The Irish Guineas comes around, and Winker is still on the sidelines. I’d love him to be taking them on, but he’ll have to wait a little longer. On paper it’s a rematch between New Approach and HenrytheNavigator, but the Irish Guineas doesn’t always follow the script.
Last year the winners of the English Guineas, Cockney Rebel and Finsceal Beo both obliged in the Irish equivalents, both going off as favourites, but this is not the norm. In the ten years preceding this only four favourites won – two in the 2,000 and two in the 1,000. Four odds-on favourites were beaten and four other favourites lost at 6/4 or shorter. Half of the winners were 12/1 or longer, including 3 at 16/1 and two at 20/1.
I’ll oppose the two hot horses with Jupiter Pluvius in the 2,000. In the 1,000 on Sunday I like Halfway to Heaven.
Elsewhere I’ll take Green Manalishi to take the first at Haydock and Duke of Marmalade to win in Ireland on Sunday.
The Core Strength team sold a couple of horses last week – Ours and Better Together. We didn’t get a lot for them – £13k in total. They weren’t showing signs of greatness. On Sunday night Lord Snooty runs at Delaware Park. Skid Solo should be out next week, and also Scrapper Smith. Pansy Potter is close to a run.