The Irish are no strangers to sending runners over to Britain, but they don’t send too many over to Sandown for a midweek race. When one is sent over, they are usually worth a second check in the market.
With surging fuel costs and cost of living gone through the roof, connections will surely be more frugal when deciding whether they should foot the bill of sending a horse across.
It has to be hugely intriguing that Irish trainer Michael O’Callaghan will send one horse all the way to Sandown Racecourse on Thursday. They are trying to take down the Listed prize over 5f, and it is a long way to go for nothing.
How Crispy Cat is not favourite for this race is beyond me to be honest. Owned by the fantastic owners Amo Racing, this colt made a winning debut at Cork in April, and then she went to the Curragh to take her chance in the Listed Flier Stakes.
Sent off a 5/2 chance on the day, himself and the Aidan O’Brien runner Blackbeard fought out the finish but the Ballydoyle horse came out on top by the narrowest of margins. The two horses in third and fourth were far from disgraced in a Group 3 subsequently.
Blackbeard has really enhanced the strength of that race. He came out and destroyed the opposition when stepping up to 6f in the Group 3 Marble Hill at the Curragh when last seen. There is very little between him and Crispy Cat, so it is a major surprise to see him not be favourite at the moment for his Sandown assignment, but that may well change.
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