Midnight Game set to complete hat-trick
If he manages to win then that will be something at least, but I’ve a feeling it is going to be a long and lonely couple of days!
Suntiep is now a seven-year-old, but has only run once in his life, arriving late on to take a two miles and three bumper at Limerick.
Truth to tell, I was a trifle surprised he was able to win a bumper. He has schooled well at home and his other strong point is that he seems to stay well. I’m hoping Suntiep can do the business, but can’t really tell you to go backing him.
One horse I feel you should back is Willie’s Midnight Game, in what should be a three-horse affair in a two mile novice hurdle.
Willie has also declared Pickapocketortwo, but he’s in as well at Punchestown today. Midnight Game is beginning to get his act together and has won nicely of late at Thurles and Fairyhouse.
Cause Of Causes and Hisaabaat are good opponents and this will certainly be no cakewalk. But I just think Midnight Game is finally coming to the horse Willie has always believed him to be and can complete the hat-trick.
Willie has one other runner, Wicklow Gold, in the Bumper. On the bare evidence of his sole outing, he’s hard enough to fancy.
Wicklow Gold was a long way back when seventh at Fairyhouse in April, but too much shouldn’t be read into that. He’s already every inch a chaser, is far from flashy, but will keep going.
Willie has plenty of runners at Punchestown today, so let’s have a look at that, starting with Toostrong in the beginners chase.
He’s a fine big horse and chasing was always going to be his game. Toostrong has schooled brilliantly and won’t lack for fitness, having been in for a long time.
Willie hasn’t half set a real poser for Paul Townend by running both Diakali and Dogora in the Grade 3 hurdle for juveniles.
but it cannot have been an easy decision. He rode him to win easily at Gowran Park and was also aboard when Dogora toyed with the opposition at Limerick at Christmas.
These horses are polar opposities. Diakali is flat-bred and much sharper than Dogora. But Dogora is one for the future, is bigger and hardy to boot.
If you put a gun to my head I’d probably side with Diakali, but it could be a much different story say in 12 months time.
Willie’s Champagne Agent is fairly frustrating and hardly a betting proposition in a two-mile maiden hurdle as he always finds at least one too good for him.
He has two of the five in a conditions hurdle, Pickapocketortwo and Sergent Guib’s, and I’d favour the latter, but neither may cope with a race-fit Shrapnel.
Willie’s Rockaboya hasn’t run for 343 days, but has a life in a modest handicap hurdle. He’s in good form at home anyway and Patrick Mullins seems very happy with him.
I’m giving a good chance to three Paul Nicholls horses in England. If I wasn’t suspended then I’d be at Kempton basically to partner Black Thunder in the Lanzarote Hurdle.
I rode him to finish second at Haydock last time, when we got shuffled back and really should have won.
I know he went up a bit in the weights for that, but Harry Derham now takes off 5lbs and I think they’ll deliver.
Buck’s Bond won’t be far away in a three miles plus novice hurdle. He won at Taunton and, I’d imagine, is likely to come on a bundle.
Make a note of Rocky Creek in a novice chase at Warwick. He can win for Daryl Jacob, with this three miles just what he wants.
Just a word about Champagne Fever, who was so disappointing in the Slaney Hurdle at Naas last Sunday.
I’m not exaggerating when I say we were beaten by the second hurdle. Thankfully, they subsequently found a problem, so that was good news.
Marito was tough in the way he held off Mount Benbulben over fences at Naas. This was a decent effort and he will be even better travelling a little further.
I gather the Turf Club is set to make a move against jockeys who put up overweight. As I underststand it the proposal is that jockeys will have to declare the weight they are going to carry well over 24 hours before a race. If, for instance, I am asked to ride a horse at 10-0, then the likelihood is I will declare myself at 10-3. But it is possible I might do 10-2, or even 10-1, on the day. But I will still have to ride the horse at 10-3. What weight you will do on any given day is far from an exact science and I’m totally opposed to this.
