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Cumani under-estimates Curtain Call fitness.
When he had speculated on today's High Chapparal Mooresbridge Stakes at the Curragh, trainer Luca Cumani indicated his Curtain Call would probably need the race, but in truth, he never looked in danger as he stormed to victory after a ten month absence from the track.
Fran Berry took Curtain Call into an early lead, and then dictated the pace in today's ten furlong contest. Three furlongs from home he kicked on again, and although Famous Name made an effort to bridge the gap, Curtain Call had plenty in reserve and ran on to win by three lengths.
Based on this performance, if Curtain Call needed the race, he will probably be challenging for Group 1 honours later in the season.
Vocalised scores third seasonal victory in Tetrarch Stakes.
Having already scored at the Curragh, and then winning the Greenham Stakes at Newbury, Vocalised deserved the favourite's mantle in today's Tetrarch Stakes back at the Curragh, and he did not disappoint.
For much of the race, Johnnie Murtagh on Chief Lone Eagle set the pace, but once entering the final furlong Kevin Manning asked Vocalised to quicken, and he soon went clear. For a second Count John looked a danger, but his run petered out, and he was passed close home by the running on Chief Lone Eagle, who had to settle for the runners up position a length and three quarters behind the victorious Vocalised.
Murtagh partners Emily Blake to Athasi triumph.
Johnnie Murtagh may have ridden the most enterprising race of the day on Emily Blake, for he set a strong but reasonable pace at the front of the field in the Group 3 Athasi Stakes, and when short priced favourite Mad About You came to challenge , Murtagh's filly had kept some in reserve, and quickened up again to score by a length and three quarters.
Trainer John Hayden was full of praise for the ride given to his filly by Johnnie Murtagh, and having scored a first Group 3 success, he is looking to follow up in another similar race over six furlongs in the near future.
Janiak considering Breeders Cup bid for Take Over Target.
Having picked up his second Group 1 win of the season this last weekend, trainer Joe Janiak is considering staying in Britain a little longer with his ten year old sprint machine Take Over Target before then going on to have a crack at winning the Breeders Cup Sprint Turf at Santa Anita.
Although a final plan has not yet been formalised, the trainer is believed to be keen to give his crowd pleaser a run in America if all goes well during the remainder of the summer.
Murtagh castes doubts over Rip Van Winkle Derby participation.
In an interview with At The races this morning, Rip Van Winkle's partner in Saturday's 2,000 Guineas, Johnnie Murtagh, seemed to indicate the three year old's participation in the Epsom Derby is extremely doubtful.
" I think he will get a mile and a quarter in due course, but I would doubt if he would have the stamina to get the Derby trip. Naturally, it is up to Aidan, but that would be my opinion".
Taking this interview at face value, it would suggest Fame and Glory, along with possibly Black Bear Island, will be the Ballydoyle representatives at Epsom in June.
Newmarket blame lower attendances on hospitality cutbacks.
The absence of a whole row of hospitality tents opposite the Millenium Grandstand was the visual sign of a dramatic cut back in hospitality attendance at this year's Newmarket Guineas meeting, and the effects of the economic recession are being blamed by Newmarket officials for a drop in attendance figures at this year's two day Classic meeting.
At present, only the Saturday attendance figures are available, and the crowd of fifteen thousand five hundred is approximately twelve per cent down on the corresponding day in 2008. In the view of many regular race-goers, Sunday's 1,000 Guineas meeting could show an even bigger drop in attendance, and this cutback in hospitality attendances is going to be a major problem to racecourses for the foreseeable future.
Murtagh picks up plum ride.
With Philip Robinson sidelined for the week after taking a fall from the ill fated Chief Editor in Saturday's Palace House Stakes, Johnnie Murtagh has been booked by connections to ride Chester Gold Cup favourite Amerigo in Wednesday's historic marathon at the Rooddee.
Royal Ascot likely route for Delegator.
Having won the Craven Stakes and finished a very creditable second in the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas, both within a fortnight, trainer Brian Meehan belieives Delegator requires a bit of a rest before his next outing, so a run in the Irish 2,000 Guineas is extremely unlikely, with the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot being the colt's most probable target after a short bout of 'rest and recouperation".
Sheikh rules out Oaks for Ghanaati.
The owner of 1,000 Guineas winner Ghanaati, Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum, has ruled his filly out from a run in the Epsom Oaks, and has instead put his sights on the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Speaking after his three year old's victory at Newmarket, the proud owner commented,
"I doubt she will get the one mile four furlongs of the Oaks, and I don't see the point of winning another Guineas, so the Coronation Stakes at Ascot would appear to be our best option".
Cash Back Giveaway!
Coral.co.uk, the online arm of leading bookmaker Coral, is this week launching its biggest ever cash back giveaway, during which it will refund 10% of any losses to customers who fail to win over a calendar month.
The cash back offer is available from tomorrow, Tuesday 05 May, to both new and existing coral.co.uk customers, and will last until further notice, and it will apply to all sportsbook and gaming bets, excluding bingo and poker.
"There are numerous concessions in the market place at present, but we believe that at a time when many people are feeling the pinch, our unique cash back offer will be greatly appreciated by all coral.co.uk customers," said Coral's David Stevens.
"Customers who register for this offer will automatically be eligible for the 10% cash back payment at the end of any month where they have failed to win an aggregate profit, meaning that coral.co.uk customers will win even if they lose, which we believe is a first for the UK betting industry," added Stevens.
"Unlike many offers, this is available to both new and existing coral.co.uk customers, and although we're prepared to give back hundreds of thousands of pounds in the coming weeks, we're confident it will help our punters defy the credit crunch," said Stevens.
For our readers who require more information or to register, visit www.coral.co.uk.
The usual suspects land Irish national hunt titles.
At a presentation performed on the last day of the Punchestown Festival, the new title holders of the 2008 2009 Irish National Hunt Season received their prizes.
However, it was more a case of 'deja vu', as in the four main catagories, this season's winners were also last season's winners.
Willie Mullins picked up his fourth national hunt trainers title thanks to total seasonal earnings of 2,817,300 euros.
Ruby Walsh ended the season on 122 winners, forty clear of his nearest rival Davy Russell, and picked up his seventh title in all, and his fifth consecutive title over the last five seasons.
J P Macmanus held on to his champion owner title, and was represented at the ceremony by his racing manager Frank Berry.
Meanwhile, Patrick Mullins picked up his second successive amateur jockey title, but to be fair he also had an exceptional season, scoring fifty winners in total, and surpassing the previous record for an amateur held by Ruby Walsh's father Ted Walsh.
Celebrate your winnings, or commiserate with others with fine wines & champagne’s:
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