2022 Championship Division

[The King Pimm]

I’ve started backing Gauloise and SheWearsItWell for the Mares Hurdle. I hope they keep Gauloise over hurdles and aim her at the Mares Hurdle, I think the distance is ideal for her and hopefully she will return a stronger and better horse next season. I think we saw the progression we needed at Punchestown in April and the potential many of us hoped she had was on show.

I’ll be backing Shewearsitwell for both the Mares Hurdle and Churdle in the hope she can stay fit next season. Unfortunately we never saw her again after her very impressive summer and early season wins last year but again like Klassical Dream if Willie can get her back on the track she could be a delight.

Both these horses are my main selections at present. I will be backing Consertiesta too but only with free bets at present due to her shorter price as she is a very good horse who I think can still win this race.

[Lobos]

Abacadabras
O'Leary said: "We haven't even chatted about it yet, but I would doubt it very much that he will go over fences this season. I don't know for sure and it's early days yet, so we'll have a chat about it in a few weeks."

[Garrison Savannah]

Stayers it is then

[Saxon Warrior]

Stayers it is then

More going for him in that race than the Champion.

[The Fellow]

https://twitter.com/ClosuttonRacing/status/1422589223908085764

[Lobos]

https://twitter.com/ClosuttonRacing/...89223908085764

She does look a lovely Mare. Bigger than I thought as well. Looks to have filled out. Get the feeling she's going to be a bit special.

[The Fellow]

just pleased to see her back in , looking well and training

[Lobos]

just pleased to see her back in , looking well and training

She's certainly back in early.

[The Fellow]

yup , Willie doesn't get them in early as a rule , interesting she is in work as well, not sure how intense right enough , but maybe an indication we might see her quite early in the season

[Saxon Warrior]

I think the injured ones need more time there, post recovery to build up fitness.

It makes great sense to have them in training, as rehab and conditioning for them to be ready for the start of the season.

Hopefully Ferny Hollow has been through the same plan, and French Aseel.

[OverTheLast]

She did run quite early for one of Willies last season too. That G3 she won is the first week in October I think

[The King Pimm]

2 horses I’ll be looking to back when I know about their well being and ideally seasonal plan will be Eklet De Rire and Royal Pagiille for the Gold Cup. I the Eklet was travelling well in the BAN before falling and had had a progressive season up to that race. I’m pretty sure he was fine after and was a clumsy landing more than crashing fall. Under the stewardship of HDB I think he could be a live outsider even if HDB has APT & Minella Indo at the top of the market. Maybe my judgement is being swayed by what happened the following seasons to Al Boom Photo after he fell when challenging in the RSA.

I think RP is young and hopefully tough enough to give the Gold Cup another go, he finished last years Gold Cup lame so not sure if he got injured before he had a chance to get involved as he was always at the rear or was not 100% before the start but both horses are at attractive prices at present.

[ComplyOrDie]

2 horses I’ll be looking to back when I know about their well being and ideally seasonal plan will be Eklet De Rire and Royal Pagiille for the Gold Cup. I the Eklet was travelling well in the BAN before falling and had had a progressive season up to that race. I’m pretty sure he was fine after and was a clumsy landing more than crashing fall. Under the stewardship of HDB I think he could be a live outsider even if HDB has APT & Minella Indo at the top of the market. Maybe my judgement is being swayed by what happened the following seasons to Al Boom Photo after he fell when challenging in the RSA.

I think RP is young and hopefully tough enough to give the Gold Cup another go, he finished last years Gold Cup lame so not sure if he got injured before he had a chance to get involved as he was always at the rear or was not 100% before the start but both horses are at attractive prices at present.

I wonder if they might try Royale Pagaille back down in trip, maybe the Ryanair. For me, although the figures suggest otherwise, one of his better performances last season was when he defeated Espoir De Romay over 2m 5f on seasonal debut at Haydock, very easily indeed. EDR won either side of that defeat to RP, and was also in massive contention in the G1 Mildmay at Aintree before coming down and handing the race to Chantry House, so the form couldn't have worked out any better really. I'm not convinced a stiff track over 3m 2f is what RP really wants.

[Istabraq]

ComplyOrDie

The question has to be does RP stand a better chance against Allaho, Fakir and possibly Enugermine and A Plus Tard than he does against Minella Indo, Monkfish and Envoi Allen.

For me the middle distance/staying Irish horses right now are just too good, assuming good health for all wherever he goes he’s playing for 3rd/4th at best….

[Spectre]

I think the main target for Royale Pagaille will be the King George, and they'll work the rest of his campaign after that. I also suspect the same will be true of Espoir De Romay.

On Espoir De Romay, who I know Kim Bailey rates very highly, I'd assume both he and Imperial Aura will be targeted separately at the Gold Cup and the Ryanair. I'd guess with Imperial Aura being a year older he's the one more likely to step up in trip. Hard to know though and I guess they'll see how the season unfolds, particularly as Imperial Aura appeared to either lose confidence or something was amiss in the Ryanair.