The G1 Lexus Chase

[my miss storm cat]

What a Friend is out...

Good luck to The Listener (and welcome back).

Tuesday December 28 2010
Leopardstown 14:35

Lexus Chase (Grade 1)


€150000.00 added, 5yo plus, 3m, Class 1, €93000.00 penalty
13 runners
Going: N/A

No. Form Horse Age Wt Trainer Jockey OR NagMe Bet
1 4P253-5 Cooldine (IRE) 13 8 11-10 W P Mullins P Townend 158 SP SP
4/1
2 3F1-P14 Glencove Marina (IRE) 13 8 11-10 E Griffin B J Geraghty 153 SP SP
12/1
3 32131-4 Joncol (IRE) 51 7 11-10 P Nolan A P Cawley 160 SP SP
9/2
4 211P1-3 Kempes (IRE) 13 7 11-10 W P Mullins A P McCoy 154 SP SP
10/1
5 1P2-52U Let Yourself Go (IRE) 13 8 11-10 A Maguire S J Hassett 150 SP SP
20/1
6 21/1126- Money Trix (IRE) 324 10 11-10 N G Richards D N Russell 157 SP SP
10/1
7 1223/6P Mossbank (IRE) 13 10 11-10 M Hourigan A P Heskin 151 SP SP
50/1
8 44UP-25 Notre Pere (FR) 37 9 11-10 J T R Dreaper A E Lynch 149 SP SP
18/1
9 21/111-P Pandorama (IRE) 31 7 11-10 Noel Meade P Carberry 148 SP SP
7/1
10 33F5-34 Siegemaster (IRE) 37 9 11-10 p D T Hughes R Loughran 145 SP SP
33/1
11 42F67/1- The Listener (IRE) 416 11 11-10 Nick Mitchell Andrew J McNamara 167 SP SP
9/1
12 11501B- Vic Venturi (IRE) 262 10 11-10 p D T Hughes P W Flood 158 SP SP
20/1
13 3713U-2 J'y Vole (FR) 13 7 11-5 W P Mullins D J Condon 153 SP SP
6/1
Last Winner Year Horse Trainer Jockey SP Age Wt
2009 What A Friend P F Nicholls S Thomas 11/2 6 11-10


Betting Forecast: 7/2 Cooldine, 5/1 Joncol, 6/1 J'y Vole, 7/1 Pandorama, 7/1 The Listener, 8/1 Kempes, 10/1 Money Trix, 12/1 Glencove Marina, 14/1 Notre Pere, 16/1 Let Yourself Go, 25/1 Siegemaster, 25/1 Vic Venturi, 33/1 Mossbank

Verdict

Best Mate, Beef Or Salmon and Denman *** have won this in previous years as has The Listener, who scored in 2006. Willie Mullins saddles a trio of entries headed by Cooldine, who has raced exclusively at Grade 1 level since making a winning debut over fences. Last year's RSA Chase winner will be better for his run behind Tranquil Sea in the John Durkan where he had J'y Vole and Glencove Marina in front of him. He can turn the tables over this longer trip and with a stiffer test guaranteed while his stablemate Kempes is a fine prospect and is another who was racing over a trip too short on his return to action. JONCOL and Cooldine fought out a tremendous battle in the Hennessy here in February with the former just getting the verdict. There should be absolutely nothing between them again but the winner is taken to confirm the form and his run behind Big Zeb over two miles at Navan last month is irrelevant in the context of this race. Pandorama never got going in the Hennessey at Newbury but won two Grade 1's last December and is one to keep an eye on.


FORMWATCH
Cooldine (IRE) 9-4fav (11-10) Led, ridden and pressed after 3 out, headed before next, no impression in 4th at last, kept on one pace, 5th of 8, 3 1/2l behind Tranquil Sea (11-10) at Fairyhouse 2m 4f Grade 1 chs (1) sft.Glencove Marina (IRE) 8-1 (11-10) Chased leaders, 5th halfway, 4th 3 out, ridden and no impression in 5th after next, kept on same pace run-in to regain 4th, 4th of 8, 3l behind Tranquil Sea (11-10) at Fairyhouse 2m 4f Grade 1 chs (1) sft.Joncol (IRE) 6-1 (11-12) Always in rear, jumped right, ridden and no impression 3 out, last of 4, 21l behind Big Zeb (11-12) at Navan 2m chs Grd 2 (1) sft in Nov.Kempes (IRE) 16-1 (11-12) Held up towards rear, 7th halfway, headway into 4th 2 out, left 3rd after last, kept on one pace, 3rd of 8, 5l behind Golden Silver (11-12) at Fairyhouse 2m 1f chs Grd 2 (1) sft.Let Yourself Go (IRE) 16-1 (11-7) Led, strongly pressed from 4 out, headed under pressure after 2 out, 3rd when mistake and unseated rider last, in a race won by Golden Silver (11-12) at Fairyhouse 2m 1f chs Grd 2 (1) sft, 8 ran.Money Trix (IRE) 5-2 (11-10) Tracked leaders in 4th, pushed along 3 out, 5th when bad mistake 2 out, no impression, 6th of 7, 18l behind Joncol (11-10) at Leopardstown 3m Grade 1 chs (1) hvy in Feb.Mossbank (IRE) 14-1 (11-10) Chased leaders in 4th, dropped to rear before halfway, trailing after 4 out, pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Tranquil Sea (11-10) at Fairyhouse 2m 4f Grade 1 chs (1) sft, 8 ran.Notre Pere (FR) 8-1 (11-12) In touch, bumped 4th, lost place when hampered 13th (bechers brook), 5th and no impression when hit 3 out, kept on same pace from next, 5th of 17, 26l behind Hello Bud (10-5) at Aintree 3m 2f lstd hcp chs (1) gs in Nov.Pandorama (IRE) 8-1 (10-0) Mistakes in rear, hampered 4th, tailed off and pulled up before 7th, in a race won by Diamond Harry (10-0) at Newbury 3m 2f hcp chs Grd 3 (1) gs in Nov, 18 ran.Siegemaster (IRE) 10-1 (11-10) Chased leaders, 7th halfway, 4th under pressure before 2 out, no extra approaching last, kept on one pace, 4th of 17, 13l behind Jack The Bus (9-12) at Navan 3m hcp chs 0-150 in Nov.The Listener (IRE) 7-1 (11-10) Made all, jumped well, went clear from before 3 out, stayed on well, comfortably, won at Down Royal 3m Grade 1 chs (1) sft in Nov '09 beating My Will (11-10) by 15l, 8 ran.Vic Venturi (IRE) 25-1 (11-6) Hampered 1st, in touch, mistake and lost place 3rd, towards rear when hampered and brought down 20th, in a race won by Don't Push It (11-5) at Aintree 4m 4f hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Apr, 40 ran.J'y Vole (FR) 4-1 (11-5) Held up in rear, 6th 3 out, went 4th 2 out, landed in 2nd after last, kept on well run-in without reaching winner, 2nd of 8, 3/4l behind Tranquil Sea (11-10) at Fairyhouse 2m 4f Grade 1 chs (1) sft.

*** That's some list.

Come home safe, everyone.

[clyde]

I like 11.

[my miss storm cat]

Pandorama won, our boy was 5th but hey he'd been off a long time.

Next time!



Tuesday December 28 2010
Leopardstown 14:35 - Result
Lexus Chase (Grade 1)
€150000 added, 5yo plus, 3m, Class 1, €93000 penalty, 12 ran
Going: Soft to Heavy
Race Report »
Winning Time: 6m 30.s 12:20
Pos. Dr.
Dist. Horse Wt Jockey Trainer Age SP
1 Pandorama (IRE) 11-10 P Carberry Noel Meade 7 7/2 jf
tracked leaders on inner, 6th halfway, headway into 2nd before 4 out, not fluent 3 out, 3rd at next, travelled best early straight to lead at last, drew clear run-in opened 6/1
2 6 Money Trix (IRE) 11-10 D N Russell N G Richards 10 7/1
mid-division, 7th halfway, mistake 10th, 6th 3 out, ridden in 5th entering straight, kept on under pressure closing stages without threatening winner touched 13/2
3 ¾ Joncol (IRE) 11-10 A P Cawley P Nolan 7 5/1
tracked leaders on outer, 5th halfway, pushed along in 4th after 2 out, no impression on winner run-in, kept on one pace opened 9/2
4 2½ Glencove Marina (IRE) 11-10 B J Geraghty E Griffin 8 16/1
tracked leaders, 4th halfway, 3rd 4 out, 2nd after next, driven along in 3rd approaching last, no impression under pressure run-in touched 20/1
5 4½ The Listener (IRE) 11-10 Andrew J McNamara Nick Mitchell 11 10/1
attempted to make all, slight mistake 4 out, strongly pressed after 2 out, headed under pressure when slow at last, no extra run-in and weakened opened 9/1
6 9 J'y Vole (FR) 11-5 D J Condon W P Mullins 7 7/1
towards rear when mistake 1st, held up, went 7th before 4 out, 6th after 2 out, no extra approaching last
7 12 Vic Venturi (IRE) 11-10 p P W Flood D T Hughes 10 25/1
towards rear, never a factor
8 7 Siegemaster (IRE) 11-10 p R Loughran D T Hughes 9 33/1
prominent, mistake 6th, 3rd halfway, soon lost place, no extra from 4 out
9 dist Notre Pere (FR) 11-10 A E Lynch J T R Dreaper 9 14/1
always towards rear, niggled along after halfway, trailing from 5 out, tailed off touched 16/1
10 4 Mossbank (IRE) 11-10 A P Heskin M Hourigan 10 50/1
always towards rear, tailed off
PU Cooldine (IRE) 11-10 P Townend W P Mullins 8 7/2 jf
prominent, 2nd halfway, blundered 6 out, 4th 4 out, ridden and no extra in 7th entering straight, eased and pulled up before last
UR Kempes (IRE) 11-10 A P McCoy W P Mullins 7 9/1
held up towards rear, 9th 4 out, 8th and in touch when blundered and unseated rider 2 out

Non-Runners
NR Let Yourself Go (IRE) 11-10 S J Hassett A Maguire 8


Tote Win: 3.70 Tote Place: 1.60,2.50,2.60
Straight Forecast: 30.48 Exacta: 30.20


Placepot: €92.80
Analysis: PANDORAMA went a long way to fulfilling his promise with a ready success in the feature race of the day. Little had gone according to plan for Noel Meade's seven year old this season as he was withdrawn at the start ahead of his intended reappearance before failing to run his race after an early mistake/interference in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury. He had plenty to find on the figures but he had made the racecourse just three times in a truncated novice season and wasn't seen after picking up the Grade One novice chase on this card. He has now won nine of his 11 races under Rules and it's a question of how far he can go but connections are reluctant to run him on good ground let alone anything faster. He was held up in midfield on the inside here, made smooth progress to move into second four from home, he lost ground at the next (the last ditch) when rather slow but soon recovered and looked full of running in the straight. He took up the lead jumping the last and quickened impressively clear to win as he liked. Nicky Richards was concerned that he hadn't been able to get a run into Money Trix but his talented yet fragile ten year-old ran creditably to gain second having first come under pressure around three from home; like the winner, he will avoid good/fast ground and the obvious next move for him would be another attempt at the Hennessy over this course and distance in February where he is likely to have his conditions. He is likely to re-oppose last year's winner Joncol who got his season back on track with an encouraging third with Paul Nolan's stable having shown signs of emerging from a spell in the doldrums. Joncol was asked to race wide throughout but travelled and jumped well and was only just run out of second. Glencove Marina has developed into a high-class chaser this season but didn't get home as well as the principals having travelled well into the top of the straight. The Listener won this race in 2006 and ran a blinder on his first start since November 2009 with his trademark exuberant jumping very much in evidence. He was harassed for the lead on occasion by Siegemaster but regularly gained ground on that rival at every fence and was only headed going into the last. He was entitled to need this run and should be a factor if returning here in February which would, again, be the obvious target. Cooldine had valid excuses for a disappointing campaign last season and shaped well on his reappearance; he appeared to be travelling well within himself in a share of third for much of the contest but he made a mistake at the twelfth and only briefly threatened to get back in the mix thereafter. Something may well come to light given how tamely he found in the straight but it's becoming increasingly unlikely that the 2009 RSA Chase winner will fulfil his initial promise. The race didn't get any better for Willie Mullins as J'y Vole, who had run well in the John Durkan, was never competitive over this longer trip following a mistake at the first but there was some encouragement to be taken from the performance of Kempes as he was creeping into the race when falling two out and may well have challenged for the places. He won the Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown in April on his only other run at this trip and will be seen to far better effect on good ground in the spring.

[clyde]

fix!!...fix!!

[my miss storm cat]

http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/n..._Listener.html