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Punchestown 2014 tips/talk/gossip

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13

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    #62
    BumperD
    Registered Users Posts: 5,681 ✭✭✭BumperD


    Motivator wrote: »
    Just look at Galway for complete & utter garbage racing. Worst standard of racing Ive ever seen.

    51 races back to back at the end of July. What do you expect, 51 group races along with a few heritage handicaps to book end the week? The pattern race race calendar is already full.

    As regard the standard, the 2yr old races do produce the odd top notcher. The bumpers and novice hurdles likewise but they would be in the minority simply by the sheer volume of races crammed in.


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    #63
    lors1
    Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭lors1


    Hi All
    Just a quick question for all of you 'in the know'

    Am bringing the kids to the family fun day on Sat and as per Derby day in the Curragh, I was hoping to bring a picnic with us. However the tickets make reference to not being allowed to bring your own food. Surely this can't be right, the Curragh have never had any problem, once there's no alcohol in basket. No info on punchestown site

    Just wondering if any of you have any knowledge of this?

    Thanks


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    #64
    Hulk Hands
    Registered Users Posts: 6,013 ✭✭✭Hulk Hands


    Motivator wrote: »
    Just look at Galway for complete & utter garbage racing. Worst standard of racing Ive ever seen.

    How? Is it worse than kilbeggan, roscommon, tramore, sligo etc etc on any any normal day? The racing is below top class but better than the majority of Irish racing. You could say it gets to much coverage alright, but demand dictates supply


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    #65
    UrbanSea
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,335 ✭✭✭✭UrbanSea


    Hulk Hands wrote: »
    How? Is it worse than kilbeggan, roscommon, tramore, sligo etc etc on any any normal day? The racing is below top class but better than the majority of Irish racing. You could say it gets to much coverage alright, but demand dictates supply

    None of them come close to the money on offer at Galway. The quality of racing for the prize money is shocking


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    #66
    kfallon
    Registered Users Posts: 25,775 ✭✭✭✭kfallon


    lors1 wrote: »
    Hi All
    Just a quick question for all of you 'in the know'

    Am bringing the kids to the family fun day on Sat and as per Derby day in the Curragh, I was hoping to bring a picnic with us. However the tickets make reference to not being allowed to bring your own food. Surely this can't be right, the Curragh have never had any problem, once there's no alcohol in basket. No info on punchestown site

    Just wondering if any of you have any knowledge of this?

    Thanks

    Wouldn't surprise me, they'll want you to bring the family and fleece you :rolleyes:

    Over the last 3-4 years I have stopped going racing almost completely. Price of food and refreshments is a complete rip off. Plus if it's a 7 race card I find I'm only interested in 3 or 4 races so you can spend the guts of an hour twiddling your thumbs if there's 2 handicaps in a row.

    Family fun day indeed.....til you look in your wallet after you leave


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    #67
    BumperD
    Registered Users Posts: 5,681 ✭✭✭BumperD


    lors1 wrote: »
    Hi All
    Just a quick question for all of you 'in the know'

    Am bringing the kids to the family fun day on Sat and as per Derby day in the Curragh, I was hoping to bring a picnic with us. However the tickets make reference to not being allowed to bring your own food. Surely this can't be right, the Curragh have never had any problem, once there's no alcohol in basket. No info on punchestown site

    Just wondering if any of you have any knowledge of this?

    Thanks

    Not sure. Give them a call tomorrow morning. Last time I was there the tented village took up most of the open space. Today it looked packed so not sure if there is space for a picnic. If not, then they should set aside an area imo as today looked a cracker after a few years of wash outs.


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    #68
    Harry Angstrom
    Registered Users Posts: 19,351 ✭✭✭✭Harry Angstrom


    Evens Quevega with Paddy Power is a cracking bet for the Stayers'. She's got nothing to beat. Should be around 4/7, I reckon.


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    #69
    Gavin "shels"
    Registered Users Posts: 17,963 ✭✭✭✭Gavin "shels"


    Harry Angstrom wrote: »
    Evens Quevega with Paddy Power is a cracking bet for the Stayers'. She's got nothing to beat. Should be around 4/7, I reckon.

    6/5 last night with Bet365! Made for a nice double with Faugheen at 4/5.


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    #70
    UrbanSea
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,335 ✭✭✭✭UrbanSea


    Not sure I'd want to be balls balls deep in Quevega. 25lbs superior and beat Glen's Melody under a length last time.


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    #71
    abarkie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,559 ✭✭✭abarkie


    madmoose wrote: »
    Flying over tomorrow for this, cant wait for the experience. How much is a pint at the track at punch?

    €5.30 for a Guinness today

    €4.40 in kavanaghs in mass next to post office / boylesports by bus stop


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    #72
    jimjamcos
    Registered Users Posts: 4,224 ✭✭✭jimjamcos


    UrbanSea wrote: »
    Not sure I'd want to be balls balls deep in Quevega. 25lbs superior and beat Glen's Melody under a length last time.

    Think the Cheltenham Mares race is on the sharp side for her these days. Fully expect her to improve, like she did last year, for the extra distance at Punchestown.


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    #73
    UrbanSea
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,335 ✭✭✭✭UrbanSea


    When I was 17 went to the races once with a bag on my back that wasn't checked, had a rake of cans in it bought one pint at the track and went into a cubicle in the jacks every time to fill up my pint :pac: Wouldn't do it now though


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    #74
    wicklowwonder
    Registered Users Posts: 1,504 ✭✭✭wicklowwonder


    Won tickets with Setanta today for Saturday. Looking forward to seeing Annie Power. Has anyone ever got the Marathon Sports up and down from the city? Does it take long? Thinking on getting it and having a few pints. Bringing the OH too, she isn't a big racing fan so hopefully she will enjoy the shopping and craic.


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    #75
    Harry Angstrom
    Registered Users Posts: 19,351 ✭✭✭✭Harry Angstrom


    UrbanSea wrote: »
    Not sure I'd want to be balls balls deep in Quevega. 25lbs superior and beat Glen's Melody under a length last time.

    She always seems to run a lot better at Punchestown than she does at Cheltenham. She's only got At Fishers Cross to beat, and she should easily take care of him.


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    #76
    Motivator
    Registered Users Posts: 2,750 ✭✭✭Motivator


    Hulk Hands wrote: »
    How? Is it worse than kilbeggan, roscommon, tramore, sligo etc etc on any any normal day? The racing is below top class but better than the majority of Irish racing. You could say it gets to much coverage alright, but demand dictates supply

    It's worse because it's hyped up to the extreme. I hate the in your face marketing & advertising done every year by the media. A 7 day meeting is far too much, take 3 days off the week & leave it at 4 days & the racing would be someway watchable/backable. Too much rubbish everyday.

    The likes of Tramore, Kilbeggan & Sligo are much more enjoyable meetings in my opinion. Proper bog standard irish racing except you don't have thousands of pissed up gombeens shouting & roaring in your ears like you do in Galway.


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    #77
    NaiveMelodies
    Registered Users Posts: 3,172 ✭✭✭NaiveMelodies


    That bumper tomorrow looks set to be an absolute cracker! Nearly tempted by the 14s about Kilulltagh but I will resist, my form this year in all the big festivals has been nothing short of an embarassment.


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    #78
    Gavin "shels"
    Registered Users Posts: 17,963 ✭✭✭✭Gavin "shels"


    wicklowwonder wrote: »
    Won tickets with Setanta today for Saturday. Looking forward to seeing Annie Power. Has anyone ever got the Marathon Sports up and down from the city? Does it take long? Thinking on getting it and having a few pints. Bringing the OH too, she isn't a big racing fan so hopefully she will enjoy the shopping and craic.

    I got it last year, it's grand but I'd recommend getting on Aston Quay (it was Dawson St last year) and it was fairly busy.


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    #79
    Gregk961
    Registered Users Posts: 1,135 ✭✭✭Gregk961


    Motivator wrote: »
    It's worse because it's hyped up to the extreme. I hate the in your face marketing & advertising done every year by the media. A 7 day meeting is far too much, take 3 days off the week & leave it at 4 days & the racing would be someway watchable/backable. Too much rubbish everyday.

    The likes of Tramore, Kilbeggan & Sligo are much more enjoyable meetings in my opinion. Proper bog standard irish racing except you don't have thousands of pissed up gombeens shouting & roaring in your ears like you do in Galway.

    I think it rightly deserves all the attention it gets, a week full of racing/music/culture/fashion/guinness from warm plastic cups- all in Irelands finest city.

    The racing is pretty poor but I dont think anybody pretends its anything but that. Lisdoonvarna hosts Irelands biggest dating festival but its hardly packed with 6ft blondes.

    The festival is also a week long bonanza for the west of Ireland that keeps many people ticking over financially well into the depression of winter.

    And besides the more races the better just more Weld horses to rake the money in on ;-)


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    #80
    Johner
    Registered Users Posts: 21,625 ✭✭✭✭Johner


    Champion Hurdle line up is,

    Jezki
    Hurricane Fly
    Steps To Freedom

    That's just ****ing fantastic. :rolleyes:


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    #81
    UrbanSea
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,335 ✭✭✭✭UrbanSea


    Johner wrote: »
    Champion Hurdle line up is,

    Jezki
    Hurricane Fly
    Steps To Freedom

    That's just ****ing fantastic. :rolleyes:
    What an absolute joke


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    #82
    BumperD
    Registered Users Posts: 5,681 ✭✭✭BumperD


    For the prize money on offer, that line up is a disgrace :).

    I'd take a Galway Hurdle with 20 runners anyday over that.


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    #83
    ste2010
    Registered Users Posts: 2,817 ✭✭✭ste2010


    Mother of Jesus jezki is going to get smashed


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    #84
    mdwexford
    Registered Users Posts: 11,274 ✭✭✭✭mdwexford


    Really is an embarrassment.

    English trainers should be ashamed of themselves with the prize money on offer.


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    #85
    Hulk Hands
    Registered Users Posts: 6,013 ✭✭✭Hulk Hands


    Motivator wrote: »
    Just look at Galway for complete & utter garbage racing. Worst standard of racing Ive ever seen.
    Motivator wrote: »
    It's worse because it's hyped up to the extreme. I hate the in your face marketing & advertising done every year by the media. A 7 day meeting is far too much, take 3 days off the week & leave it at 4 days & the racing would be someway watchable/backable. Too much rubbish everyday.

    The likes of Tramore, Kilbeggan & Sligo are much more enjoyable meetings in my opinion. Proper bog standard irish racing except you don't have thousands of pissed up gombeens shouting & roaring in your ears like you do in Galway.

    Nice contradiction there.

    If you take the festival for what it is, an excuse to go on the beer in Galway for a week, then you'll have a great time. If you cant get past poor racing to prizemoney, then either ignore it or start writing letters to trainers asking why they wont send decent horses. You can hardly expect HRI to pull the plug when its the most attended meeting by an absolute mile.


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    #86
    Colonel Sanders
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,669 ✭✭✭Colonel Sanders


    mdwexford wrote: »
    Really is an embarrassment.

    Every day it gets harder to take Irish racing seriously


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    #87
    BumperD
    Registered Users Posts: 5,681 ✭✭✭BumperD


    I know we've strayed off topic but one must remember (as I pointed out already) Galway festival lands at the end of July. That is outside the NH season & as a consequence, you may as well pretty much strip out the best NH horses from any chance of competing at Galways summer festival save for summer jumpers or horses campaigned for a summer campaign. You get the odd Grd 1 NH horse (carlingford lough yesterday ) winning both in summer & in the true NH season (Oct-Apr) but they are few and far between. So that limits the quality of pony turning up at half the 51 races on offer. The remaining races are set aside for flat horses, but a tight undulating oval would not be mosts cup of tea. In any case, there are no pattern races on offer worth mentioning. So you have handicaps/nurseries/maiden etc. It is what it is. I'm delighted the prize money on offer is so big (HRI ploughed back the money they made at Galway into the facilities and prizemoney at the festival, where it was generated, and they keep getting a return on their money - long may that continue).

    Back on topic, great to see punchestown crowds back up again. The course looked excellent yesterday & after the nightmare weather of the last few fesitvals, I hope they draw a monster crowd this week (despite the poor showing for the champion hurdle :pac:)


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    #88
    cson
    Registered Users Posts: 14,404 ✭✭✭✭cson


    Prize money in the CH goes all the way down to 6th (4th = 8k, 5th = 6k, 6th = 4k). Bit mental that trainers wouldn't throw a half decent sort in, as it stands you'd be picking up 8k if you just got around which is more than your average 1st Prize Money for most hurdle races in this country.


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    #89
    GAA_PUNTER
    Registered Users Posts: 110 ✭✭GAA_PUNTER


    Patrick Mullins seems to not really fancy any of the runners today - will it be like yesterday and they get a big outsider in the bumper - audio is here


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    #90
    kfallon
    Registered Users Posts: 25,775 ✭✭✭✭kfallon


    Johner wrote: »
    Champion Hurdle line up is,

    Jezki
    Hurricane Fly
    Steps To Freedom

    That's just ****ing fantastic. :rolleyes:

    Tbh going by the big Hurdle races in Ireland this year we are really only missing Captain Cee Bee from the line up.....I mean Our Conor can't turn up :(

    Really is a joke tho!


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    #91
    RichieLawlor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,873 ✭✭✭RichieLawlor


    Mullins normally runs Zaidpour and Thousand stars and yokes like that to pick up the training fees


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