 Tim Carroll 's Bio | |
|---|---|
| Tim started off as a jockey in Australia before pursuing a media career. He is a highly experienced and respected racing presenter who has been based in England since 2005. Tim has travelled the world covering many of the major meetings, including Royal Ascot, The Epsom Derby, The International meeting from Sha Tin, The Dubai World Cup, The Everest, The Saudi Cup and The Breeders. He is currently a presenter for Sky Sports Racing, specialising in both the local and international scene. Tim is a regular contributor to the At The Races Website where his twice weekly tipping column on Hong Kong racing has gathered a strong following. | |
Leopardstown Racecourse – Track Analysis (Irish Champion Stakes Day)
Leopardstown, which is located close to Dublin, is a wide left-handed oval track 2800m in circumference. The track is fairly flat, although the home straight, which is approximately 450m, sees a slight gradual rise the entire length. With sweeping turns, it is considered a galloping track, but riders need to be careful they don’t go too early, as the rise in the straight will catch them out. There is no barrier bias to report although races over 1200m, which are rare, see the field turn quickly after leaving the gates and low draws are preferred.
This year, eight turf races from the Irish Champion Stakes Day will be simulcast to Hong Kong.
The Golden Fleece Stakes, Solonaway Stakes and Matron Stakes, all over 1609m, they start from the back straight and the field have a decent run before approaching a bend that leads onto a short straight and then the big sweeping home turn and into the main straight. There is no barrier bias. Runners for the 1400m Ingabelle Stakes and one of the 3yo+ Handicap races will roughly travel the same trip as 1609m. The only difference is that the starting gate is in the halfway up the back straight and there is only a 200m short run-in before the turn. There is a very even spread of winners from high, middle and low draws.
For the 2409m Kilternan Stakes, they start from the bottom right hand side of the track, approximately 400m after the winning line. They move quickly onto a bend before heading down the back straight and onto a slight dogleg before heading onto the sweeping home turn and into the straight. Although they turn quickly after jumping, there is also no barrier bias. The 2573m 3yo+ Handicap, runners jump from the end of the home straight, approximately 165m after the winning post. They meet the first turn fairly quickly but there is no barrier bias.
The feature race Irish Champion Stakes over 2009m starts from the back of the track on the far right side. They jump and immediately turn slightly before travelling down the back straight onto a slight bend, then will travel the same trip as 1609m till the winning post. The field size has been small in recent years with an average of 7.3 runners over the last decade, but it is usually won a by a high quality horse, with recent winners including ST MARKS BASILICA, GOLDEN HORN, SO YOU THINK and 2010 Hong Kong Cup winner, SNOW FAIRY. Favourites have won three of the last four renewals, whilst Aiden O’Brien has sent out the last three winners. 3YOs have won five times in the last ten years, with fillies and mares having won four of the last ten renewals.
In last year’s Irish Champion Stakes, the ground was Good with a field of four going to post. PATRICK SARSFIELD made the running with POETIC FLARE in second spot, whilst the favourite, ST MARKS BASILICA sat third, with the mare, TARNAWA, bringing up the rear. The shape of the race didn’t change until the 600m mark when ST MARKS BASILICA started to make a move to sit at the flank of POETIC FLARE, with TARNAWA following his every move. As they straightened for home PATRICK SARSFIELD came under a ride and POETIC FLARE quickly went by, but ST MARKS BASILICA laid down a seriously challenge, quickly followed by TARNAWA. The three drew away to fight it out with ST MARKS BASILICA holding off TARNAWA by three quarters of a length, with POETIC FLARE just a nose behind, in a time that was 5.99 seconds slower than standard. A Stewards inquiry was called as ST MARKS BASILICA had drifted significantly to his right over the concluding stages and taken TARNAWA with him, however the placings remained unaltered.
The weather forecast for Leopardstown during the week is for mostly sunny days with a small amount of rain possible during the week, but a clear sunny day on race-day. Eight of the last ten renewals of Irish Champion Day have been run on ground with Good in the description, and given the forecast, chances are that will be the same this year.
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