06/11/16 Straight From The Trainers Mouth

Gordon Elliott

12:40  Naas- Monastic

He's only a baby and this is his first run for us. He has talent but at this stage of his career we'll be happy to see him jump around and get the education.

★★★★☆

13:10 Naas - Two Runners

The Game Changer

Wille Mullins' horse (Avant Tout) looks like the one to beat here but our lad would have a fair chance if back to his best form. The return to two miles on a decent surface could well see him back at it and the booking of Barry Geraghty is an obvious positive as well.

★★★★☆
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He didn't help himself at Cork last time where he kept jumping out to the left. Given that, it was a fair effort to finish where he did on his first start for us and now he is back at a track where he has run well before. He has a bit to do on ratings but this is just his sixth run over fences so there could be more to come from him.

★★★☆☆
13:45 Naas- De Plotting Shed

He's up against Ivanovich Gorbatov and on ratings he has a tough task. Cian Collins is going to take 7lbs off his back and he is an improving horse, but in all honesty we'd be happy to finish second with the prize money on offer for this race.

★★★☆☆
14:55 Naas- Automated

He's in good form and has been running well on the Flat and over hurdles. He does have a lot of weight to carry here in what looks like a good race but the ground will suit him.

★★★☆☆
15:30 Naas- Orchard Road

He is no world beater but he's been consistent for us and he's in good form after his win at Clonmel the last day. He got 6lbs from the handicapper for that but this doesn't look the strongest race and he'd have a solid each-way chance.

★★★☆☆
16:05 Naas- Brelade

He's probably our best chance of a winner on the Naas card. He ran well at Galway on his latest run where he was second to Noel Meade's Moulin A Vent who went on to run well behind our Monbeg Notorious at Down Royal on Friday. Brelade has been working well since so looks ready for a big run.

★★★★☆
13:00 Cork- Cadeau Du Bresil

We are a bit disappointed he couldn't win a bumper from four tries. He has schooled well over hurdles and is in good form so hopefully he can show some improvement.

★★★☆☆
13:30 Cork - Blood Crazed Tiger

He's a course and distance winner but I'd say three miles is as far as he wants to go. He has won three on the bounce and he will win plenty of more races as well as he's good and genuine. Whether he can win tomorrow in a race full of winners remains to be seen but he's in good form and will give a good account of himself.

★★★☆☆
14:05 Cork- Bilko

He ran well at Punchestown on his hurdles debut. He looked like he might win before he jinked out to the left and just couldn't get himself going again. That was probably just down to inexperience and he's been in good form since. The step up in trip will suit him as well so he looks to have a solid chance.

★★★★☆
14:40 Cork- Jetstream Jack

I mentioned before he could be one for the Irish National later this season. In that regard he will have to deal with the step down in trip (won over 2m7f on chasing debut). The good ground would be a bit of a worry as well so he's not a definite runner. If it did come up soft he'd have a chance as he did it well on his first run back and has come on since.

★★☆☆☆
15:15 Cork- Three Runners

Wrath Of Titans

Of the three I have declared here I'd say he is my best chance. He was great at Listowel but he just never got into much of a jumping rhythm in the Munster National. Despite that he still ran okay at Limerick but the step back up in trip will help him a lot here. Lisa O'Neill is riding him again and will take off a valuable 7lbs so he has a solid each way chance.

★★★★☆
Captain Von Trappe

He ran well the last day behind Monksland at Galway and he's another who will probably appreciate this sort of trip.

★★★☆☆
Akorakor

We like him as he was really progressive last season winning up a couple times at Kilbeggan. This is his first run of the season however and it's tough ask in a race like this. If he ran into a place we'd be delighted and he'd be better again next time.

★★★☆☆
16:25 Cork- Chesapeake

She is a nice filly and Lisa O'Neill is claiming 7lbs off her back so that should leaver her with a nice weight. It will be her first run at a racecourse so if she ran into a place we'd be delighted.

★★★☆☆

Dan Skelton

12.50 Ffos Las – Stage One
He made a bad error at Fakenham where he was in the process of running a good race. I’m not saying he would have won but he was running very well. The drop back in trip will suit, as he seems to have plenty of pace. He’s fit and well, been jumping well at home. He’s ready to go again. He will go well.

 ★★★★★

Nicky Henderson

1:20 Ffos Las – Mite Bite
It would seem a nice race to start MITE BITE back again and to be fair he’s a very, very good jumper but I made a bit of a bosh last year when running him first time at Cheltenham which was a big mistake as it frightened the life out of him so we went back over hurdles to get his confidence back. Ffos Las will be a great course to get him going again as it’s a nice flat galloping track and the fences might be a little less testing – although I’ve never ridden over them in my life! I’m pretty confident he will go very well.
★★★★★
1:55 Ffos Las– Christmas In April
CHRISTMAS IN APRIL won a very weak Bumper at Market Rasen last season but couldn’t do any more than win the way he did and I think he’s a very nice horse. He does everything well and has jumped brilliantly at home so there shouldn’t be any excuses on that front. As always, he’s got to do it on the racecourse but I hope he would be up to winning this and I think he will develop into a talented animal.
★★★★★
12:30 Sandown– Clemency
CLEMENCY is struggling to find her form a little bit compared to how good she was this time last year and has had a few small issues which have been ironed out now and she likes this ground so is good to go.
★★★☆☆
1:05 Sandown– Sugar Baron
SUGAR BARON is a proper chaser and all that he achieved over hurdles was a bonus as I really think his future lies over the larger obstacles. He has schooled very well and has been very good all the way through. The ground should be ok for him and I expect a bold show
★★★★☆
1:40 Sandown– Khezerabad
Firstly KHEZERABAD has to have good ground so we have to crack on with him and secondly he has the most exalted handicap mark that you have ever invented so his rating of 138 is in the region of about 18lbs too high in my opinion. I don’t know how good Alan King’s horse is but is doesn’t look the strongest of races which is a positive. He can’t run in a Handicap off his mark so options are limited. I wouldn’t run him off 128 let along 138; it’s absolutely barking!
★★★☆☆
2:50 Sandown– Royal Irish Hussar
ROYAL IRISH HUSSAR is another top of the ground horse which means conditions should suit him here and he’s particularly well in himself. He might just want a little bit further but this is a good starting point and the track will suit.
★★★★☆
4:00 Sandown– Bardd
BARDD is very nice actually. I really like him. As with many of this weekend’s runners, I really hope the ground isn’t too quick as that would be a worry. On the other hand he does everything nicely and his run in the Bumper at Huntington didn’t work out as we were getting a nice lead off a horse which then ran out in front of the stands and left us in front for a mile and half which made things very difficult as he got quite lonely in front and something whipped past him and beat him in the run to the line. He has done plenty of schooling and jumps very well so he’ll soon be going over timber but it would be nice to win this on the way.
★★★★★