Tuesday 23rd March - Clonmel

FiftyP

All the racing today is over jumps and on RacingTV.

12.30 Huntingdon
1.15 Weatherby
2.12 Taunton
2.30 Clonmel

FiftyP

Again, don't follow me in any of the races. I'm still blindly feeling my way about the different meets, races, goings, distances and horses. If you do use this for anything, maybe just use it to look at a particular horse in a race, and then tell me how foolish I am.

Clonmel
2.30
This is a case of really looking for a horse that’ll defy its past performances. My Manekineko is an old horse, but won on Sunday in Downpatrick, can it have recovered this quickly? Will its age grant it some bit of headstrong stamina? Ardamir has been raced on the flat, not doing much. That’s some indicator, and the horse might like the shake up of the return to hurdles, especially after it’s done better after a break. Beyond the law has raced in slightly higher prized races, and not done well, but equally not done terribly, with some ok results. The 18/19 season it seemed to do ok over fences, and then got sick of them. Maybe not? Tiger Twenty Two has had some good results, but doesn’t like softer ground. You Can’t Catch Me, going back a few years, has some great results in poor races, but hasn’t had that form for a while, but is still hammered by the handicapper. I think this is between Tiger Twenty Two who’s carrying the lowest weight, and might find that helps on the ground, or My Manekineko, who’s actually done something recently.

Update: My Manekineko withdrawn.

Tiger Twenty Two 8/1 ew 3 places

3.00
Another poor looking race, lots of also rans. Clarabello has a lot of people tipping it, but its results really show its struggled in poor racing, over a similar trip and on similar ground. First Touch is another tipped, but it’s been mixed up between P2Ps, chases and hurdles, and has never quite had pace finishing out a race. It’s difficult to look past Direct Fire with Jordan Gainford, one of the few, even if the RP is saying it might not like the shorter trip, with some ability to have pace at the end of a race. This race could be run quickly, but I can’t see any horse with the ability to finish out the race quickly. Call Me Merry looks to be improving, and might be one of the few with pace, but that was with a lot less weight in its previous race. I don’t know why but I have a soft spot for Presenting Bonnie. It looks like a horse that’s really struggling, and might not last too long. This should be an interesting race to watch for tactics, but no horse really stands out. Direct Fire if you want a favourite, Call Me Merry if you want something drifting, Presenting Bonnie needs to find something.

Direct Fire 7/2

3.32
What might be an interesting race after almost a day of maidens yesterday. Boherlug should stand from a bit of experience on the 5th March, over two weeks is enough time to really test it again, interesting that it was bought after its last (and first) race. Envious Editor has never had a win, but it’s been pitched at this type of ground and these distances the whole time, a 4/5 favourite but upset can come from elsewhere in the race if horses run to their best or improve. Close enough is a five year old with one race, and that was a fourth by only 6 3/4 lengths, where it raced freely and didn’t have enough at the end. The jockey might know more now, whether it has enough to beat Envious Editor is a big question, if it does then it’s a horse that might have some ability around Ireland. Fongs Way is the one I’d watch. A complete gamble, never really got there on the flat,
and in its one hurdle race it was over 100 lengths back. It might be tough to do anything on a return after six months, but it could prove itself here, even if its drifting severely in the market.

Fongs Way 25/1 ew 3 places
Close Enough 12/1 ew 3 places

4.05
Added Bonus is at 2/1 but I’m not sure it’ll carry the weight. Shantou Sisu, what seems like a local to Clonmel, didn’t like fences, but does much better over hurdles. The question is can another horse beat out that familiarity, especially given it doesn’t have an issue carrying the weight, plus has a 7lb claim from the jockey. Still Alive seems to do better on its second run out, which the trainers appreciate, its never run perfectly but if it does it has a chance.

Shantou Sisu 11/2

4.35
Hello On Earth has led in its two chases, then tailed off. They were on soft/heavy ground and it might be able to keep the lead with Jordan Gainford claiming 7 and the slightly drier ground. It’s been backed from 7/1 to 5/1 so you have to think it has a chance. Sil Ver Klass is the 3/1 second favourite, but its races (on slightly heavier ground) it was beaten by horses that jumped badly and were generally poor. Maybe people are looking at potential but I can’t see this. Carrigeen Lactuca has been backed from 33/1 to 16/1. A poor sixth on its last chase, but it was on yielding ground and it looked like it needed a slower pace, seeing as it showed a bit of speed with a few fences to go. The shorter distance should help as well. I think this is Hell On Earth’s race, with Carrigeen Lactuca who might find something, and something on its debut or second chase race might do decently.

Hell On Earth 5/1
Carrigeen Lactuca 16/1 ew 3 places

5.05
Not sure what kind of race this’ll be Robin Des Foret is deserved favourite, and probably getting a taste of running in preparation. Line Out is poor after returning from a break, but looks like the only one who can beat Robin Des Foret. Westerner Point likes longer distances but for me it’s fighting with Line Out for second.

GillLebowski

3:00 looks a very very very poor race... I found First Touch interesting because of that, point winner, fell in last point when apparently had every chance of winning... Hasn't done much, finished about as far away from the winner in his last race as everyone else in the field... I'd imagine 2 and a half to 3 mile is more his trip but considering how poor all the rest of the horses here are I'd give him a chance of plugging on into a place or hopefully a win...

FiftyP

GillLebowski wrote: »

3:00 looks a very very very poor race... I found First Touch interesting because of that, point winner, fell in last point when apparently had every chance of winning... Hasn't done much, finished about as far away from the winner in his last race as everyone else in the field... I'd imagine 2 and a half to 3 mile is more his trip but considering how poor all the rest of the horses here are I'd give him a chance of plugging on into a place or hopefully a win...

Good shout. It was an awful race to watch. And apart from the 5.05 race today looks a very poor card in Clonmel. The first two races have been fairly awful to look at, anyway. This has the feel of something that'd be targeted by a few canny small time trainers to get their owners the excitement of a win, or a good showing.

GillLebowski

FiftyP wrote: »

Good shout. It was an awful race to watch. And apart from the 5.05 race today looks a very poor card in Clonmel. The first two races have been fairly awful to look at, anyway. This has the feel of something that'd be targeted by a few canny small time trainers to get their owners the excitement of a win, or a good showing.

Yeah, some poor maiden hurdles here alright... But then again, you need these races too...

I can't touch anything at the top of this market either... Another poor race at 3:32, I'm finiding it tough to decide between Close Enough or Porky Rush E/W... Only a neck between them in their last race with a few points in the betting separating them... Tough to separate them on that, Close Enough might have came back to Porky Rush on account of the ground, but seeing as it's a small bit better today, not much, and that was his first start I'll back him E/W and a speculative shot on Cromwell's at a huge price :pac:

FiftyP

GillLebowski wrote: »

Yeah, some poor maiden hurdles here alright... But then again, you need these races too...

I can't touch anything at the top of this market either... Another poor race at 3:32, I'm finiding it tough to decide between Close Enough or Porky Rush E/W... Only a neck between them in their last race with a few points in the betting separating them... Tough to separate them on that, Close Enough might have came back to Porky Rush on account of the ground, but seeing as it's a small bit better today, not much, and that was his first start I'll back him E/W and a speculative shot on Cromwell's at a huge price :pac:

Bundled himself through the last (second last?) on the run in. You'd like to tell yourself if he'd jumped that better he'd have come on for the place, but I think it was a sign the horse was gassed.

GillLebowski

FiftyP wrote: »

Bundled himself through the last (second last?) on the run in. You'd like to tell yourself if he'd jumped that better he'd have come on for the place, but I think it was a sign the horse was gassed.

Yeah.. Seems a bit heavier than soft there and I'd imagine he might do well in another poor maiden on better ground... The two of them nearly finished beside each other again and Porky Rush didn't seem to hate it as much as Close Enough for me so I won't be looking at him ever again...

Simon Torrens and Jordan Gainford are riding out of their skin lately though.. Nice to see some more claimers coming through. Although Torrens has been around a few years he really seems to be coming good now.

FiftyP

GillLebowski wrote: »

Simon Torrens and Jordan Gainford are riding out of their skin lately though.. Nice to see some more claimers coming through. Although Torrens has been around a few years he really seems to be coming good now.

There's some seriously good young riders coming through, enough to make you question why the more middling trainers are giving rides on horses that might have something to offer to journeymen jockeys when you could take a chance on some of the younger guys who might get more out of the horse. You could even build up a bit of a relationship. It's as though they don't want to take a chance on a young jockey cocking up (and maybe sometime doing it with style) when you can get a guy who'll guarantee a fifth or sixth, anywhere from 12 to 25 lengths down, but won't ever get the best out of a horse. It's like they need the nearly-theres as evidence they're capable rather than going all out and picking up a few better places.

GillLebowski

No real interest at all in the 4:05 but going to have minimum E/W on Afternoonwithsusan at 33/1... So many of these horses have form behind Quarry Lil and so does this horse... At his price compared to the others like Joeswayornoway and Still Alive who also finished behind it, especially comparing the weights, I'm siding with this one... Hasn't completed a round yet but I'm hoping it gets round and sticks on for a place...

GillLebowski

FiftyP wrote: »

There's some seriously good young riders coming through, enough to make you question why the more middling trainers are giving rides on horses that might have something to offer to journeymen jockeys when you could take a chance on some of the younger guys who might get more out of the horse. You could even build up a bit of a relationship. It's as though they don't want to take a chance on a young jockey cocking up (and maybe sometime doing it with style) when you can get a guy who'll guarantee a fifth or sixth, anywhere from 12 to 25 lengths down, but won't ever get the best out of a horse. It's like they need the nearly-theres as evidence they're capable rather than going all out and picking up a few better places.

I dunno... One of the claimers in the last sent his horse way out in front and burnt the legs off him... Then again, on the other hand another 7lb'er won the race :pac:

I think it just depends on how they want their horses to be ridden, if they know a jockey is able to ride like that, I can't see them taking a risk on a young claimer. Let somebody else give them the experience before you jock them up And in fairness, we're blessed with great 'journeymen' jockeys here who if they went abroad would probably be top jockeys in fairness.. When you look at the top UK jockeys and it's littered with Irishmen it just shows the quality we have :cool:

FiftyP

Awful day of racing, nothing to get really excited about. Maybe First Touch in the 3.00 is worth a watch, but not for the other horses. Maybe Tipping Away in the 3.32.

First Touch if you're only going to watch one.