Most eyes will understandably be on the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh on Sunday. There are also cards at Nottingham and Fakenham and it’s an interesting stat at the second of those that catches the eye. Trainer Johnny Farrelly has sent just seven runners to the track in the last five seasons, He has retuned home with five winners and a third, a remarkable record.
There are two runners on the Sunday card from Farrelly’s stable and both are at big prices which combine to make a 167/1 each way double. We will have our horse racing tips from all three cards on the site for Sunday’s racing, including our NAP in the big one itself.
He is not a regular winner but Kalaskadesemilley has plenty of form from higher marks in the past. Four pounds out the handicap here is going to make his task tougher. He wasn’t beaten far at Fontwell last September, lacking the consistency to back up that close second when seen since.
Yet to run at this track but he has plenty of form at similarly tight left-handed circuits like Stratford and Bangor. As such, there is a strong chance that Fakenham will suit. He has placed on soft ground in the past and with a feather weight, may just sneak the frame.
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A runner in a maiden hurdle here for Farrelly in the shape of Captain Ivan. He has shown glimmers of promise so far in his career, generally a little bit too keen for his own good. This will be the sharpest track that he has run on over this trip which could help. It will be interesting if connections just let him jump and run rather than have him held up out the back.
He travelled kindly into the straight at Wincanton last time out on heavy ground, unable to make any further impression from two out. Seven lengths separated him and a Paul Nicholls runner called Hell Red there. That horse subsequently finishing ninth in the Boodles at the Cheltenham Festival, less than ten lengths off Jeff Kidder who has won at Grade 1 level since.
Now, it’s unwise to take that at absolute face value but there was enough in that Wincanton run to think that he is more than capable of picking up a race or two. It might be that handicaps will be more his thing but given the record of his trainer at this track, he’s not one to underestimate.
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