My name is Jamie Keane and I am the new manager of the Royal Racing Club. I’m from Dun Laoghaire originally and I’m a big racing fan. I enjoy both flat and national hunt racing. I’m not a big punter but I like the challenge of trying to pick out some winners and back my own judgement. I’ve steered my fellow club members in the right direction on several occasions of late. Each week I will be writing a blog with a quick run through current news in racing, as well as the low down on our club horses. I hope you enjoy my take on things.
Jamie
The majority of our club horses are currently on their off season, with 3 months before the flat season returns to Ireland, the action over
NH Racing on both sides of the Irish sea has been hotting up as we get more clues each weekend for the Cheltenham festival in March.
Last weekend saw racing from Fairyhouse on home soil with the feature race The (Grade A) Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap chase of €100,000 over 2m 1f which was won by the Shane Nolan trained Charlie Stout, ridden by promising 5lb claimer, Conor McNamara. He finished at odds of 10-1, this horse ran at Leopardstown over Christmas but suffered interference from a loose horse and ran out through the rail, but he put that misfortune behind him taking this valuable contest for a small trainer.
Over the sea on Saturday Jessica Harrington sent silver sheen ridden by stable jockey Robbie Power for the Pertemps qualifier, backed from 16-1 early morning into 7-1 the Harrington trained runner was prominent all the way in the 3m 1f contest, the horse showed a lot of determination and guts at the business end of the race, following up two wins in Thurles and Wexford. The first six home in this race qualified for the Pertemps final at the Cheltenham festival, last year’s Cheltenham winner, Sire Du Berlais has booked his place for this years renewal, by finishing a staying on 4th.
Back at home on Sunday, a big day was in store for jumps fans at Punchestown,
The well thought of, Andy Dufresne was looking to put a shock defeat last timeout behind him in the Moscow Flyer novice hurdle, punters seemed keen to support him at odds of 8-11 into 8-15, but it was a workman like performance and Andy Dufresne won by ¾ of length to the once raced and maiden winner Captain Guinness, they both came nicely clear of the 3 rd.
Punchestown lost their meeting to storm Brendan today and if Fairyhouse goes ahead tomorrow, it is sure to be testing conditions.
I hope you enjoyed reading, stay tuned each week and I will do my best to share some winners with you.
Jamie