April 2023 Yankee

[Odin]

For any interested, these are Henderson's post race quotes after Jonbon won on Saturday with respect to stepping up/not. They may or may not influence anyone's opinion on Saint Roi mentioned above or any other Ryanair horses who get mentioned in the thread.

"Jonbon was good today wasn't he? I think he loves that slightly better ground after it's dried out a bit today. I think he was a better horse here than he was at Cheltenham, and that's in part because of the ground. That's the way he jumps when he's right. He jumped from fence to fence today and he didn't at Cheltenham. Aidan said on good ground he feels like a two-miler, although I've always thought he'd go as far as you like. We don't have to make any decisions today though" - Nicky Henderson, trainer.

[archie]

Jonbon won't go anywhere near a replay with El Fabiolo.

[willpaterson]

Case for one at a bigger price: Saint Roi - Ryanair - available at around 50's

Can see him being a bit similar to Fakir D'oudairies in that he may often find one too good at the top level but the Ryanair often attracts animals that are perhaps slightly below top level with the big guns going either QM or Gold Cup.

I thought he ran a good race last week, only being beaten 1.5 lengths by a horse that was fresh having missed Cheltenham. It was also his first try at the longer trip.

Jonbon stayed at the min trip and as someone else mentioned on another thread, Nicky does tend to keep them at the min until beaten meaning Saint Roi in the same colours could step up next year. If he starts out next season in the John Durkan a la Janidil then this would seem an obvious route and i don't think the 50's will be around then.

Solid place opportunity at a big price IMO.

Really like this shout - mentioned it in my diary last week that I was taking a bit pre the Aintree race as I had strong hopes he would actually win, but I think it was a little dry for his liking

[Eggs]

….not sure if these latest posts are suggestions for this months Yankee, MoM will be considering suggestions at the end of the month.

If they are not, there is a thread to discuss the odds on offer for next years Festival.

I know we are utilising the Aintree and Punchestown Festival for this months selections, a few I took from last week are;

Stay Away Fay; many horses to the fore at Cheltenham ran disappointingly at Aintree but I don’t think SAF was one of those. He was in last months bet but 16-1 BANC is decent.

Banbridge; I get that JoB often by-passes Cheltenham for Aintree with some of his but he was decent last week and 16-1 Ryanair is tempting regardless of the risk.

[BarrowNH01]

….not sure if these latest posts are suggestions for this months Yankee, MoM will be considering suggestions at the end of the month.

If they are not, there is a thread to discuss the odds on offer for next years Festival.

I know we are utilising the Aintree and Punchestown Festival for this months selections, a few I took from last week are;

Stay Away Fay; many horses to the fore at Cheltenham ran disappointingly at Aintree but I don’t think SAF was one of those. He was in last months bet but 16-1 BANC is decent.

Banbridge; I get that JoB often by-passes Cheltenham for Aintree with some of his but he was decent last week and 16-1 Ryanair is tempting regardless of the risk.

Going with the Stay Away Fay angle, would Maximillian not be a more interesting one? Beat SAF twice now, could argue a tough run at Cheltenham contributed to the Aintree loss but its twice hes had SAF's number now. The risk would be if Maximillian skipped Cheltenham again (if anyone knows why id appreciate the heads up) but with SAF already being in month one yankee i feel it would be a good route to go down to avoid a repeat so early.
Maximillian 16/1 BANC

[Eggs]

Going with the Stay Away Fay angle, would Maximillian not be a more interesting one? Beat SAF twice now, could argue a tough run at Cheltenham contributed to the Aintree loss but its twice hes had SAF's number now. The risk would be if Maximillian skipped Cheltenham again (if anyone knows why id appreciate the heads up) but with SAF already being in month one yankee i feel it would be a good route to go down to avoid a repeat so early.
Maximillian 16/1 BANC

….I was chatting with somebody about him before Aintree. Apparently he’s had a breathing issue that had to be sorted (although he’d apparently had a breathing op before he beat SAF first time). That could be the reason for the no show at Cheltenham.

Regardless, I expect MOM would prefer to include Gaelic Warrior BANC in one of these

[Bonjers]

Lorcan gave SAF an absolute horror of a ride that day at Haydock - he was binned off for two weeks after. Max is very smart though - I'd wonder if he'll be kept hurdling though.

[RufusFlynn]

Really like this shout - mentioned it in my diary last week that I was taking a bit pre the Aintree race as I had strong hopes he would actually win, but I think it was a little dry for his liking

Yeah, the ground defo favoured Banbridge but for a length and bit defeat by a fresh horse, who IMO is more likely to not get his ground at Cheltenham the odds difference now seems mega unbalanced.

[BigChaang]

April Yankee or otherwise ...
Hiddenvalley lake for the B.A.N.C . might be worth a poke .
He was popular pre festival for the bartlett , I Presume being a Henry charge , he'll go chasing .
Surely put a line through the A.B run ??. ..... 50-1 is available . P.P. /Corals .

[Exar Essay]

April Yankee or otherwise ...
Hiddenvalley lake for the B.A.N.C . might be worth a poke .
He was popular pre festival for the bartlett , I Presume being a Henry charge , he'll go chasing .
Surely put a line through the A.B run ??. ..... 50-1 is available . P.P. /Corals .

Really not sure on Hiddenvalley Lake myself. Search For Glory rather let the form down again at Aintree, although he travelled into the race very nicely he found nothing over the final furlong and a half. Letsbeclearabout it the only one in behind on his very taking win at Cork who has done anything since. And his form is hardly startling. A watching brief on that whole cadre of 3m Irish Novice Hurdlers who beat each other up all season long only to flump at Cheltenham. Favori, Search For Glory, Embassy Gardens, HVL, Monty's Star, Three Card Brag, SBK etc.

The Irish novice chasers I'd be more interested in over a staying trip next year are presently Corbetts Cross, Gaelic Warrior, Nick Rockett, Sandor Clegane, and Affordale Fury.

[Eggs]

Really not sure on Hiddenvalley Lake myself. Search For Glory rather let the form down again at Aintree, although he travelled into the race very nicely he found nothing over the final furlong and a half. Letsbeclearabout it the only one in behind on his very taking win at Cork who has done anything since. And his form is hardly startling. A watching brief on that whole cadre of 3m Irish Novice Hurdlers who beat each other up all season long only to flump at Cheltenham. Favori, Search For Glory, Embassy Gardens, HVL, Monty's Star, Three Card Brag, SBK etc.

The Irish novice chasers I'd be more interested in over a staying trip next year are presently Corbetts Cross, Gaelic Warrior, Nick Rockett, Sandor Clegane, and Affordale Fury.

….Nick Rockett highlighted by SW & others on here for BANC is particularly interesting. He has an entry at Punchestown in a G1, hopefully he runs well & puts himself in the picture for this months bet.

[Middle_Of_March]

….I was chatting with somebody about him before Aintree. Apparently he’s had a breathing issue that had to be sorted (although he’d apparently had a breathing op before he beat SAF first time). That could be the reason for the no show at Cheltenham.

Regardless, I expect MOM would prefer to include Gaelic Warrior BANC in one of these

you know me too well.

‘Gaelic Cert 3.0 - This time it’s fences’

[Eggs]

…..sounds like Marine National connections are leaning towards CH. Although that might change if Con Hill stays over hurdles, it could be worth chancing the 8-1 currently on offer.

Apparently Punchestown is not on the agenda.

[Istabraq]

…..sounds like Marine National connections are leaning towards CH. Although that might change if Con Hill stays over hurdles, it could be worth chancing the 8-1 currently on offer.

Apparently Punchestown is not on the agenda.

That might also help State Man’a price hold…

[Lobos]

That might also help State Man’a price hold…

Is State Man pencilled in for Punchestown Ista ?

If so, and he wins, things might become a little clearer re his target.