It’s not easy trying to type on an Apple Macbook while doing a one man conga in the pitch black up and down the Leopardstown home straight, but certain events call for a celebration, and Le Beau Bai’s win in Tuesday’s Coral Welsh National fits the bill nicely!
Thanks to everyone who’s taken the time to congratulate the team at our stable – it is exactly that, a team effort, especially in a small, tightly knit 30 horse stable, and everyone involved is rightly made up. Happy days!
The only down side to the day was the failure of racecourse security personnel to intercept long time stable hanger on Lord Culcheth from gaining admittance to the winner’s enclosure, where he merrily spent time hobnobbing with the winning connections and giving interviews to the press as if he owned the place, while reports from later in the evening placed him in a bar in nearby Monmouth claiming to be winning jockey Charlie Poste. Shameless.
Since Le Beau Bai hit the bar in the same race two years ago his owners have been patient for an eternity, waiting for their horse to return to form, and the staff at the yard have worked like crazy. Eventually the cogs began to whirr once more (blinkers were fitted) and hey presto….
Next Stop Newcastle’s Eider Chase if the weather plays ball, although the horse in question might have earned a day or two’s relaxation in the field between now and then.
Looking ahead to Wednesday – the feast continues at Leopardstown, and we might have the chance to profit from a minor upset in the Grade 1 Topaz Fort Leney Novice Chase run over 3m at 1.25pm (live on RTE2).
Gigginstown House Stud field three of the nine runners, and are responsible for the two horse dominating the market in the shape of Last Instalment (Philip Fenton) and First Lieutenant (Mouse Morris).
Both are clearly a class act, but the only chinks to be exposed in the armour of Last Instalment have come on drying ground, while a general 6/4 at the time of writing First Lieutenant doesn’t make too much appeal when he has made mistakes in all his four starts over fences, especially last time at Fairyhouse when he pulled up following a catastrophic blunder.
Step forward Willie Mullins’ Allee Garde in the hands of Ruby Walsh.
He could be anything after getting the job done at the first time of asking at Clonmel on his only try over fences, but the ground will definitely suit him, and he’s caught the eye of the handicapper who already has him on 140 (First Lieutenant 141, Last Instalment 145).
Blackstairmountain proved on Monday that a lack of experience in a new discipline needn’t be a hindrance , and Allee Garde looked a natural in Clonmel, plus we know for a fact he stays every inch of the trip.
A little bit of the 6/1 available with Paddy Power might not be the worst thing in the world.
At 2.00pm the stayers go in the woodiesdiy.com Christmas Hurdle, a race in which Mullins can bring up a double with the admirable Mourad.
Effective on a range of ground, he got to within four and half lengths of no less than Big Buck’s at Cheltenham in March, and as a course and distance winner who’s a confirmed stayer he should have too many guns for the mare Voler La Vedette (who beat him last time), – she shapes as though she’ll stay but has been campaigned almost exclusively at shorter trips.
The 6/4 with Ladbrokes is realistic.
Finally, don’t leave without backing Quito!
No, not David Chapman’s six furlong to a mile legend of five years ago, but Aintree Mildmay Novices’ Chase winner Quito De La Roque for Colm Murphy and Davy Russell – he’s unbeaten since going down by a nostril to Bostons Angel (subsequent RSA winner at Cheltenham) in the Fort Leney Novice Chase 12 momths ago, and the giant strides he has made make defeat difficult to envisage.
He lines up in the feature Lexus Chase over 3m at 2.35pm. and ought to take all the beating after posting five wins on the bounce, including taking the scalp of Champion Chase winner Sizing Europe at Down Royal last time.
He’s a class act, and the 15/8 with Hills might be gone soon.
Good luck!
Wednesday’s best bets:
1.25 Leopardstown – Topaz Fort Leney Novice Chase – 1 Allee Garde (win) @ 6/1 (Paddy Power)
2.00 Leopardstown – Woodiesdiy.com Christmas Hurdle – 2 Mourad (win) @ 6/4 (Ladbrokes)
2.35 Leopardstown – Lexus Chase – 6 Quito De La Roque (win) @ 15/8 (William Hill)
