The leading jockey enjoyed a smooth success on the Gordon Elliott-trained five-year-old, on his first ride since suffering a broken leg in a fall at the Dublin Racing Festival in February, an injury which came less than an hour after lifting the Irish Gold Cup aboard Delta Work.
Get Rich Die Plyin was the 5-4 favourite for his assignment and had no trouble dispatching the opposition as he opened his account by 15 lengths from Cardboard Gangster.
A delighted Kennedy said: “I couldn’t have asked for a better start, so long may it continue.
“I’ve been back riding out for three weeks, and I’m having a good old blow after that. Everything felt as good as expected.”
Elliott was pleased to have Kennedy back in the fold after nearly seven months out.
The County Meath handler said: “It’s great to have Jack back with a winner. Everyone knows he’s been off since February, but he showed at the Dublin Racing Festival the class of rider he is.
“He’d just won the Irish Gold Cup and to get back with a winner is very important. Everyone is delighted for him.”
Of Get Rich Die Plyin, he added: “He’s a grand horse and he probably wants more of a trip. We’ll try to find a winners of one race over three miles.”
Following the victory, Elliott went on to reveal stable star Envoi Allen will pursue a career over fences this season.
The Cheveley Park Stud-owned gelding is unbeaten in eight starts under rules and was last seen winning at the Cheltenham Festival for a second time in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle.
Asked whether Envoi Allen will go chasing this term, Elliott told Racing TV: “He was bought to be a Gold Cup horse, so you can use your head after that.”
]]>The highly-rated six-year-old had been sidelined for 642 days, but his return was worth the wait as Gordon Elliott’s charge enjoyed a smooth success in division two of the Hurley Family Maiden Hurdle.
Malone Road’s jumping was understandably novicey at first, but he settled nicely in front for Keith Donoghue.
Claude Greengrass kept him company until fading away before the business end and it was left to Broomfields Jerry to try to make a race of it, but Malone Road jumped the final flight four lengths clear and the 1-5 favourite extended his advantage to nine and a half lengths at the line. Dedanann was 14 lengths away in third place.
Away from the action at York, the exciting Malone Road defied a long absence to make a winning start over hurdles @KilbegganRaces pic.twitter.com/bqBpIj8anx
— PA Racing (@PAracing) August 21, 2020
Bought for £325,000 guineas by Cheveley Park Stud after winning a point-to-point in Ireland, Malone Road won two bumpers in 2018 but a knee injury ended that campaign prematurely. Then he picked up an injury last November which extended his absence.
Malone Road was to have returned at Ballinrobe earlier this month, but was withdrawn as the ground was unsuitable.
Elliott said: “He was a bit rusty, but it’s good to have him back. He hadn’t any fast work done and was half sleepy going around there.
“It probably wasn’t the ideal track for him, but we have to start somewhere.
“He had two knee injuries and hopefully he’ll be OK in the morning after that. It’s baby steps and we might look at something in Listowel for him.”
Elliott also won division one with Curlew Hill (4-5 favourite), ridden by Luke Dempsey.
]]>3.30 Naas : Hong Kong @ 10/3 BOG 10th at 3/1 (A little slow into stride, mid-division early, 8th approaching halfway, pushed along straight, tight for room on inner over 2f out, soon one paced) I'm certainly finding the Irish racing much harder to read.
Tuesday's pick runs in the...
Before I post the daily selection, just a quick reminder of how I operate the service. Generally, I'll identify and share the selection between 8.00am and 8.15am and I then add a more detailed write-up later within an hour or so of going "live".
Those happy to take the early price on trust can do so, whilst some might prefer to wait for my reasoning. As I fit the early service in around my family life, I can't give an exact timing on the posts, so I suggest you follow us on Twitter and/or Facebook for instant notifications of a published pick.
Who?
Frontal Assault @ 11/4 BOG
...in a 12-runner, INH Flat race for 5-7yo over 2m2½f on Soft To Heavy ground worth £5,575 to the winner...
Why?...
Timeform say this looks an above-average bumper with our pick setting the standard having finished behind a pair of subsequent winners when third at Fairyhouse last month, one of which was Ferny Hollow, who went on to win the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham.
Now, as usual, full honest disclosure from me, I don't bet much in Irish races (although that's changing by the day) and I don't get involved in Bumpers too often either, so you can imagine how often I play in Irish Bumpers! That said, I do adopt a quality over quantity position regarding the INH Flat races and one of my starting points are horses trained by Gordon Elliott and ridden by Mr JJ Codd (who is in good form right now, as it happens).
I'm particularly interested in the Elliott/Codd bumper runners deemed to "have a shout" by the market, as those sent off shorter than 6/1 are 59 from 156 (37.8% SR) for 3.2pts (+2.1% ROI) profit since the start of 2016. Yes, a whole 2.1% profit! However (a) that's blind profit and (b) a starting point from which I'd always want at least one (if not more) of the following five angles to be at play...
...suggesting...a 1pt win bet on Frontal Assault @ 11/4 BOG as was offered by BetVictor & Hills at 8.00am Tuesday, but as always please check your BOG status. To see what your preferred bookie is quoting...
...click here for the betting on the 5.00 Clonmel
Don't forget, we offer a full interactive racecard service every day!
REMINDER: THERE IS NO STAT OF THE DAY ON SUNDAYS
P.S. all P/L returns quoted in the stats above are to Betfair SP, as I NEVER bet to ISP and neither should you. I always use BOG bookies for SotD, wherever possible, but I use BFSP for the stats as it is the nearest approximation I can give, so I actually expect to beat the returns I use to support my picks. If that's unclear, please ask!
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