Ante-Post Update

What a weekend. Saturday was my first visit to Sandown and I had a really great time. A fantastic course with great viewing, a nice paddock and they even had a bar that sold Real Ale (please note Aintree.) Speaking of the paddock, that's where I took the shot of Sprinter Sacre from just before his breathless Tingle Creek victory. I'd like to go to as many courses as I can in the future and I have visited fourteen now in England and Ireland but I will return to Sandown again one day.

Almost as impressive as Sprinter Sacre was Flemenstar in the John Durkan at Punchestown on Sunday. I've been backing this horse for the Gold Cup since his win at Fairyhouse in the spring. He's never run in a big field and hasn't raced outside Ireland, all things that kept his price in double figures until recently, but he was so dominant on Sunday against a crack opponent in Sir Des Champs. The Mullins horse was having his first run of the season and would have appreciated better ground and a greater test of stamina, but as they entered the straight Davy Russell was hard at it on the runner-up keeping tabs and Lynch just shook the reigns on his mount and Flemenstar went two lengths clear almost instantaneously. Forget all the excuses, that was just a demonstration of a better horse in action. He jumps like a stag and his sire's best horses are all three miles plus chasers. I can't wait for the Lexus now.

Lastly, I topped up on Fingal Bay for the RSA despite his awful run at Exeter on Friday. He plainly does not like going right handed but his form behind Dynaste at Cheltenham has been boosted and he has yet to be tested under what I think are his optimum conditions - three miles plus in a race run at a decent clip.

King George:
Al Ferof £30w @ 10/1
Finian's Rainbow £15w @ 8/1

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Arkle:
Trifolium £10w @ 27/1
Arvika Ligeonniere £15w @ 10/1

Champion Hurdle:
Spirit Son £35w @ 13/1
Grandouet £15w @12/1

Neptune:
Clondaw Kaempfer £25w @ 13/1

RSA:
Fingal Bay £60w @ 13/1
Our Father £10w @ 14/1

Jewson:
Oscars Well £15w @ 16/1

Gold Cup:
Flemenstar £50w @ 13/1
Al Ferof £5w @ 54/1

Doubles:
Sizing Europe (King George) and Clandaw Kaempfer (Neptune) £10 @ 8/1 and 12/1

Grandouet (Champion Hurdle) and Sir Des Champs (Gold Cup) £10 @ 12/1 and 6/1

Boston Bob (RSA) and Flemenstar (Gold Cup) £10 @ 8/1 and 7/1

Al Ferof (Ryanair) and Flemenstar (Gold Cup) £10 @ 8/1 and 6/1