I'm not normally one that goes for novel events in racing but I have to say, the Irish Champions Weekend is a great idea. There's around 10 Group races across the cards today and tomorrow at Leopardstown and the Curragh and it's great to see the likes of Australia at Leopardstown tonight. Irish racing is among the best in the world at times so I hope to get to see as much of it live as I can. Britain also has the St Leger today so we've plenty to look forward to.
Anyway, here's today's Irish Independent article:
True greats like Australia are a real treat for
Irish racegoers
BACK
in the mid 90s, I was sitting watching Bret ‘ The Hitman’ Hart smash a chair
over Stone Cold Steve Austin’s head on the tele one Sunday morning, when my
late father threw my coat at me and told me to come up to Leopardstown if I
wanted to see some real entertainment.
The
‘ People’s Champion’ Danoli had been declared for The Hennessy Gold Cup and
although I was only sixteen, I knew that the chance to see some real racing
greats doesn’t come around too often. So on a cold February morning, we made
our way up to the racecourse with a f lask of hot whiskey in tow to keep us
warm on the five-mile stroll from Ballybrack.
The
betting ring was busy and Imperial Call looked the one to beat at even-money.
But when push came to shove in the last mile, Danoli just kept on giving and
outstayed Jodami to win by one and-a-half lengths at 6/1. My father commented
on how well Danoli had travelled, and the advertising executives from Toyota
cars must have agreed, as they launched a billboard campaign just a couple of
weeks later with the slogan ‘In a perfect world, we’d all travel as sweetly as
Danoli’.
Leopardstown
has seen some proper legends cross the line over the years and Dubliners are in
for a real treat this evening as Australia, which travels just as
sweetly on the f lat as Danoli did over jumps, goes to post for this evening’s
Irish Champion Stakes (6.50) as part of the newly established Irish Champions
Weekend.
Famously
described by Aidan O’Brien as the best he’s ever trained, I foolishly opposed
the dual Derby winner a couple of times this season in the hope that he’d been
overhyped but there’s no doubt about it, the son of Galileo and Ouija Board is
the real deal. He’ll probably go off in the region of 1/3 so from a betting
point of view, it’s mostly a non- event although there are never any
certainties in this game and it’s worth remembering that his dam was beaten in
this race at 11/4 in 2006, while his sire shocked all of us when losing at 4/11
in 2001.
Across
the water, Kingston Hill’s St Leger bid (3.50) was thrown into doubt on
Thursday when trainer Roger Varian said he may not head to Doncaster
if the ground ends up fast due to a lack of watering. In my view, Varian has
become a bit too precious at this stage and racing journalist Paul Haigh was
right a number of years ago when he suggested that ‘ firm-ground horses should
have rights too’ after Ascot watered unnecessarily.
If
he does race, he’s likely to be short around 11/4 and preference is for John
Gosden’s Romsdal, which was trading around 5/1 yesterday evening. Third in the Derby behind Australia and Kingston Hill, he was
disappointing in the King George but he’s been touted as a Leger horse for some
time now and the step up to a mile and six should suit him well.
EACH-WAY
GREAT
St Wilfrid winner Out Do is back in action for this afternoon’s Ladbrokes
Portland Handicap (2.40 Doncaster), a race
which is always extremely competitive.
The
David O’Meara trained fiveyear- old overcame traffic problems at Ripon in a
first time visor and eventually won handy enough - but the handicapper has left
him some room for improvement raising his mark just 3lbs to 97.
He’s
rarely out of the frame and at 10/1 this afternoon, he’s entitled to go close.
DO THE DOUBLE
RACING
AIDAN
O’Brien’s TAPESTRY should prove hard to beat at 13/8 in the Group One Coolmore
Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes at Leopardstown (5.45).
She
flopped in the 1,000 Guineas
but there was obviously something amiss and she’s since proved her worth when
beating 1/5 favourite Taghrooda in the Yorkshire Oaks. Rizeena is likely to
follow her home.
SOCCER
BOTH
Arsenal and Manchester City have had slow enough starts to the season with the
former notching up just one win from three games and the latter putting in a
very poor 90 minutes when beaten 1-0 by Stoke.
The
pair meet this afternoon but when you take recent form into account, it’s very
difficult to strongly fancy either side and BACKING THE DRAW looks the most
attractive option here at 13/5.
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