All Things Horseracing

Big news breaking this morning that Michael O' Leary's Gigginstown operation have split with Willie Mullins and are taking all 60 of their horses out of his yard. Ironically enough the dispute was over fees, though a spokesman denied rumours that Willie tried to charge O'Leary for using the loo at Closutton.

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URoy do you think its a coincidence that this happening coincides with the beginning of an investigation into unusual betting patterns around the with-drawl of Faugheen from Cheltenhem earlier this year???

Think it is just a coincidence, have no reason to think they're connected.

Rumour that Don Poli is one of 15 horses en route to Henry De Bromhead, who himself lost a load of horses a few weeks back when Alan Potts took his string out of the yard.

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I think judging but what O'Leary said he still wants his horses with Mullins but won't pay the increase but seems to be hoping Mullins will reduce his price.

O'Leary is a stubborn business man too and was probably trying to force Mullins hand but he wouldn't give in.

Mullins is said to be the most expensive trainer around as it is. He probably feels he's worth it given his record but the actual costs of training a horse shouldn't really be any different from one trainer to another, so maybe O' Leary felt he was taking the piss with this increase.

Back by popular demand (ie two people here asked for it), it’s the Jumps Racing thread! Been about 5 years since I did this here and I’ve changed my betting approach a bit in that time. Back then I’d only bet on graded races and whilst anything I’d post on them here would still be my own work, I couldn’t help notice from listening to podcasts etc that certain tipsters were well worth following for handicaps etc. One angle that has worked for me in recent years is backing graded horses (or horses I felt had proven they were of that class in handicaps) in handicap races, even off top weight. So I will be sprinkling them in with my selections.

I always post my selections with a stake on a point scale of 1-5 and I’d advise any of you betting to have a similar staking plan. 1 point may be 50 cent or €500* for you but the principle should remain the same - bet proportionally and don’t go chasing losses by backing more horses than you’d intended (free bets acquired during the day excepted of course). And the Golden rule in all of this - never bet more thna you can afford to lose. It’s supposed to be a bit of fun, if you have financial problems then the rollercoaster ride of a betting account isn’t the solution.

Not going to get into a debate here on the morality of gambling etc. Everyone has their own views on it and that’s fine, if it’s not for you, then may I suggest not reading a thread entitled ‘All Things Horseracing’ and leave us degenerates to it.

Anyway, on to today. The card at Wincanton has for some years been used by Paul Nicholls as a stage to unleash his fully tuned up string of stable stars with a vengeance. Unfortunately that hasn’t gone unnoticed by the bookies, so while he may do so again today, they’re taking few chances with their prices. One that might still represent a bit of value is Eglantine Du Seuil in the Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (1.50). She won the Mares’ Novice Hurdle for Wille Mullins at Cheltenham in 2019 and ran very well without winning in graded races thereafter. Last season went somewhat awry for her but it was noticeable all those runs were on softer ground. Owner Jared Sullivan has switched his entire string to Paul Nicholls, who gave her a wind op in the summer, which suggests her breathing may also have been hampering her last season. She does have to concede weight all round here, but useful claimer Bryan Carver at least takes of 5 pounds and she may prove the only truly graded performer in the field. At 5/1, she’s worth a punt.

Over at Aintree, you could make a case for at least 4 in the 2 ½ mile hurdle (2.40) and the market reflects that with 3 horses wedged in between the 5/2 to 3/1 marks vying for favouritism. All have their flaws but of them I think Call Me Lord makes the most appeal in this type of race. He gets outclassed at Grade 1 level but is effective against his peers and is arguably the only one of the market principles with gears. Ch’tibello heads the market and is weighted to win but I’ve got the impression a strongly run 2 miles is more his bag. Despite his chancy jumping, Summerville Boy is certainly capable of winning but I sense he wants a greater test of stamina than 2 and half miles on a flat track will present.

1.50 Wincanton - Eglantine Du Seuil 1 pt win @ 5/1 (Paddy Power, Bet365, Betfair Sportsbook) 2.40 Aintree - Call Me Lord 2 pt win @ 3/1 (Paddy Power, Bet365, Skybet, Betfair Sportsbook)

• Obviously don't go putting 500 quid on a horse unless you're a) absolutely loaded and b) really know what you're doing!

1.50 Wincanton - Eglantine Du Seuil 1 pt win @ 5/1 (Paddy Power, Bet365, Betfair Sportsbook) 2.40 Aintree - Call Me Lord 2 pt win @ 3/1 (Paddy Power, Bet365, Skybet, Betfair Sportsbook)

No joy with either of those.

The writing was on the wall for Eglantine down the back straight. She plugged on but was beaten a long way out in truth. She may come on for the run and it's the sort of run connections will probably be reasonably happy with but that's no use to us.

Harder to make excuses for Call Me Lord. To my eye, he had the race run to suit, as they didn't seem to be setting much of a pace out front. But just when we needed him to get motoring and take advantage of his superior turn of foot, he went out like a light. He may well come on for the run too but that also applies to everything that finished ahead of him. It's likely we'll see most of these reoppose in what used to be the Bula Hurdle at the December Cheltenham meeting which Call Me Lord won last season, but unless he gets a big swing in the weights, I see no reason why he should reverse form with the winner tbh, especially as the new course at Cheltenham will be much more to Summerville Boy's liking.

2020/21 Season Staked: 3 points Return: 0 points Balance: -3 points

Day 1 of the Open meeting (or Paddy Power meeting) at Cheltenham and three days of decent racing ahead.

It kicks off with a Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at 1.15, the sort of race I’d normally avoid. However I’ve found Paul Kealy to be one of the best judges of such contests around and he has made Induno his NAP of the day here. His trainer, David Pipe, has won this race four times over the last 9 years and he seems to target this race with his best handicapped hurdler in that range. At around 2/1, he’s as short as I’d ever punt but he looks to have it all in his favour.

Highlight of the day for me will be the rematch of dual Grand National hero Tiger Roll with his conqueror in the Cross Country last March, Easysland. The French raider was undoubtedly impressive then but his margin of victory was probably exaggerated by Tigger struggling in the testing ground. Back on Good ground today I think it’ll be a whole lot closer. Whilst Tigger’s recent flat outing was nothing to write home about, Elliott reckons it blew away a lot of cobwebs. He’s at pains to point out that his main targets will be in the Spring but he has surprised them before with his forwardness when popping up to win the Boyne Hurdle at 25/1 a couple of seasons back. At 5/1, I think he has reached a backable price to take revenge. Hon the Tigger!

1.15 Cheltenham: Induno - 2 pt win @ 3.1 (Betfair Exchange) 3.00 Cheltenham: Tiger Roll – 1 pt win @ 5/1 (Betfair Sportsbook)

No dice.

Induno ran pretty well and looked to be coming to mount a challenge from off the pace but with the benefit of hindsight, this wasn’t a race in which it paid to be held up. They appeared to be going a decent enough gallop but the fact the finish was fought out between two horses always near the head of affairs suggests that may have been misleading.

Tiger Roll was pulled up and cut a sad sight. He usually goes around those banks with a zest but looked like he didn’t want to know from very early on. Elliott and Gigginstown have a big call on their hands now, unless they can sweeten him up at home they may have to conclude that the horse is telling them he’s had enough of this racing lark. Owes neither his connections nor the racing public anything if that’s the case, but it would be awfully anticlimactic if such a sparkling career were to end on that whimper.

2020/21 Season Staked: 6 points Return: 0 points Balance: -6 points