Scealai Aonair at Galway, Smiling Eliza runs for Injured Jockeys charity
As Michael D was re-elected President of Ireland, Scealai Aonair looked like she was getting back to herself in a very tight finish at Galway. The weather had turned arctic and the ground was soft, heavy in places so it's getting close to her favourite conditions. She got away well and Gary Halpin had her mid division in a field of 18 in this 1m 3f flat race. He was giving her a great spin and as each furlong marker was passed she looked like she was getting more and more into contention - 7th place, 5th place then she was ridden from about 3 out. She didn't kick on though and the leaders moved away from her but into the last furlong she kept on and with winner finishing a head in front of a line of 5, Scealai Aonair was only a few lengths behind them in 7th. I thought it was her best performance since the spring. Not sure when the flat season ends but with no plans for her to go over hurdles we might not see much more of her this year.
Smiling Eliza was declared in a charity race at Leopardstown - a move which baffled me a bit. After her win last week, all the talk was about a listed race but Gordon is a big supporter of charity races and he must have thought it wouldn't do her any harm and gave club members a chance to see the club star run again. GE was celebrating his third National win of the year when Jury Duty went over to the States to win the American National. Based on recent form, Smiling Eliza was fancied for the win by the Sporting Life. Also because she had won over this 1m 2f trip before. Amateur rider Killian McCarthy was on board and had her not far off the front. He moved her up alongside the leaders at about 2 out at which point she would usually cruise to the front and move away from them. This time she just blew up and started going backwards to finish 13th out of 14. The main thing was that the race was just a bit of fun for a very important charity in horse racing circles. I struggle to understand how motorbike road racers can put their lives at risk doing something that just seems ridiculously dangerous but horse racing can be every bit as unpredictable and dangerous for the jockeys. The Irish Injured Jockeys Fund helps those that maybe aren't lucky enough to get up after a fall.
Both Scealai Aonair and Smiling Eliza came out of their races well and Eliza has been entered in a 2 mile Juvenile Hurdle at Wetherby next. As one of the club members said on the app after she was declared for Leopardstown, the race she has been earmarked for at Aintree is on the 8th December and who knows what the ground will be like then but also this will give her more experience of racing after travelling across the water.
Smiling Eliza was declared in a charity race at Leopardstown - a move which baffled me a bit. After her win last week, all the talk was about a listed race but Gordon is a big supporter of charity races and he must have thought it wouldn't do her any harm and gave club members a chance to see the club star run again. GE was celebrating his third National win of the year when Jury Duty went over to the States to win the American National. Based on recent form, Smiling Eliza was fancied for the win by the Sporting Life. Also because she had won over this 1m 2f trip before. Amateur rider Killian McCarthy was on board and had her not far off the front. He moved her up alongside the leaders at about 2 out at which point she would usually cruise to the front and move away from them. This time she just blew up and started going backwards to finish 13th out of 14. The main thing was that the race was just a bit of fun for a very important charity in horse racing circles. I struggle to understand how motorbike road racers can put their lives at risk doing something that just seems ridiculously dangerous but horse racing can be every bit as unpredictable and dangerous for the jockeys. The Irish Injured Jockeys Fund helps those that maybe aren't lucky enough to get up after a fall.
Both Scealai Aonair and Smiling Eliza came out of their races well and Eliza has been entered in a 2 mile Juvenile Hurdle at Wetherby next. As one of the club members said on the app after she was declared for Leopardstown, the race she has been earmarked for at Aintree is on the 8th December and who knows what the ground will be like then but also this will give her more experience of racing after travelling across the water.
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