Is anybody else keen with pleasure for Irish Champions Weekend?
🌿👉https://t.co/RvlyFPONpx pic.twitter.com/vFLl6pju9M
— Leopardstown RC (@LeopardstownRC) September 8, 2023
Throughout each the UK and Eire, there are 14 Group-level contests throughout three tracks, seven of that are Group 1s in addition to aggressive handicaps just like the Previous Borough Cup at Haydock, Lavassa Stakes at Ascot, and the Pentingo at Leopardstown.
That’s an insane amount of high quality that horse racing followers must be licking their lips for.
With that in thoughts – although undoubtedly with out the identical worldwide degree of anticipation – I’ve three horses to contemplate for Saturday with a bonus column for Sunday’s motion probably within the works.
So, let’s not delay anymore and get onto the matter at hand.
3:10 Ascot – Gallant Lion @ 5/1 with William Hill – 2pt Win
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As any follower of me on social media is aware of, I’m a sucker for Tony Carroll-trained horses.
Whether or not they’re strolling across the parade ring forward of a 0-50 Labeled Stakes at Brighton or competing in a aggressive handicap round Wolverhampton, at the very least certainly one of my eyes is all the time on them.
Returning tomorrow…
GALLANT LION goes for a five-timer within the £100,000 Lavazza Stakes (3:10) @Ascot on Saturday.
Huge day for the @AWCarrollracing staff with @OsborneSaffie again within the saddle.
Go effectively, GL! 🦁 @itvracing | @AtTheRaces pic.twitter.com/IW0N02hb5W
— Ash Symonds Journalism (@ASymondsJourno) September 8, 2023
Fortunately, this season has been an pleasing one for the Mill Home Racing trustworthy and it might get even higher on Saturday if Gallant Lion obliges within the Lavazza Stakes at Ascot.
The three-year-old by the late Roaring Lion has been within the tracker ever since my interview with Tony in April the place the skilled coach gave a pleasant – although not gushing – phrase for him forward of his three-year-old marketing campaign.
“We purchased him on the Horses In Coaching gross sales and he’s a pleasant, sound horse who was gelded by his earlier coach, Mr Bell.”
Possibly the Brighton specialist was retaining his playing cards near his chest as a result of the gorgeous gray has gained 4 races in a row at 4 completely different tracks below 4 completely different jockeys on three various floor situations, most not too long ago at Windsor within the Racing League.
We’ve waited some time for a horse like Gallant Lion.
Yesterday at Windsor was a really big day, enormous congrats to TC and everybody related to him.
Properly-loved by all – he’s a pleasure to have within the yard. ❤️@AWCarrollracing | @RacingLeagueUK pic.twitter.com/PailtEJxn4
— Ash Symonds Journalism (@ASymondsJourno) August 18, 2023
The handicapper rewarded connections with simply three kilos for his neck victory over The Whipmaster, a probably lenient view as he needed to do the arduous work from the entrance and was a gutsy winner.
Though a drop of rain might probably profit his probabilities, the gelding has gained on good-to-firm twice and a take a look at his pedigree (Roaring Lion out of a Lando mare) wouldn’t instantly recommend that smooth floor is a necessity.
My complete coronary heart shall be wishing Gallant Lion residence at Ascot tomorrow and with good motive because the 5-1-shot has an excellent probability to make it 5 from 5.
3:25 Kempton – Seven Questions @ 8/1 with BetVictor – 1pt EW
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Away from Ascot and over on the all-weather, the Group 3 Sirenia Stakes is a race that, though not all the time, can produce a good horse.
Mischief Magic was profitable 12 months in the past on the street to ending fourth within the Group 1 Center Park Stakes earlier than his Group 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Dash success, so there may be some respectable heritage to this six-furlong occasion.
Textbook come-from-behind experience from Pat Dobbs, who sweeps clear aboard @godolphin’s 11-5f Mischief Magic within the @unibet-sponsored Sirenia Stakes @kemptonparkrace
Dobbs has now gained the Group 3 3 times (Elnawin, 2008; Brown Sugar 2013) pic.twitter.com/nPqCCL4ag6
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 3, 2022
Though this yr’s renewal doesn’t look classic on first viewing, the race might arrange for Seven Questions below Callum Shepherd.
The Kodiac two-year-old has been a busy gelding this season thanks to 6 observe appearances and three victories for George Scott.
In all three of his wins, the £58,000 buy was spectacular on the attention over each 5 and 6 furlongs on alternating floor situations.
Because the age-old stereotype goes, good horses win on any floor and the skilled juvenile is a beautiful galloper when there may be open air to take action.
Nevertheless, he was unable to indicate this trait final day out at Ripon within the Listed Two Yrs Previous Trophy Stakes when third behind the well-fancied Process Power.
Heading in the right direction all day however good to see the@whichbookieuk greatest wager, TASK FORCE, oblige at Ripon. ⛳️
Spectacular efficiency contemplating he nonetheless has to mentally mature after simply two outings on the observe.
SEVEN QUESTIONS the one to place within the tracker.pic.twitter.com/40HNBl6MJZ https://t.co/7lNi7vOQTF
— Ash Symonds Journalism (@ASymondsJourno) August 28, 2023
Though he broke properly from stall 5, he was rapidly shoved right into a pocked between horses and it wasn’t till the one-furlong pole flew previous that Darragh Keenan might start to get critical, however his try at a race-winning transfer was too late and he settled for a bronze medal.
In isolation, that race might be marked up because the winner is a regally bred Frankel colt who I personally charge extremely and the horses round him – notably Shagraan, Bombay Bazar, and Asdana – had all proven good qualities heading into the race.
Final yr, the primary 4 residence had been all drawn in stall eight or larger, so out of entice quantity 9, Seven Questions is the play within the Sirenia Stakes.
5:40 Leopardstown – City Sprawl @ 12/1 with William Hill – 1pt EW
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This couldn’t be an Irish Champions Weekend article with out placing up one horse from Leopardstown on Saturday, and though this horse isn’t in one of many characteristic races, City Sprawl at 14/1 within the finale nonetheless warrants his place on this line-up.
Just like my quoting of ‘good horses go in any floor’, I’ve gone to the racing phrasebook once more and pulled out the basic line of ‘again (insert title) blind at (insert observe)’.
Though this normally applies to Tony Carroll at Brighton, I’ve tailored this model to say: ‘Again the Johnstons blind at Leopardstown.’
That is for good motive because the Johnstons – each when the license was below Mark’s title after which with Mark & Charlie – function at a 29% strike charge and +£17.08 revenue (to a £1 degree stake) at Leopardstown from 36 runners.
British success within the €150,000 @IrishEBF_ ‘Sovereign Path’ Handicap!
I am A Gambler (18/1) will get a beautiful experience from @TomMarquand to land a giant pot for @Johnston_Racing because the guests fill the primary two locations at @LeopardstownRC #LICW22 pic.twitter.com/I6vhqeV4Dg
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 10, 2022
That course kind is an fascinating statistic and tomorrow, City Sprawl would be the first runner below simply Charlie Johnston’s title to hit the observe.
The three-year-old by Iffraaj could have a weight of anticipation to hold however off a mark of 90, he seems well-handicapped primarily based on his kind all through the season.
The highly-tried chestnut colt was victorious at Goodwood in Might when too good for the likes of Tafreej, Darkish Thirty, Basic, and Saturnalia, 4 horses who’ve gained since.
City Sprawl wins the William Hill Harroways Handicap
One other sensible experience from Joe Fanning#ITVRacing | @Goodwood_Races | @Johnston_Racing pic.twitter.com/1F7Qq8DwOE
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) Might 27, 2023
City Sprawl then went to Royal Ascot and completed third in a sizzling renewal of the Britannia Stakes behind the winner Docklands and runner-up New Endeavour who has franked the shape along with his second within the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes at Newbury subsequent day out.
Three runs since over seven furlongs, two of which in softer situations, haven’t seen him at his greatest, although his final outing at Goodwood when behind the well-handicapped Rhoscolyn was filled with promise.
Again to a mile and on higher floor, City Sprawl may gain advantage from a six-pound three-year-old allowance and appears to have an excellent probability on Irish soil.
