Review of the day

I don’t want it to sound like sour grapes - but the state of the ground is driving me mad at the moment !   

Having gone through weeks where it has been softer than I expected, because of late rain: we’ve now had 2 days when conditions have been quicker than I expected, due to no rain !

Kempton was riding quicker than I expected yesterday: and it was the same today, at both Newbury and Leopardstown.

This game is hard enough without having to hit a moving target !

2 of todays tips were selected because I expected them to be running in near bottom-less conditions - but that just wasn’t the case….

Anyway…!!

Suffice to say it ended up a blank day - and the state of the ground didn’t help !

The first tip to run was Chozen - and I would have had no issue with quick ground for him.
He also got an uncontested lead - so the fact he ended up finishing last, has to be considered disappointing !

I guess he may have needed the run - but more likely, he simply wasn’t good enough.

Indy Five was the next tip to run - and ultimately he wasn’t good enough either - but my, how he tried !

Again, the ground wouldn’t have been an issue for him - but having to sit in behind Strong Pursuit in the early stages, wouldn’t have helped.

I was hoping that he might get an uncontested lead, allowing Gavin Sheehan to set his own fractions - but that’s not how it panned out.

All the same, he managed to see off Strong Pursuit - and turning in, looked to have every chance.
However the favourite, Copperhead was cruising in behind.

I still hope that Indy Fives sound jumping might put the favourite under pressure - but that’s not how it worked out and ultimately it was Indy Five who payed the price with a crashing fall at the last, when trying to match the favourite.

He really didn’t deserve that.
He might not have won - but he was certainly the second best horse in the race.

Kateson was the final tip at Newbury - and I tipped him mainly because I expected soft ground.

I felt the writing was on the wall before the race started - and sure enough, he never really looked comfortable, at the back of the field.
He plugged on to take a distant fifth in the closing stages - and I guess his mark will be adjusted down as a consequence.
We’ll just have to hope we can get him on another - more suitable - day…

It was a similar story with Anabale Fly at Leopardstown.
I watched the racing there yesterday, and the ground looked borderline heavy.

However, a drying wind did its job today - and the official going description was change to ‘Yielding - with good places’.
You couldn’t make it up !

Suffice to say, that was no good for Anabale Fly, who simply doesn’t have the pace to stay with top class chasers over 3 miles.
Again, we’ll have to hope for another day with him.

Redhotfillypeppers was the only other tip on the day - and she ran a weird race.
Turning for home, she looked to be going very easily - and almost touched even money in-running.

However, within a few strides she was going nowhere - and ended up well beaten.
Maybe she has a breathing issue - I really don’t know.
Suffice to say won’t be as keen to give her another chance…

As for the Mentions:

Then Sevarano was another one who seemed to get caught out by the relatively quick ground at Newbury. He briefly threatened to get involved - but then decided against it !
I also thought that Thyme Hill struggled a bit in conditions - and it was simply his class that got him home in front.
Finally, Apples Jade turned back the clock at Leopardstown and was a convincing winner in her first time blinkers.
She was a weak 3/1 shot when I issued the write-up - but was sent off a very well backed 6/4 jt fav.
It’s funny how often that kind of thing happens…

TVB.