham, Fran Berry and David Johnson join Matt Brocklebank to reflects on all the recent newslines before looking ahead to what's to come at Doncaster, Kempton and in Ireland this weekend before attention turns to Aintree.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Sporting Life.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
Hello, welcome along to the latest Racing podcast and Matt
rockerback today. I'm joined by David Johnson, Gren Cunningham and
Bran Berry to digest a few of the major developments
on and off the track before we look ahead to
Watson starre at Doncaster, Kempton, the Kura Entry obviously, and
wherever else our esteemed panel want to take it this week.

(00:28):
How are we, fellows? The sun's out in Yorkshire and
there's that magical smell of cut grass in the air.
This isn't a bad old time of year, GC, Is.

Speaker 3 (00:35):
It absolutely morning? All of ever run screen? Well, I agree,
bang on and we all look forward to the jumps
at the start of the season. But the flat is
tantalizing because I don't know about you, fellas I always
think for most of the winter, and it's a very
vague thing to say. I always think they, whoever they are,

(00:57):
know a bit more than me. And because of the
so many differentials involved in flat racing, I think David
will definitely back me up on this. Fran might as well.
I think that sometimes I know a bit more than them.
Now it doesn't always work out perfectly, but that's.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
The wizards out there. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:15):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:16):
The basis for any bit is I think I know
a little bit more than the market here, so hopefully
we can get the ball rolling at Dolly and Kenton,
et cetera this weekend. Good racing in Ireland too.

Speaker 2 (01:26):
I love it. I hope you know a bit more
than them ran after your visit on Monday, was it Monday?
I think yeah. To Ballydyle, you led the line as
the press pack descended on balid. You know they tend
to get a few sort of eye rolls in these
media days, but I guess you you just can't ever
get boreder going to a place like that.

Speaker 5 (01:46):
No or any yard at this time of the year,
but in particular Ballydyal, like any mass the dreams are live,
you know, and in particular with quality and show.

Speaker 4 (01:54):
They're adding a Brian stable.

Speaker 5 (01:56):
You know, there's so many teens to go on, so
many so much strength and depth to the team as well.
Beautiful morning down there as well, and you know, as
I said, the dreams are very much alive.

Speaker 4 (02:06):
You know.

Speaker 5 (02:06):
They see the bunch of two year old phillies he's
had last year, the way they progressed physically looking at
least to turn three. Be interested see how the new
batch of coolmore SyRS do his three year olds, in
particular the Dykes vote in Bassett, and how his three
rold performance perform as well. And I know we're going
to talk about the Line of Winter and a couple

(02:26):
of his coltes later on as well, but it's a
good way to kick off the week. We're in Jessica
Hyden's mon a week as well. She's got a couple
of interesting three roads on show as well, so it's
all beginning to get going out either side of the
Grand National.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
That's it, I suppose, you know. Sticking with Aidan, we
do have to take these early season quotes with a
pinch of salt, GC, don't we? And we did actually
learn a couple of pointers from this, didn't we. The
Lion in Winter like Victoria, I think they're both behind,
unlikely to make newmarket.

Speaker 3 (02:55):
Well let's start with the Lion in Winter. These press
days they serve a really useful purpose of scene setters.
I do miss the days when reporters actually used to
do some digging and get a good line for themselves.
And the Line in Winter line is a good one.
Now I know David's a major fan, so I'll throw
it to him and ask because now I'm concerned this

(03:16):
is also would have been very high in the betting
for a stallion making race that you hearst missed it.
Now he seems likely to miss another major stallion making race,
the two thousand guineas. I'm concerned David and the publicity
tied on this horse has turned in the last seven days,
hasn't it?

Speaker 1 (03:36):
Absolutely? Yeah? You know, the same week is a long
time in politics. Well, it seems to be a long
time in stable tours as well, because I think there
was an at the races one last week where everything
had gone smoothly and the line it went to was
very much in the mix for the two thousand guineas.
But the alarm bells are out after that. Latest updates,
aren't they where? And I think the latest quote is

(03:57):
it's carrying plenty of condition at the moment and might
not make new markets. And I think you've expanded on
a really good point in there.

Speaker 4 (04:03):
GC.

Speaker 1 (04:04):
It wasn't just the Dewhurst he missed, did it? Was it?
And they were initially saying they were going to go
for the Goths million straight after York. So that's three
two targets that he definitely missed one that it sounds
like he is struggling to make. So yeah, in terms
of how good he really did look at York, it
was fantastic. But we need to see him again, don't we?

Speaker 3 (04:25):
Did you actually on Monday?

Speaker 2 (04:28):
Did?

Speaker 4 (04:28):
Yes?

Speaker 5 (04:28):
He was in the string grim he looked, he looked well,
he's a well put together horse.

Speaker 4 (04:33):
He's not overly big, but.

Speaker 5 (04:36):
I just wonder, obviously maybe they need a bit more
time to get and tuned up as well. And he
defied my expectations and he won a coming great style
of York. I thought I was dead against him on
that occasion. Had seven forums and a flat track with
quick ground, given it took all the length of the
final forum at the Corn debut up a hill to
get going and get up late on, albeit as a

(04:57):
stable second string, so whatever gone wrong with him in
the meantime, But had he not run at York, I
would have formally had him down as a Dante Derby
type of horse. So there's a commercial aspect too too
as well. Twain and expanded her both sons of the
sort to coolmore are hoping it's next effectively would in basst,

(05:19):
isn't he? So you know there's that angle. You know,
having a guineas winning three roll by their main star
would be a big plus as well. And obviously the
line of winter being by sea the stars, there's no
real upside to the pedigree as such on the stallion
side at least, so maybe they're going that route.

Speaker 4 (05:34):
But take the a come out of it. I thought
he was all day long.

Speaker 5 (05:36):
And while the quarter mile and a half horse and
a time may tell that they're doing the right thing
by the horse, maybe he's just not quick enough for
the guineas.

Speaker 4 (05:43):
For all that he was quick enough in that a
come at York.

Speaker 3 (05:48):
The other day, I.

Speaker 1 (05:51):
Did.

Speaker 4 (05:52):
He looked well too. He looked well too. They all
looked wild, Grahame, they all looked like they're carrying a
little bit of condition. You know. The the word preseason
a baldly dial. As it often is the case. We're
a little bit behind now.

Speaker 5 (06:02):
He did have ninety horse to work at the Cord
the day after the opening day of the horse season.
I believe done quite a bit of work up there,
and I will bring them on Leftacetown the trials day
and Sunday. I'm sure he'll have a big team there
the post racing our next day, so it'll definitely bring
them on. But Dellacraws is a horse as well. Last
Drum's New Market was off the top of my head.

Speaker 3 (06:21):
You just got beatn in the the old written clost trophy.

Speaker 4 (06:25):
Yes, sorry, excuse me, by hot hell excuse me? Yeah,
yeah he's by.

Speaker 3 (06:31):
Yeah, he's read to be a really good horse and
he's already rated one sixteen p time for him, and
he's not got quite the same buzzer buy him as
a few balied door horse, but I think he's a
potential group one wolf.

Speaker 5 (06:43):
I wouldn't mind seeing a bit of Haggar and I
mean hung quite badly right. A couple occasions at rand
in me but I'd say he was only doing the
minimum with him.

Speaker 2 (06:49):
But yeah, I love it as a winter straight to
the festival. We've got straight to the dancey now, haven't we.
The latest development I'll tell you what from what we
didn't learn on Monday was read here Now City of
Troy heads to Coolmore, Australia, where he'll stand. It stood
for a fear of forty nine five hundreds dollars breaking

(07:11):
news city of Troy to Oz.

Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah, not for good.

Speaker 2 (07:19):
He's headed down. He's popping down under his he Yeah, and.

Speaker 3 (07:22):
Right more is staying down under for a big day
in Australia rather than riding at the Dubai World Cup.
So all change.

Speaker 2 (07:29):
Okay, let's switch over to the Phillies DJ and as
you say, along a long time in racing is a
few days. Seven days we had late Victoria. She went
from I think it was on that the races, was it?
She looks a strong candidate for the one thousand guineas too.
What did we get? I'm not sure she'll make the Guineas,
but we're training her for it. If she doesn't come

(07:50):
in time, she'll go to the cur O the day after.

Speaker 1 (07:55):
Yeah. So it just this is a problem, isn't it
with these horses in this They just see that they
come there or they don't, and it's the perils of
anti post punting. And we just have to see how
things progress over the next couple of weeks, because you know,
there's still quite a long way to the Guineas yet,
isn't There was still sort of over five weeks away,
so there's plenty of time yet a bit more sun

(08:16):
on our backs. Hopefully we'll all get there.

Speaker 3 (08:19):
I'm sure there a spit of this is no, but
is there a chance that Aiden's placing slightly less stall
on two thousand guineas weekend after getting burn? Shall we
say with August roll down in the city of Troy
in the last couple of years because it hasn't gone
well on the first Saturday in May, have it?

Speaker 2 (08:37):
It shouldn't be shocked.

Speaker 1 (08:39):
Well, that's isn't it. And not only that, but these horses,
they're hopefully going to still be having them on the
go for the Breeders' Cup and possibly even out in
Hong Kong and Japan later in the year. That does
seem to be an emerging trend, doesn't it. And if
you're peeking in May, it's very difficult to still be
at that level, isn't it? In November December?

Speaker 3 (08:58):
Time? Lot this stone boy friend. Did you see him,
the printer who's come down for a Royal Ascot assignment?

Speaker 4 (09:08):
Yeah? I did. I got good look at him.

Speaker 5 (09:09):
Obviously he's by Justify and thedn't read about him what
he did in Australia Grain. But he didn't strike you
as a star spangled banner swaz here type sprinter. He's big,
long range unit and a lovely looking type as you'd
expect to, you know, bring him up from the Southern Hemisphere.
There would be a bit of quality about him. But
he didn't look like a pocket rocket. He looked like

(09:29):
a rangey, a big long walk or lovely, lovely way
going when he goes by on the gallops as well.
Be interesting see where he makes out. Aiden said, he's
a lot of speed and they will probably aim him
at sprinting trips, but looking at him physically, you wouldn't
be surprised that should he stretch out as dear goes
on as well. But interesting dynamic to see how it
justifies Southern hemisphere bread one does up here. Of course

(09:52):
they're learning about them as to go, but based on
what we've seen in his Northern Hemisphere horses, it's all
seven four things a mile plus that they tend to
come in.

Speaker 1 (10:00):
Her On obviously got the seventh furlong Group one at
York this year as well, so that.

Speaker 5 (10:04):
Could for that well on a weak division without with
the great respect to the sprinting community. Last year it
was spinner bottle stuff wasn't it Every every day was
a different result.

Speaker 3 (10:15):
Well, I think they in generally that this three year
old crop allied or land wherever. It's very important because
I didn't think the older horses were super deep last year.
So if the three year olds can game up, they're
going to have a you know, a good year up
to June and be on when they start taking on
the older horses. You think bluestocking and smashing Philly. You

(10:35):
know she won the ARC and you know we don't
have City of Troy anymore, et cetera, et cetera. There's
a lot of big races up for grabs this year,
and I think the three year olds should make a
big splash.

Speaker 1 (10:46):
One thing I could do quite a bit heavy listing,
couldn't it for these older horses, which one again probably
gonna have to do a lot of heavy listing.

Speaker 5 (10:56):
I wouldn't get I wouldn't get Joan Bruger, last year's
Leisure winner as well. You know he's four from four
and interesting that just made a tweak in the pattern
program just a group one in France earlier in the
season that he can run in obviously by Kyprios as well,
and be you know he mentioned to hard with for
him trying to you know, make a mile and a
half or throwing the stair as well, but he just

(11:16):
we don't know how good he is today, he had
I think he only does the bare minimum to go
and win his races.

Speaker 2 (11:21):
Speaking the Stay as it was, I just kept reading
that all these horses are out to avoid Kyprios. I
think you mentioned Kitprios in about four or five comments
about some of the other older horses. So obviously he's
doing well and going back for the Gold Cup again.
Just on the Phillies, Fran and I know you love
an out project put it that way. Philly's dreamy was

(11:42):
she She's one that sort of just struck me as
a Philly who might bounce back and you know, really
thrive of a middle distances later in the summer.

Speaker 4 (11:50):
Yeah, and it's a question of where they all fit
in mash.

Speaker 5 (11:52):
Obviously such strength and debck to his Philly's contingent last
year as well, But she's one you'd imagine stepping up
to the mile of quarter mile a half trip would
come into her own physically. Last year she looked like
only your work in progress as well, So there's a
bit to work on there as well. It's very good
to see fairy Godmother back in action. Obviously we haven't
seen her for quite a length of time. She won

(12:14):
that race in the Albany, wasn't at a royal ascott
in such great style late on getting up and he
was very positive about her. It sounded like they may
well try her beyond sprinting trips as well, you know,
and see how she fits in there as well. So
that was an interesting one to take away from that,
where she'll step up and trip but dream is won

(12:34):
that He was very keen on it as well. Or
you think there's definitely upside her as well. And yeah,
bubbling also is worthy of mention as well. No oney,
never filly that won a new market back end of
the year in the rock fell, wasn't it? And he
said that she could step up to the mile and
stay better than most known they nevers?

Speaker 1 (12:54):
Was it much talk about some time story? Do you
remember she? Obviously the potential real storm summer, didn't she?
But the wheels rather came off as others stepped into
the path that she sort of vacated. What were the
vibes about her?

Speaker 5 (13:09):
Yeah, back on track and they tactically got her wrong,
he's saying at the end of the season as well.

Speaker 4 (13:14):
Now she for me, she's got approve that she's you know,
mentally trained on.

Speaker 5 (13:18):
I suppose much Anton David Bouchet, you know, I think
to go and try and and change the tactics with
her holder up needs a sound surface and will be
hopeful that she will be very competitive this season as well.
But I suppose in the back of two below power
runs there will be a question mark was was she
an early season two year old? But her damn Mecca's
Angel did train on as we know, and she's probably
frankly sot of scope. She'll be there, but that fore

(13:40):
gun enthusiasm was probably to her detriment later on last season.

Speaker 2 (13:46):
Okay, let's wrap up some some jockey business GC over
the past week or so. Now we know, we know
social media can be a bit of a tricky tool
at times. It leads us to Neil Callen. He's got
himself in an eight month ban. I'm all right thinking
this is like completely suspended for two years now, because
I think I've seen him books to write something in

(14:07):
the Lincoln on Saturday.

Speaker 3 (14:09):
Oh yeah, it's suspended. Yeah, he's It's an interesting case this.
I know Neil quite well and being reticent is not
in his nature. But he's going to have to put
a Conrad Knight sock in it for the next couple
of years. He really is, because he can't afford, you know,
at this point in his career, he can't afford that

(14:29):
ban the two year band to kick in. I can't
recall exactly what the comments were, and it's not like,
you know, wife beater Joey Barton when he was sued
by Jeremy Vine. All the comments came out about Joey
Barton saying that Jeremy Vine was a big bite nonce

(14:51):
and stuff like that. But we didn't get the comments
reported here, and I believe some of them were directed
in the the root of Tommy mclaun, a Stipe steward, etc.
And I'm a bit uneasy about them imposing this sentence
without saying what was actually said. It's all a bit

(15:13):
behind closed doors. But either way, Neil's going to have
to temper his temper, his annoyance when a steward or
an official or someone in British racing does something that
displeases him. From now it won't come easy for me
of that.

Speaker 1 (15:29):
Just looking at the timelines of it, I think they
reported that some of the comments were made in January
the thirteenth, and then there was a story in the
Racing Post the following day and that was the BA
Sorry the PJA responding and it was comments that he'd
made about the Robbie Dunn Briani Frost case and said

(15:51):
if this was a young male jockey being bully, would
it have got the same attitude, the same attention I
think not exclamation mark hashtags say what everyone else is thinking.
So and obviously at the time he was a PHA
board member, which PJA board member, which I think he
still is at the moment, so I think those were

(16:11):
some of the comments alongside, like you say that the
comments to the steward.

Speaker 3 (16:16):
That's good and fun, but BHA don't take kindly to
stuff like that, and Neil's going to have to say
he's going to have to wind his neck and it's
going to be, you know, it's a bad spell when
something like that hands. And if Liverpool after a bad
week last week, if they had to blow the league
as well, Neil Callen will not be a happy.

Speaker 2 (16:37):
David perhaps you can clear up the latest on the
Nicola Curry received a fairly lengthy suspension. This was on
the back of Well in the interview in the Racing
Post said that she'd been she'd been riding it to
win it all costs, I believe was the slightly grating quote.
And then we had Ryan Maniers very bizarre discrepancy which

(16:58):
saw him sort of apped on the wrist and hit
with an eighty quid. Fine, can you just wrap those
up for us?

Speaker 1 (17:05):
The Ryan Mania one in particular is quite interesting because
it's on the horse mister Incredible, who is one of
those horses that everyone's seen is a proper monkey. He's
got a double squiggle, which, as time forms say, it
means he's so temperamentally unsatisfactory as not to be worth
a rating. But so Rymania went out to ride him

(17:27):
at the weekend, and because mister Incredible is the type
of horse that doesn't respond to a whip, he chose
not to have one at all, which apparently there's a
rule that jockeys almost carry the whip, and obviously not
taking the whip out he was fined eighty pounds for
doing so. But I was just making the point that
when so much of what we've looked at with regarding

(17:49):
the BHA and what they've done with the whip, a
lot of it has been about perception and how people
think about the use of the whip and just the
BHA finding a jockey for going out there not taking
a whip. Almost it's like if the anties see that
he's been fine for not having a whip that he
can go and beat his horse with, it's just not

(18:10):
quite a great look, is it. So it'd be interesting
to see if that does get picked up on. But
Nicola Curry, it's just as we've seen before, these jockeys
that don't necessarily have loads of rides, they're just sort
of really trying to, like you say, win it all costs,
and it's just a case of getting done under the
totting up procedure.

Speaker 3 (18:31):
It's like changing jockey's reaction now. But Nicola, to her credit,
said it's on me. It was my fault. I'll learn
from this. It won't happen again. I was trying to
win it all costs and accept and I do think
the jockeys tend to get it a little more than
they used to rather than just you know giving out
straight away that the rules are an asse, etc. I

(18:53):
think they are by and large riding much more within
the rules than at any point in in our memory.

Speaker 2 (19:02):
Is that that manny, I didn't actually know what that
that that was a rule I No one seemed to
know that was a rule. But speaking of rule changes,
the walkovers, GC, were you actually present for this one
as well? And you know how many have you seen
in your career?

Speaker 4 (19:17):
Now?

Speaker 3 (19:18):
It was less Wednesday. I went down to Hagel and
it was it was a you know, because of the
dry spell. It was a ropie card with very small fields.
But I didn't have anything else to do, and I
did fancy one. In the first race. It was a
three runner race, which became a two. Mine was pulled out.
Then it became a walk over. I watched the walk over.

Speaker 5 (19:40):
Was it?

Speaker 3 (19:40):
Who was it? Was it? Sean quinlan On, the winner,
who gave an ironic salute as he passed the post,
and uh And I went home soon after waste of
an afternoon. But it just again it made me chucker.
We're always talking about the corporate stiffs at the BHA
and what they get up to, and they've put in

(20:01):
a policy whereby you know, walkovers now don't have to
walk or trot past the winning post anymore. Why did
you get on with ensuring there are any walkovers lads,
you know, to try and get some reasonably competitive race
rather than just thinking we're going to have some more walkovers,
let's make it easier for them to walk over, rather

(20:23):
than actually having some horses in a race. But no,
that was a that was a bit of a frustrating
afternoon for a lot of people. Hey, god, last week.
But it sort of feels like every changed David. That
maybe twenty years too late, doesn't it.

Speaker 2 (20:36):
I mean what, it's just.

Speaker 1 (20:40):
Common sense finally catching up, isn't it?

Speaker 3 (20:42):
Ohole idea of having a horse walk over? It's like
Monty Python, isn't it? In other countries it just would
never happen. But it's still a part of the furniture here. Sensational.

Speaker 2 (20:55):
Should we focus on some you know, something that's going
on on the on the race course would feel like
an appropriate time unless GC wants to talk about the
latest sable reports regarding christ money.

Speaker 3 (21:06):
But no, I don't, not really. But they're making statements
about how millions and millions of potential prize money is
being withheld and they are making another veiled threat about
some form of action down the track, So.

Speaker 2 (21:21):
M yeah, straight to the government, I believe. Okay, let's
we'll come to Donnie in a second. But fran I'm
hoping at this dage you might have had a glance
over the entries at Leaperstown. We've got a couple of
group threes, the bally Sacks Steaks. Obviously it's it's early days,
isn't it in the season. But again we've got a
few Brian runners in.

Speaker 4 (21:41):
That, yeah it is. And it's on the first of
a good weekend as well, Matt.

Speaker 5 (21:45):
Obviously the Corras on Saturday Saturday, we've got a good
card there as well. And interesting enough Camille Passara's got
an entry into Leicester Big Gladness Stakes as well. Year
in year out you're seeing Aidan Brien Tree or older
order horse in the early core meetings come up short,
whether it's for fitness not class, and to be interesting
how he performs, you know, he does handle cutting the

(22:06):
ground well anyway at least and where he to pitch
up there he's going to have to take on Hurricane
ivor who aldened up in a handicap last Sunday at
Lace where I'm currently part of sh in this race course,
and he's gonna up fifteen pounds of the waist to
a rating of one hundred and six. So it'll be
interesting how he runs off that. But I don't know
how the handicapper can quantify that. But he definitely didn't

(22:28):
improve fifteen.

Speaker 2 (22:29):
Pounds in eight imagine winners on the day.

Speaker 5 (22:33):
Yeah, exaggerate, exaggerated results. And that Carlbrook has got PortMaster
as well entered in that race. He be interested where
he'd come over as well Group two inner the Core
last July. Well worth watching that glen of stakes as well.
And Aiden has a number of maidens entered at Nace
or the current Saturday. Excuse me that the second third
race that's six for the Maiden Smiling has had the

(22:54):
benefit of two runs. She should be hard to beat
and an un raced one in the fourth race the
seven Forlham Made Evolution, who was the subject of a
positive mention if you like last Monday as well.

Speaker 4 (23:06):
Interesting here that goes.

Speaker 5 (23:07):
And for Lincoln, Irish Lincoln watchers, Randios is going to
be in the English Lincoln apparently on Saturday Indigo five
finished fourth in the Irish equivalent. He's back to around
the bet at the Core on Saturday. He'd be interesting
in that mile race the last race. But you're talking
about Lepardstown. It will be all about the Brian team,
how to perform, how they've done over the winter.

Speaker 4 (23:29):
That bally Sack stakes.

Speaker 5 (23:30):
Looking looking at the opposition to outside of Aidens, it
doesn't look particularly strong. Adrian Murray slash Racing get a
number of entries in it. Carlyne the jet stream very likable.
Philly who's got the benefit of recent race fitness, could
be an interesting one that won this race with a
fifty to one chance last year.

Speaker 4 (23:50):
Shame.

Speaker 5 (23:50):
You have Tom Making all in background as well and
Joseph Brown in a week where intense raffles is the
subject of a lot of media attention.

Speaker 4 (23:59):
Of course ahead of the Grand National. Simon here and
Izak Suade.

Speaker 5 (24:01):
Of Kibrisis there who was very good when he won
and stayed on will despite being green at the back
end of the season at the Kura interests the out
of shape up but the likes Aidan has obviously got.

Speaker 4 (24:11):
Delacron there.

Speaker 5 (24:12):
The Graham was mentioning and he's interesting and in the
Phillies race, the Group three can often be a very
messy race. Seventh and star Lepustown short run to the
first bend, twenty one entries are going to get nearly
a full field can be a lot of hard look stories.
But barnard Arna, trained by Jess Garrington, will be the
most interesting for me to hear to Heaven's Gate when

(24:33):
last scene in group three company. She's a strong traveler
and crucially she's won on both types of.

Speaker 4 (24:39):
Ground where due to get rain here on Friday.

Speaker 5 (24:42):
She'd be interesting taking on the likes of Bubbling, who
will be a standard bear in some respects for ballydland
Is and Shante trained by jar Lions. She looked very
very good when she won an Ars Champions weekend, so
it's a proper flat weekend of race and that we're
going to learn plenty from it, say, but it could
be tough pointing on same front as well the group.

Speaker 3 (25:01):
Three as well. Fran with Scorti Champ, I don't think
he's I think he's going straight for the Guineas. But
in only Matisse and Camille Pisaro both group won When
isn't both ened for that?

Speaker 1 (25:12):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (25:13):
Exactly and they obviously if he splits him up.

Speaker 5 (25:15):
If Henri goes there, he can meet Camille work to
take his chance at the Corra on Saturday against the
other horses that had been an interesting one Scottie Champion.
He's an interesting one lads because whilst he was a
twelve to one chance when he won the National Stakes,
he'd missed the start on his previous star when beating
me on Matise he got out of gates crucially and

(25:35):
the trainer tipped him to All in Sundry. Anyone who
met at the Corra pre race National Stakes said, this
is good to the two year old as I've had
for a long time.

Speaker 4 (25:43):
I think I think he'll win here today.

Speaker 5 (25:46):
I didn't meet him on fortune the day pre race
on him at least, but I know if you meant
it did and it might not have been a freak
result that have looked on the day to some extent.

Speaker 3 (25:55):
Good apologize, Fran. That was the day you met me
and we had a coffee together. You were missing the
price runner.

Speaker 4 (26:02):
We got a free coffee on your grandow's Domating.

Speaker 3 (26:05):
Noticed that when your face appears in that cafe, there
are no bills up here you just get what you.

Speaker 4 (26:15):
I think for a favorable mention.

Speaker 1 (26:19):
Track. The horse running at the Cura or entered at
the Cura on Saturday, is it it's Tommy Stat Is
it Tommy Statt? Now Tommy Stat's dad Fuzzy Stack. Yeah,
he's got that two stars running who I remember reporting
on it at Doncaster when he ran over six absolute

(26:41):
bomb through the race and just ended up getting outstayed
by eye of Dubai. I remember saying that day that
will win races early in the season. Back at the Cura.
You came to hand really well last year, goes well
on testing ground and he's back at five furlongs so
he's ticking plenty of the boxes I was hoping to see.
So that's two stars I think in the two point

(27:02):
thirty at the Court on Saturday two fifteen, keep an
eye out for him.

Speaker 4 (27:07):
Two stars, very very very very good on testing ground, Dave.
You can hang left under pressure.

Speaker 5 (27:14):
That's the close he gets to a rail or stands
around the cord, the biggest chance.

Speaker 2 (27:20):
And just these am like they're fully back in Adrian Murray.
He's like very much just to go to man now
in Island. They're all with him.

Speaker 5 (27:30):
They Yeah, I don't say I believe there's out outside
of maybe a partnership with some al chacab eyearlings that
were bought last year that maybe I think with Donokle Brian,
maybe Joseph Brian as well, and I'm quite sure one
of your Brian's at least Agrian Murray is the trainer
in Ireland.

Speaker 4 (27:49):
They've hit the ground running at Undock matt doing really well.

Speaker 5 (27:53):
But it's something something like the Phony War up there
at that time of the year of February March. You
know you're you're winning maidens and conditions race and world
bred horse as well, that you're going to be taken
on a different level of opposition, but you know they're
bred to be good. A lot of the runners amill
have as well, but and early season race fitness might
account but they've hit the ground running under in good

(28:15):
form at least.

Speaker 2 (28:16):
Yeah, yeah, okay, sure. We have a look at the
Lincoln the william Hill Wink this year, David. It's possibly
not the hottest edition of the race, is it. We've
seen for you know, in the last sort of ten years.
But we've got the usual suspects really in there, haven't
we anything to stand out for you.

Speaker 1 (28:35):
Not really. I mean there's a few of the more
interesting ones that you'd have had on the horizon anti
posts that didn't get declared or confirmed it the cere
out of the race. Becketts perhaps one of the most
notable ones. Yeah, exactly, WHI and as fair. I think
he was a favorite, wasn't he? And I think this

(28:56):
whip Cracker looks quite interesting. He's one that I thought
was still potentially overpriced at around sixteen twenty to one.
Finley marsh already booked on and I thought he shaped
pretty well in the Lincoln Trial at Wolverhampton. I mean
it's a race that has a pretty poor record of
throwing up the winner of the Lincoln itself, but Whipcracker,
he was well back that day, shaped well and ended

(29:19):
up sitting in midfield. It was a race that was
dominated on the front end pretty much symbol of like
definitely got first running in Whipcracker, doing some of his
best work at the finish and obviously off the same
mark with Lincoln being an early closer. I could see
him going well. But you know, the temptation is to

(29:40):
look out for these horses that are going to be
in group races by the middle of the season and
the end of the season, but there probably isn't a
huge amount of them in there this time.

Speaker 2 (29:50):
No, No, Richard hu started this well last year. He
certainly started the season extremely well. GC. We're looking at
still potentially holding ground out we come the weekend and yeah.

Speaker 3 (30:03):
That's a good point. I think it could be good ground.
I'm really pleased about that for the entire meeting. You know,
speed is what you look for in good flat horses,
and I think that should come to the four a
bit more than it sometimes does on this weekend. Those
two horses towards the top of the market, thunder Run
and mid nine Gun, they look dead solid. They're both

(30:24):
lightly erased, already pretty smart and progressive, so no flash
story there. Everybody can see that they've got good chances.
Two of the horses I like to mention was called
mile Nya L. Steph Hollins trains. If he was in
a big yard, he'd be a shorter price. He was
thriving second half of last season. I think he won

(30:45):
four on a run, and I think he might get
a run. You'll be able to check the numbers, but
the horse I'm interested in for this weekend. I think
he may well end up in the Spring Mile rather
than the Lincoln Gents, because he's thirty six on the
list at the moment. His name's Tribal Chief David Mnwissier.
He won the Lincoln a couple of years ago with migration.

(31:05):
This is a different type of horse because he's just
working his way through the handicap ranks at the moment.
But he really progressed in his last two or three
four runs last season, and he's got a turn of foot,
and that tends to be the sign of a handicap
who's still going to get better. So I would say,
of all the horses I've mentioned, keep an eye on
that Tribal Chief. If he sneaks into the Lincoln with

(31:27):
a low weight great, I suspect he won't. If he
runs in the Spring Mile, keep a close eye on him.

Speaker 1 (31:33):
It's an interesting one of Richard Farhe's that he might
run into in the consolation rates. It's Arth Havannah who
absolutely gagged up over seven furlongs at souther last time,
and I was thinking, surely they're going to be looking
to run him quickly under a penalty and rather than
running back at Souther under a penalty the following week.
They've kept him for this early closer. So obviously I

(31:56):
dare say the Lincoln consolation is going to be worth
a few more quidy one first time out on good
ground at Newmarket last year. The question is whether he's
going to be quite as effective over a mile. He's
tended to race up to seven furlongs so far, but
in terms of handicapping point of view, he'll probably go
there with sort of six or seven pounds ahead of

(32:17):
his mark.

Speaker 3 (32:18):
What number is he on the list at the moment, David, He's.

Speaker 1 (32:21):
Sort of way down. He's not going to get in
the Lincoln. So it's very much a case of the consolation.
I think his mark's only eighty eight, whereas I think
you need to be low nineties to be getting into
the Lincoln this year.

Speaker 3 (32:32):
Spring mild forecast then Markavanna and tribal chief, no worries.

Speaker 2 (32:38):
There was another one that might end up in that
race of Artie Watson's Ocean of Dreams.

Speaker 5 (32:43):
It was it was they were Brian Purchase, Yeah, my my,
my Derby besh antipast.

Speaker 2 (32:54):
Well he bolted up in that mad.

Speaker 3 (32:57):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (32:58):
I hardly has going to be an interesting horse boat
this time last year for Hi, it was back to
when after Les Gray might have been three to one
or fifty to one for the Derby. You know, you
take the swing at something a little bit away from
the obvious. Maybe, And when I've seen him entered for
the Ulster Derby instead Yepsen Derby, I knew was in trouble,
so it was.

Speaker 3 (33:17):
Kind of.

Speaker 2 (33:19):
Yeah, it's maybe one later in the season Everland six.

Speaker 4 (33:23):
Very much so. Tony Martin's got a randy but into
the double. I believe he travels.

Speaker 3 (33:27):
And because Tony, Tony seemed a bit skeptical about whether
he was gonna NT, the.

Speaker 5 (33:34):
Chat was that he's likely to go early in the
week at least unless that's changed drying ground, there.

Speaker 4 (33:38):
Would be a concerned Grahame. He'd want yeah, soft in it.

Speaker 5 (33:42):
He's very effective with slow ground in the core was
particularly deep ground where he's won his couple of races.
But ground may be a fact about the intention. I
should talking to Tony last weekend and I know he
tried to book Shamee Foley to go and ride him yesterday.
At least I was taking a running h so but
that what's this Wednesday? Obviously declarations tomorrow Maybe try and
ground would be putting him off traveling.

Speaker 2 (34:04):
He could end up on a lovely wait in the
Lincoln if he does come over and thoughts on the
carriage trophy gents. I see doctor Richard Newlan. He can't
get a national runner candy, but he's got witness Stand
in the cabbage.

Speaker 3 (34:18):
I had a good look at this race this week
and I think the market's probably got it about right
to start with witness Stand, who I think they bought
him for one hundred grand from Tom Clover, who got
a real improvement out of him when he put cheap
pieces on, and they took him to Saudi for that
turf sprint and he got shuffled back then shuffle wide.
But he was beaten a long way, so he's got

(34:40):
a question to answer after that. Marsh Man, who looked
all over the winner in this race last year, looks
really solid. He was gelded and had a wind operation
after a regressing last year, but he's come back on
the old weather with three really really good performances, including
it subt the last time just behind Clarendon House. He's
got the three pound penalty. That's the slight concern, but

(35:02):
he looks the right favorite. James's Delight is a very
very good horse on testing ground. He has one on
good ground at Newmarket last spring, but I wonder whether
he might just get a bit chopped for speed if
if the ground dries out and SpyCatcher. Don't know whether
he'll run. He's Marshman's stable mate, but he's got a
good rating for a race like this, and he does

(35:23):
have a really good record. Fresh Iberian was a really
good two year old. I think he runs, but he
was pretty much all out to beat a ninety rated
horse at Subtle, So I think Burke might hold a key,
possibly with Skycatcher, but probably with Marshman.

Speaker 2 (35:38):
Okay. Interesting on the ground, The last I read was
that they were expecting minimal dry back GC minimal dry back,
so I suspect course officials were thinking very much still
on the softer side of good is defined dry back?

Speaker 4 (35:56):
Oh?

Speaker 2 (35:56):
Is it transpiration?

Speaker 3 (35:58):
Jesus?

Speaker 1 (36:01):
I was surprised it was still good to soft soft
in places this morning. It doesn't appear to have that's
the same going description as what it was Monday morning.
So there's been minimal if any drying out in the
first two.

Speaker 3 (36:12):
Days this week, but it's been in a lot of places.
Can't speak for Donnie, but it's been the driest march
on record, hasn't it, or certainly the dryest marks for
a long long time.

Speaker 2 (36:21):
Okay, the Kempton card David on Saturday isn't to be
sniffed at either the Queen's Prize. This always reminds me
of a board game he used to play called the
Really Nasty Horse Racing Game. Anyone else probably just me.
Anything on the card at Kempton, not really in.

Speaker 1 (36:37):
The Queen's Prize, but I thought the Rosebery was a
really good race and one that Andrew Bolding might hold
the key. He's got a horse that is really effective
under these conditions and I should have probably practiced saying
the horse's name before coming straight to it. But it's
just two messiahs. Fox is just one. Yeah, that's one

(37:03):
of them. But there's a really interesting four year old
as well in this mount Atlas who when a race
at Ascott that worked out extremely well and did well
having come from behind that day beat Insanity that I
think went close to winning. Next time, Table Talk came
out and won the Mailrose. Even the likes of Burdett

(37:24):
Road were in behind that day, and then he absolutely
bombed through a really competitive mile and a half race
at Newmarket. In hindsight, might have been committed for home
a little bit too soon, traded at one point one
four in running and ended up being beaten three and
three quarter lengths by Son God, but was four lengths
clear of the third. He's gone up four pounds, but

(37:47):
I'd just be amazed looking at his profile, his pedigree,
the fact he's been gelded. Everything suggests he should be
a better horse this time around. And he's another Andrew
Bowling horse, Mount Atlas. So yeah, just sometimes we see
some of these horses that have been on the go
in this kind of race or winter, when they meet

(38:08):
these horses that have got proper tough form, they just
get blown out of the way. And Mount Atlas is
one of them that I could see being rated in
the high one tens, sorry low one tens by the
end of the year. So I think a Market ninety
eight is very very workable.

Speaker 3 (38:24):
Also got that Snowdrop Stakes which looks a good Phillies
race listed race. I think at the moment the soprano is.
I think she's even money, but makeers being very defensive.
She had a really good year for George Bowie last season,
but good often looked like they're going to bring back
devaulted Queen, who was absent after King George Day last year.

(38:44):
She was a complete forgive the flop on King George Day,
she was favorite for a pretty good Phillies race and
she went down really, really jarringly at the stalls, and
I'm sure something must have gone wrong. She didn't run
a race and was absent since. But prior to that
she was unbeaten. And when she and that, I think
it was a listed race at the York Dante Meeting,
and she beat Spiritual and a few other really useful Phillies.

(39:07):
She looked pretty good. So and we've got Shiwari coming back.
She hasn't been seen for five hundred and thirty odd
days since she finished second to Yulang Ylang. We'd see
the fire third in the Phillies miles. So, as Franz
said about Leopardstown and the Cura this weekend, there are
you know, there are pattern race horses kicking off hopefully
at Donnie and hopefully at Kempton as well this weekend.

Speaker 2 (39:30):
It's not just the quality, is it. It's just so
refreshing after the winter we've had with some of the
handicaps over the over the jumps, hurdles and fences. To
see the entries, the numbers of horses, it's just like that, is.

Speaker 3 (39:41):
That more people have the chance of winning a really
good race on the flat nowadays. It's it's it's it's
clear for all to see, isn't it.

Speaker 2 (39:50):
Definitely? Yeah, I've got a note here to mention horses
to follow from last season at this point, but I'm
betting quite big here that you can actually recall what
they were.

Speaker 3 (40:00):
Actually, my mine's entered on Sunday at Donnie.

Speaker 2 (40:03):
Oh, there we go. That's why, that's why I've had
a note.

Speaker 3 (40:06):
Yeah, you'll know this horse. It's called Trilby. It's Sam England,
you know, fairly small stable but very canny yard, and
he's had a fair bit of racing, but he is
a really smooth traveling sprint handicapper. And I haven't had
a look at Sunday's race, but I'm sure, really sure
this horse will improve is rating again this time and
that he'll he'll pop up and and win a sprint

(40:28):
handicapper too, So I'll be keeping a close eye on
Trilby Donnie on Sunday. Now I'm not sure whether the
other lads can remember what horse did they put, because
it's quite a while ago at the back end the
last flat season. David, can you recall?

Speaker 1 (40:41):
Yeah, I can. It's a horse called Bona for Tuna,
who doesn't yet hold an entry, but it just looks
a really interesting huss and was trained as a two
year old by Carl Burke and then picked up her
relatively cheaply by Michael appleby one his first two for
that stable, and then didn't quite get home when they
tried him at seven furlongs on his final start of

(41:03):
the year. But that that did actually come in a
really strong race that worked out extremely well. It was
won by north View at Newbury. So I'm not sure
exactly where he's going to end up, Whether it might
be that he didn't quite see out seven furlongs because
he doesn't stay that trip, or whether with another year
on his back, maybe he will be effective at seven.
But either way, back at six certainly it looks like

(41:26):
the kind of horse that should win handicaps. This year,
and I should mention he's also in as My Horse
to Follow in Time Forms of Horses to Follow book,
which I would like to point out is now available
on Amazon and also in the Weatherby's bookshop.

Speaker 3 (41:41):
Nic Frank, have you got another of dreams that?

Speaker 4 (41:46):
Yeah? Yeah, normal normally want problem to try and for
her for some reason, but it's I was looking enough to.

Speaker 5 (41:55):
Contribute to the Time Forum annual as well the Flat
annuals or a Horse to Follow five of them, both
a one from that and the one outside of that.

Speaker 4 (42:04):
William Ullens with a flathorse with a good one.

Speaker 5 (42:07):
He has had a couple of nice three year olds
over the years, but it's mainly staying chasers. But he's
got a Philly called Candleford runs in the Barney Stugcutters
who have had a decent horse of course, with William
Hages and this face from the family of the Philly
that might have won the pretty poly. Off the top
of my head, I just can't remember the breeding, but
on debut Leopardstown it looked like having made up a

(42:29):
lot of ground career, she got up in the dining stride.
I think I called it wrong and Racing TV the
stand sided one, but is a cracking debut effort and
she's very well bred. I think she's interesting. Candleford, it's
definitely stakes Philly in the make, and I think for
the Champions Jumps trainer when he turns attention to the
flat after punch this time maybe and on the end

(42:51):
of Brian team.

Speaker 4 (42:52):
I took a flyer with one of my own the
other day as well.

Speaker 5 (42:55):
Lord Byron Camelot Horse buy out of now you can
family that I've all done very well in middle distances.
Look at a result he was beating seven legs and
debut punches town but I totally shipped way better than
the bear result. Tricky track, sharp track onundulating was all
at sea, but last fallning he really got going and

(43:15):
if you let her video run on, he galloped out
by everything in a strong manner after the line as well.

Speaker 4 (43:21):
So a bit to work on their.

Speaker 5 (43:22):
Lord Barne an interesting one and candle For two wantce
Race Maidens to keep improving hopefully as ear goes on.

Speaker 2 (43:30):
Lovely she's actually a half to Candle for She's called
Candleford Green. I think is that the one for green site.

Speaker 4 (43:35):
Yeah, that's.

Speaker 2 (43:37):
All good. Julie noted fantastic. We're about ten days away
from the Grand National and I've left about six minutes
to wrap. Can you tell I was a light call
up for this week chat? I mean traditionally you generally
get a bit of sort of nationwide excitement at this time.
Do you see Are you feeling it yet?

Speaker 3 (43:56):
No? And that's worrying for me. I'm thinking more generally,
lots of newspaper column inches and podcasts have been devoted
to that question recently. Has the Grand National lost its essence?
Not even a question for mine. I'll look at the
TV figures. I think last year six point one million

(44:20):
was a record low for the modern era. Channel four's
final National in twenty sixteen was nine point six That's
a massive drop off when you consider that ITV is
a bigger channel with the bigger reach than Channel four.
And there are many many reasons for this, many many reasons,
but there's no question that it first of all adds.

(44:42):
It depends how you define essence. What is its essence?

Speaker 4 (44:46):
To me?

Speaker 3 (44:46):
The nationals essence is it's the ultimate test of jumping,
stamina and courage, and it's not that anymore when you
can see and if we jump alike Iron Maximus part
right on the inside. What used to be all the
brave man's route hardly takes off with the chair doesn't
lose an out of momentum and wins like you could
go around again. So it's a very very different race.

(45:09):
And I understand, I absolutely understand the drive for increased safety.
I get it completely.

Speaker 2 (45:17):
It's not going back, is it.

Speaker 3 (45:18):
Sorry no, no, So I get it completely. But has
the National lost its essence? It's not even a debate,
is it.

Speaker 1 (45:27):
I think GC sums it up well and I share
very similar views. It's like, yes, you can see why
it's changed, but it has taken something away from the
excitement to the race. For the likes of me and
GC and you know, us die hards for want of
a better phrase, that have been looking at races like
the National for the last twenty thirty years or so.

Speaker 3 (45:50):
It's there's a reason why people congregate on the Benz
at Formula one races. They like danger. They like danger.
So and the other thing for me is I've said
it before and I won't I won't grow on the
point from as a media person, I don't want to
ride with the narrative of no horse Diyes triumph, one
horse Diyes disaster. I can't be doing with that, so

(46:12):
I cannot wait for entry. There are so many real
good talking points and high quality races to wait for,
but the National is not not the race it used
to be, and people are vaulting with the remote controlled.

Speaker 2 (46:25):
As punters. We sort of just have to adapt, don't
we and approach it from a from a slightly different angle.
Interesting obviously the debate around you know, owners, trainers, three
runners max per trainer and what struck me there was
you know Willi Mullins was only allowed three runners. I
don't think the horse that I think has a good

(46:46):
chance would actually be in the lineup, it's one of them.

Speaker 3 (46:50):
But also again David touched on a good point about
things that aren't going to happen. That's one I guarantee
you that swe because penalizing successes, as Greg would point,
is not waiting for a sport to go on, and
it would absolutely open the door to switch a use
four weeks, five weeks, six weeks before the race itself.
That's not going to happen. But what do you think

(47:11):
about this, lads? This mister van Goll is an interesting
test case because he is the type of horse who
really enlivens a race like the National. Very small, stable,
giant Brontosaurus look alike horse thriving with three big stained
winds in the mud and now no question he's earned
a rating to get into the National. But because the

(47:33):
weights were framed before he won, that utoks at her.
He can't run now the BHA and we all bag
them in various different ways. They are not known for
imagination in their race planning, etc. This is a strong
case for saying, if you've improved to a mark that
would get you into the race, into the top thirty

(47:55):
four by race day, you're in. That is something that
is achievable. That's something I would favor. What do you think?

Speaker 1 (48:02):
Yeah, I'd say something similarly. If you've improved to a
racing that would get you in the race, if you
want to run off that new rating, you should be
allowed to. So I think mister Vango is narrated one
five two, isn't he which would get him in? If
they want to take up that option and essume the
fact that he would be potentially well handicapped, well, it's
no use being well handicapped if you can't get in.

(48:24):
Is it so if they wanted to run off one
fifty two, I would let them.

Speaker 3 (48:28):
There's a lot of unintended consequences, isn't it field to
thirty four that keeps horses like mister Vangle out. You
make the fences much easier, that brings in a different
type of horse. Therefore, evolve, react and make one or
two tweaks here and there that get certain horses in.
That would would really, you know, enliven the race. What

(48:51):
do you think, raight?

Speaker 5 (48:53):
I think a winn in your instructions to age gold
Green maybe to you know, and that hopefully will increase
competition through the year as well. We know what's with
the sky by Eber to an extent on a smaller level,
I'm in the flat pattern committee here in Ireland and
obviously try to boost the Irish Derby. We've gone that
route or race course by advisement has gone that route

(49:14):
and the more that the better, you know, it gives
people a more incentive on a day to be involved
in the finish of particular when you're dealing with handicap
marks of a race. The you talks you talks to
The Midlands National has a lot of memories for me.
Dad trained Lawyer's boat win it back in nineteen ninety two,
was it the rain arrived first time Blinkers he bombed

(49:35):
out and the knure on the Tuesday at chelt them
and they were brought them on to he talks to
her and you know he ended up in the Grand
National by that traditional route and finished third party politics
that year as well. So I think that them races,
if you had winning, you're in for the lights of
Midlands National. The Cheltham Race is a lepus town chase.

(49:56):
Whatever you want to mix into it and make them winning,
you're in race for Nationally. It can only strength competition
to get into the National via one race effectively and.

Speaker 4 (50:04):
Maybe boost the quality and competition of them races. So
I think they're going to win win.

Speaker 5 (50:08):
All round and hopefully that land today you know they
you know somebody like a small stable like mister Vango
getting into the race, but he'd be getting to race
also as a horst that's informed going into the race,
so that I think that would be an important one
as well.

Speaker 2 (50:22):
Just looking at the National then this year on potentially
drying ground, just very very briefly a quick spin what's
top of the shortlist.

Speaker 4 (50:30):
Ran Perceval Legal. I just think when a stable is
on a roll.

Speaker 5 (50:37):
Now he's put people out of houses over the years
because he was back for every big handy cap going
and he was placed.

Speaker 4 (50:44):
He couldn't win, but it all came good from it.

Speaker 5 (50:47):
In the Paddy Purchase Christmas back over hurls he bolted
up in the Part Times Qualifier, wasn't it at.

Speaker 4 (50:52):
Irish Dobin Race and festival.

Speaker 5 (50:55):
Excuse me of back over hurls and his back over
fences and with the new dimensions of a treat the
way he travels never totally be good enough for National,
but he's going there in great form. And Grahame you noticed, David,
you notice when a stable like Gavin Cromwell is on
a road the way success can build. Henry bram I
thinking him three years ago, four years ago, came out Cheltenham,
Minelando went our Times.

Speaker 4 (51:16):
Went and done it. You know.

Speaker 5 (51:17):
So there is a there is an effect there going
into spring festivals. And I just have a feeling personal
and could be the one, but say, yeah, we've been testing.

Speaker 2 (51:25):
What do you think he's got a few Cromwell, yeah,
you can see why he thinks he doesn't need I
know your where you're thinking as well, can't you when
you see what hand that he might be able.

Speaker 1 (51:36):
But I haven't got any strong views. I've got an
anti post bet on Highland, who I thought shout pretty
well in what used to be the Racing Post Trophy
at Kempton. He ran second in the group the grade
one there over Christmas to the Ben Poling Coast who
missed the rest of the season, and in the castouts
Star just a different profile to a lot of these.

(51:58):
Is obviously just a novice, but jump soundly likely to
be up with the pace, but he might run pretty well.
I think he needs one or two still to come out,
but he'd like to think he'd get in.

Speaker 3 (52:11):
So yeah, Highland is the one touch with Noble Yates,
a very lightly raced horse for a National horse a
couple of years ago. Do you find it Well, we
obviously find it relatively easy to find the winner. But
do you find it you must approach it from a
very different standpoint than the way you used to.

Speaker 2 (52:32):
Yeah, I mean with Noble Yates it was I mean
friends touched up on it there. It was a time
where Emmat Mullins was doing things differently. If someone was
going to rewrite that rule around a seven year old
and around a novice and a right right lightly raised
horse like that, it was going to be him. I

(52:53):
think you have to approach it totally differently. In terms
of the jumping, it was referred to fairly recently, as
you know, like one of the biggest almost like a
staying handicap hurdle, and you know that second circuit really
is it really does resemble that kind of race, doesn't it.
Just looking at some of the entries now and there

(53:16):
is one horse where I thought if he was in
he was in the j P McManus Colors, his price
would be a heck of a lot shorter. And he's
running similar sort of races to some of you know,
I know the way you're thinking. I'm looking at Minela
Cocoona who's obviously running the grade ones all this season,
and he's just one of those horses who's he's running

(53:37):
the saddles, he ran in the Irish Gold Cup and
then he's running the Bobby Joe. You know, he's running
the strong strong trial races and he's had a very
quiet season with a view to peaking again. In the spring.
I'm absolutely certain of that, considering a he came good
late doors last year in the Bet three six five
the Gold Cup at Sandown, where he won by a neck,

(53:58):
and I think he was probably valued for a good
bit more there. I love Danny Mullins. This horse really
does want good ground. And like I say, if he
was if he was owned by J. P. MA Manors,
I think this horse popping around the back in the
in the saddles and the Irish Cold Cup, he would
be a lot shorter and you're getting twenty five to
one across the board. But yeah, you do have to
approach the race very differently. I'm obviously glad that I

(54:21):
know the way you're thinking isn't running, because he'd have
he'd have won easily.

Speaker 3 (54:27):
Did you.

Speaker 1 (54:30):
Not really anything?

Speaker 3 (54:31):
No?

Speaker 2 (54:32):
Sorry, sorry Graham. It was I was after I was
after a top three ground nothing.

Speaker 3 (54:39):
I couldn't name more than half an honestly I couldn't.
All right, let me come to do it, but I'll
do it from my own in the last couple of days.
It's it's not it's just it's not exciting me in
the way it used to. You know, when I see
a four and a quarter mile handicapped chase and about
eighteen runners have a chance turning for home and there

(54:59):
is Evan in a line jumping the last. That's too
hard for me, it's.

Speaker 2 (55:04):
Just too hard. That's brilliant, and I'll come to you
for Constitution Hill. Then the odds on to beat well,
I mean, we don't really know what's going to line
up here, do we? But we could see losty Mauth,
we could see Bright and Day's ahead as well. So
what do we expect here?

Speaker 3 (55:19):
Well, the big grade ones entry like being really intriguing
this year and fingers crossed we see Constitution Hill, lossy
Mouth and Bright Today's ahead. That would be, you know,
a hell of an entry hurdle, it really would And
Patrick Mullens seemed to be king the blue touch paper
for that clash, didn't he. There isn't a great morning entry,
so they can't. They can't do a switcher rooo, so

(55:42):
that would be great. I'm really looking forward to seeing
great Awning in the entry bowl. I know he only
won a small field race at Kelstone, but the spring
in his jumping is absolutely tremendous and I think that
type of jumping on those over those stiff fences on
the mild made course. It really can, it really can
reap dividend. So I can't wait to see him. Colwill

(56:03):
Potter another bold Grave front runner. I've got one to
mention for the hunter Chase, which is upset since you
thought you'd never say Fran'll know this horse, remembering well
from his Jesse Harrington day, his lifetime ambition. I had
a touch. I went for a touch in the National
Corrack National and he was absolutely loving it when a

(56:25):
loose horse got in his way at the ninth, very
very early. But he's held his own very well in
hunter chases for his new yard. He's won a couple
of points recently and I could see him being a
real prime player in the hunter Chase on the Thursday.

Speaker 2 (56:38):
I think, sorry, yeah, a word on a word on
him if you want. And then Gordon Elliott, he kind
of He basically skipped the Dublin Racing Festival and went
all in on chant And which obviously was a struggle
until breaking his duck in the very last race. He
looks like he might have a strong hand here at again.

Speaker 4 (57:01):
Yeah, i'd say potentially.

Speaker 5 (57:02):
I suppose there's one thing to bear in mind, Matt
it's a entries a week earlier than normal this year
in comparison was it to last year's festival and.

Speaker 4 (57:10):
Easter being a bit later.

Speaker 5 (57:11):
You do have the opption of Fairhouse, which in turn
obviously rolls on two punches time it gets big congested
in late April and stand down as well. But I'd
imagine Goardney's a great success the last last year, and
with Willie Mullen's not chasing the Trainers Championship maybe to
point what is one point two million behind Dan Skelton
and present, he needed a really good anterest getting contention,

(57:32):
so you'd respect the led team and they go there
as well. Just with the timing of Easter and the
earlier Areer entry meeting that maybe I would affect some
horse round of Cheldham as well, but the horses are
definitely informed. Goardon what he had six winners last Monday,
twenty five percent of his horse Chelton were in the
first four just one of them weeks. But interesting what

(57:55):
he does next year as the Guards Dublin Race Festival
and how they approached the rest of the year. But
I was also at the launch of the Irish Grand
National Yester lads, and obviously I'm Maximus heads up the weights.
You'd have to think if he goes to Entry, he
won't be there as well, so it's going to be
a ten or eleven pounds rising the weights.

Speaker 4 (58:14):
But I know knowledge if he's running.

Speaker 5 (58:17):
But after doing my conquerors on him a cheltenman in
and lucky manner Johnny who one farm is still going
one farm is still going fourteen to one him as
we speak for the Irish National, I think I'd take
my chance at him with that given, given the form
of that race, to promise of it, and in fact
John Jannil has won an Irish National twice in the past.

Speaker 2 (58:38):
Shut the front door was that there's the Grand National
as well and Butler's cabin Yet lovely stuff. What a way,
What a way to finish? What's a way to finish?
Your time has beaten us unfortunately our chats for this week,
but thanks to our team, thanks for your views this week,
thanks for listening wherever you may be out there, be
lucky this week and this weekend we'll be back, no

(59:01):
doubt with a deeper dive into the Grand National, where
GC will share his Grand National one two three around
this time next week, but bye for now. Thanks for listening.

Speaker 1 (59:12):
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