Benny the Dip is Unwell !!

[bennythedip2]

To my friends who enjoy a glass of wine.... And those who don't.

As Ben Franklin said:

In wine there is wisdom,
In beer there is freedom,
In water there is bacteria.

In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have demonstrated that if we drink 1 litre of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. Coli) - bacteria found in feces. In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop.

However, we do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer (or tequila, rum, whiskey or other liquor) because alcohol has to go through a purification process of boiling, filtering and/or fermenting.



Remember:
Water = Poop,
Wine = Health .



Therefore, it's better



to drink wine and talk stupid,
than to drink water and be full of shit .

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information:



I'm doing it as a public service.

[bennythedip2]

Saturday's Adonis Hurdle winner Hebridean will not line up in the Triumph Hurdle after connections decided to bypass the Cheltenham Festival.
Paul Nicholls' four-year-old was a useful performer on the level for Aidan O'Brien but had been turned over on his first two starts over hurdles.
He got back on the winning trail at Kempton but Aintree, not Cheltenham, will be his next port of call.
Nicholls said: "He's come out of the race absolutely fine but we've decided to miss Cheltenham and go to Aintree with him.
"I spoke to Adrian (Nolan, owner) about it this morning and Ruby (Walsh) is very keen to go to Aintree.
"There is Punchestown after Aintree as well but the flatter track at Aintree will suit him."

update benny

[bennythedip2]

If it hadn't been for bloodstock agent Anthony Bromley, names such as Kauto Star, Master Minded, Azertyuiop and Voy Por Ustedes might never have appeared on the Festival role of honour. Here he talks to Zoey Bird about his purchases running at the 2009 Festival.



The Cheltenham Festival is very English with all that tweed - and Irish of course with all that Guinness - yet don’t really think of it as being very French. However, it is when it comes to the horses, as these days almost half the contenders running at the Festival were born and raised in France.

And the majority of that half would never have made it over the Channel to compete at Cheltenham if it hadn’t been for one canny Englishman who saw a gap in the National Hunt Bloodstock market.

In 1997 a young bloodstock agent called Anthony Bromley, fed up with extortionate prices of young National Hunt horses in Ireland, took a leaf out of Martin Pipe’s book and headed over to France for some fresh blood. Not one trainer was interested at first but then David Nicholson and Nicky Henderson took a punt; they were rewarded quickly with Toto Toscato and Festival winner Katarino.

Then Bromley met shrewd French jumps trainer Guillaume Macaire and since then the pair have supplied a huge array of Festival winners to Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls, Alan King and their principal owners. Great chasers such as Azertyuiop and Voy Por Ustedes are among Bromley’s portfolio and in all he’s bought 28 Festival winners from France for nine different English trainers.

Bromley’s biggest success to date is multiple Grade 1 winner Kauto Star but Master Minded could well be on his way to topping that if he wins his second Champion Chase this March. What with that and five Bromley purchases running in this year’s Gold Cup alone, plus a further 60 runners in other races at the Festival, Cheltenham 2009 looks like being Bromley’s biggest yet.

In the build up to the most important week of the year for the agent, I asked Bromley to select the pick of his purchases that will be in action at the Festival.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WILLIAMHILL.COM SUPREME NOVICES' HURDLE (13.30 Tuesday)
"The Supreme Novices' looks to be a race for the Irish this year but Alan King's Medermit has a live each-way chance, definitely. He’s a horse who has exceeded our expectations and that’s good for a novice to do, he just keeps getting better and that’s what you want at Cheltenham; knowing that there’s more to come."

IRISH INDEPENDENT ARKLE NOVICES' CHASE (14.05 Tuesday)
"This is one of the Stewart family’s best chances. It was so good to finally get a winner for Andy (Stewart) at the Festival last year, he’s such a good client and he’s had a lot of luck, just not at Cheltenham. I knew Tatenen would be good because of what he’s achieved in France; he was unbeaten there and won a Listed Hurdle and a Graded hurdle. When we went across to see him he looked great schooling and really knew his job. For the first half of this season he was the best novice out there but there’s plenty of competition now. Gary Moore’s Panjo Bere is interesting; he was bought out of a claimer in France, but not by me!"

SMURFIT KAPPA CHAMPION HURDLE (15.20 Tuesday)
"I’ve never bought the winner of the Champion Hurdle but I'm hoping to break that record this year. Nicky (Henderson) said JP McManus was looking for a Triumph Hurdle horse and I knew about Binocular so Nicky came across to France to see him and fell in love with him. He is so neat and quick over his hurdles and a determined galloper; he’ll come up that hill no problem. There’s plenty of French breds in the race this year; Osana, Sublimity, Ashkazar, all of them have chances. If you take Binocular out the race, its wide open, Celestial Halo has been trained especially for the Champion all season rather than various other big prizes and trials."




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BALLYMORE PROPERTIES NOVICES' HURDLE (14.05 Wednesday)
"If it’s soft Mikael D’Haguenet wins this for Willie Mullins. Willie likes his French horses, they suit him because they’re precocious and just the right sort for bumpers and novice hurdles. If it’s quicker Karabak would have a big chance. I bought him at the breeze-up sales because he was racey with a nice pedigree. He’s a big strong sort and the combination of the hill and the trip will play to his strengths."

SEASONS HOLIDAYS QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE (15.20 Wednesday)
"This and the Arkle are the races that I am associated with most, largely thanks to Azertyuiop’s successes for owner John Hales. Then I bought Master Minded for Clive Smith and he blew everyone away when he won this last year. It took seven months for me to get him off of Guillaume (Macaire). He knew Master Minded was going to be very good. He had excellent form in France and the rate at which he was progressing from a four to a five-year-old was incredible. Even so, none of us thought we would be dealing with a stellar champion and he’s only six. To think Clive’s (Smith) only ever owned five horses, he’s been a lucky man! Away from Master Minded there are plenty of live chances for the places including Twist Magic and especially Petit Robin who was unbeaten over fences in France and would have contested the Ballymore Properties two years ago if he hadn’t been injured. The Poyntons (owners) have been very patient with him. He is lightly raced, but mature and there’s a lot more to come from him. He could be a dark horse."




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RYANAIR CHASE (14.40 Thursday)
"I’ve bought a few horses for Sir Robert Ogden, including Voy Por Usteres and Star de Mohaison, both Festival winners. Voy Por’s been a fantastic horse, he’s another to have notched up the Arkle/Champion Chase double but since then he’s had to play second fiddle to Master Minded over two miles, though he did beat him at Aintree. He ran with the choke out a bit at Ascot last time but that suits him. This is the right race for him, the right trip, everything and he’s my banker. I bought Gwanako for Andy Stewart to win the Triumph but he was injured and although he was small he’s made up into a decent chaser which he proved at Aintree. He’s been one of those bonus balls, a real trier."


LADBROKES WORLD HURDLE (15.20 Thursday)
"It would be very poignant if Punchestowns could win for owner Judy Wilson who lost her husband last year. He was fast becoming the leading bumper horse in France when I spotted him. I record every single race from France, I have a whole library. He was a reasonably good novice but has matured into a serious horse. He does very little wrong in a race, has an engine and stays really well. Big Buck's had a change of tack from top-class staying chases to hurdles. It’s no real surprise he’s done it so well, as he’d won graded races over hurdles in France. He’s a classy, talented horse and I think he’ll run a massive race but the way Kasbah Bliss won at Haydock, I don’t think he’ll be beaten."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

JCB TRIUMPH HURDLE (13.30 Friday)
"It’s really exciting to have bought the two market leaders. I found Zaynar at the French sales. He has a fantastic pedigree by Daylami out of Zainta who won the Prix De Diane. He was quite expensive at 120,000 euros but to be honest he’s justified that by doing everything so easily. He’s just a lovely horse. So also is Walkon but he was very reasonably priced. He’s been a real revelation and just seems to get better and better and we get the impression there is more to come, he’s very gutsy, a real Triumph sort."

TOTESPORT CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP (15.20 Friday)
"I was so gutted when Kauto Star didn’t win last year that I left almost straight after the race. He’s been a very special horse to me. It took forever to buy him off of Serge Foucher as he didn’t really want to sell him. We’ve had some nail biting moments through his amazing career but I really thought last year was Kauto’s and I was wrong. A lot depends on the ground this year. I don’t think Kauto Star wants it too soft, just good. Neptune Collonges jumps, gallops and stays but he just has to show some extra sparkle to actually win the Gold Cup. I personally think it’s a wide open race this year. You ignore Madison Du Berlais at your peril, he could spoil the party. As could Albertas Run, who I bought for Trevor (Hemmings), he has a real live chance."

Having brokered the market leaders in ten of the big races at Cheltenham, Bromley looks like having his best Festival to date but he’s quick to point out that providing owners with a horse good enough to run there is difficult enough, the rest is down to luck.

update BTD

[bennythedip2]

Irish update for March and April Festival's

Noel Meade could well have unearthed a lively outsider for the William Hill Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in 15 days time in Go Native, who was quite a comfortable winner of the Grade 2 paddypower.com Johnstown Novice Hurdle at Naas on Sunday.

The Double Eclipse gelding's defeat of the Grade 2 scorer Roberto Goldback was another ringing endorsement for Hurricane Fly, who dispatched him with consummate ease at Leopardstown after Christmas. However, this should not overshadow the fact that Go Native is a talented novice.

He travelled especially well throughout the Naas race and did win with authority. It is worth bearing in mind that he has form on a much quicker surface - such versatility in terms of ground could stand him in good stead at Cheltenham - and his trainer felt that he could improve for this run also.

Obviously he has a lot to find with Hurricane Fly should they cross swords at Cheltenham but he is a strong traveller and a good jumper and it is not hard to envisage him running a big race in the Cotswolds should he get the all clear to take his chance there.

Later on the card Charles Byrnes's Carthalawn disposed of Schindlers Hunt and Mansony in the two mile Newlands Chase to confirm the progress that has been evident from his last few runs while Joncol looked a fine staying chaser in the making with a ten length success in the Grade 2 novice chase.

The Paul Nolan-trained Joncol should be a good deal sharper for this experience, which was his first run since he made a winning start over fences in early December, and, if there was some ease in the ground, he can play a major role in a race like the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse over Easter. An imposing six-year-old who has run just four times on the track, he could develop into a potent force over fences.

The two-mile three-furlong bumper has produced two Cheltenham bumper winners over the last decade and it witnessed an intriguing clash between the debut course winner Quadrillon, trained by Willie Mullins, and Rite Of Passage, who looked a decent sort when winning a Galway bumper on his first taste of racecourse action last August.

Despite probably not having the ground to suit and an absence of over six month to overcome, Rite Of Passage still turned in a very smart effort to account for Quadrillon by six lengths. His Cheltenham participation is far from certain but this effort would put him right into the reckoning for that race and there is surely more to come from the five-year-old.

Elsewhere Black Apalachi completed his John Smith's Grand National preparations with flying colours at Fairyhouse on Saturday as he produced a pillar to post tour de force in the Grade 2 At The Races Bobbyjo Chase.

The Dessie Hughes inmate, who ran promisingly over hurdles at the start of the month, looked to be on excellent terms with himself as he disposed of Snowy Morning by 17 lengths.

He is deservedly one of the leading fancies for Aintree glory - he won over the National fences in November's Beecher Chase - and soft ground at Liverpool would increase his chances of victory all the more.

Snowy Morning will also head to Aintree where he ran a fine third last year. He has not been at his best this term and was well held on this occasion. However, the tacky ground certainly wouldn't have played to his strengths and it would be most unwise to underestimate his chances as he does tend to come to himself in the springtime.

Hughes came away from Fairyhouse with a Grade 2 double to his name having also landed the Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle with Kyrie Eleison.

The Kalanisi gelding did well to overcome a bad mistake at the last and his trainer feels that he will improve for better ground, although he has plenty to find with the best juveniles around. His victory was a boost for the Triumph hopefuls Jumbo Rio, Ebadiyan and Mourad who had him back in fifth at Leopardstown six days previously.

Earlier in the week Willie Mullins further strengthened his Cheltenham team as Quevega staked her claim for the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle with a fluent success in a conditions hurdle at Punchestown on Wednesday.

Running for the first time in 241 days, she can be expected to make significant progress off this outing and will be a major player for her Prestbury Park assignment.

It is worth remembering that during her four-year-old campaign she finished just a couple of lengths behind Hurricane Fly in a Grade 1 at Auteuil.

The week also served up several bumper winners for the yard including Lios A Choill who made a winning start to his career at Fairyhouse.

The Saddlers' Hall gelding quickened up smartly off a very slow pace to win decisively and he looked like that would improve appreciably for the experience.

An especially well bred sort, he looks a horse of considerable potential and is another intriguing candidate for Cheltenham.

John Kiely also has an excellent record in bumpers this term and he unveiled quite a smart sort in Taking Stock who scored at Punchestown on Wednesday.

This could well be the Flemensfirth gelding's only outing this season. However, there was much to like about his effort and his is a name to remember for next term.

Undoubtedly one of the most promising individuals on view over the last week was the Enda Bolger-trained An Siorrac who was deeply impressive in a hunters chase at Fairyhouse on Saturday.

Unbeaten in his two point-to-point starts, which included a defeat of the decent hunter chaser Carronhills, the six-year-old couldn't have made a better start to his racecourse career in defeating Royal Blood by 30 lengths.

Cheltenham isn't on his agenda and instead he is likely to head to the Fairyhouse and Punchestown Festivals. Nonetheless, his is a name to remember and he is a horse of considerable potential.

update BTD

[bennythedip2]

Hurricane Fly ....NR

[bennythedip2]

Champion Hurdle favourite "Binocular" satisfied trainer Nicky Henderson in a racecourse spin at Kempton ahead of his Cheltenham Festival bid.
The five-year-old has dominated the market for the Smurfit Kappa-sponsored event after scoring an easy success at Ascot before Christmas.
He has not been seen on the track since December but was reunited with big-race rider Tony McCoy on Wednesday morning, when he was one of seven horses to work on the all-weather at the Sunbury venue.

Galloping in company with Coral Cup-bound The Polomoche, Binocular worked over a mile and a half, setting off from the two-furlong marker before completing a full circuit of the track.
Henderson said: "Tony got off and said he had a good blow.
"You could see from where we were standing he had a blow and he had another one turning in. He's a stuffy horse and needs plenty (of work).
"He is one person that we've not run since December on purpose and we could have done without 14 days locked up in the cupboard so to speak.
"He was the interrupted person. He was the one horse that needed this workout more than the others - they were here for a day out and a bit of fun.
"He is stuffy and will do that (have a blow), and The Polomoche is a very good work horse."

Stable jockey Barry Geraghty was aboard The Polomoche and also partnered JCB Triumph Hurdle favourite "Zaynar" as he undertook a similar gallop.
The four-year-old is unbeaten in two British starts but he was made to work by the McCoy-ridden Aigle D'Or - another Coral Cup contender - in their spin.
Henderson added: "He wants pace but it's all there and he keeps picking up and picking up like he did at Ascot.
"Barry said Ascot didn't suit him as well as Newbury. He is lazy and probably a bit inexperienced but he jumps."

Cesarewitch winner Caracciola was also in action with Zaynar and Aigle D'Or and he will tackle the Pertemps Final, although Henderson has already set his sights on a big Flat prize for his veteran performer.
He explained: "We're getting him ready for the Melbourne Cup as his owner is very keen.
"Tell that to the Aussies and they'll go ballistic as they've never seen a 12-year-old before."

Others having a spin were the Geraghty-ridden My Petra, and French Opera, who was steered by Marcus Foley.
The latter is set to bid for glory in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase - a race named in memory of Henderson's father - but My Petra's target is far from certain. "I'm not sure where My Petra will run, she's there as a standby for Chomba Womba in the David Nicholson," he explained.
"She has plenty of other entries and where she runs will depend on the ground as she likes it quick."

Kempton clerk of the course Brian Clifford had prepared a strip around the outside of the track for Henderson's team and the Seven Barrow trainer acknowledged his efforts.
"I want to thank Kempton and Barney Clifford very much as they have done a very good job of setting the track up as we want it," he said.

Henderson has not yet completed his Festival preparations, with leading World Hurdle contender "Punchestowns" and Cheltenham Gold Cup hope Barbers Shop set to be put through their paces over the weekend.
"We will work another batch of horses at Newbury on Sunday including Mad Max, Punchestowns, Barbers Shop, The Market Man and a few others, to do the same thing as we've done this morning," Henderson added.
"These were the early-in-the-week horses and to go to Newbury would be too close to the Tuesday and Wednesday of the Festival."

update BTD

[bennythedip2]

Hi Benny

A Russian woman married a Canadian gentleman and they lived happily ever after in Toronto . The poor lady was not very proficient in English, but did manage to communicate with her husband.

The real problem arose whenever she had to shop for groceries.





One day, she went to the butcher and wanted to buy chicken legs. She didn't know how to put forward her request, and in desperation, clucked like a chicken and lifted up her skirt to show her thighs.





Her butcher got the message, and gave her the chicken legs.





Next day she needed to get chicken breasts, again she didn't know how to say it, and so she clucked like a chicken and unbuttoned her blouse to show the butcher her breasts. The butcher understood again, and gave her some chicken breasts.





On the 3rd day, the poor lady needed to buy sausages. Unable to find a way to communicate this, she brought her husband to the store...














(Please scroll down)




























































































What were you thinking?

Hellooooooo, her husband speaks English!
Now get back to your emails, and dogs !!















I don't know about you sometimes!

Benny ...please behave !!!

[bennythedip2]

Forbidden
You don't have permission to access /images/Reviews/pc/area-51/area-51-1.jpg on this server.


Access denied !!


Really ?

[bennythedip2]

So with the Cheltenham Festival looming and only another five days of nail biting to the off and some juicy anti post vouchers waiting to turn into dust or gold what else is there to consider

Bets already struck !!
Imperial Commander (Win) Hennessy Gold Cup- A.Post 7/1 (NR loser)
Tatenen (Antepost) Arkle Chase 2009 7/2 .................................Fell
Diamond Harry (Ante Post) Ballymore Properties Novi Hdl - A.Post 8/1 .......3rd
Punchestowns (Antepost) World Hurdle 2009- A.Post 14/1 ..........2nd
Denman (Win And Each Way) Cheltenham Gold Cup 2009 6/4..........2nd

Grand National 2009- Notre Pere @ 20/1
Triumph Hurdle 2009- Zaynar @ 7/2 ............1st
Chelt Gold Cup 2009 - Denman @ 5/1 ..........2nd
Ballymore Properties Novice Hdl 2009- Diamond Harry @ 3/1 ...............3rd
Champion Hurdle 2009- Binocular @ 5/4 .................................3rd
Arkle Chase 2009 Tatenen @ 5/1 .........fell

Well at this stage most of the value has gone and waiting till the day of the race is when you'll find course bookies and morning shows much bigger than whats currently on offer from the big firms. That said, you cannot put out of the equation the Irish connection's and they will be steaming into their fancies over the coming weekend and they will have plenty of winners here, so where is the value here .

Quevega.Willie Mullins(David Nicholson Mares only 7/2)................1st
Go Native . Noel Meade (Supreme Novice 10/1) (Betfair 13.5 /1 win bet struck)....1st
Right of Passage (Bumper 8/1).................2nd
Lois A Choill (Bumper 14/1) .NR ..will not go to Cheltenham, says trainer
Catch Up (Not Sure about this one yet, the jury still out)
Kyrie Eleison..(Triumph Hurdle 50/1 small e/w) (Betfair 269/1 win..32/1 place..small bet struck).NR

There are plenty more to consider but when knowing what race there going to run in, is the time to consider the chances !
On a brighter note "Notre Pere" is a definite NON Runner for the Gold Cup ( had a minor setback) His trainer said he'll wait and see about going to Aintree for the National ( I think he'll be there)
And finally the one horse that I think we have all overlooked for the Gold Cup was the very impressive David Pipe horse "Madison Du Burlais".. Although i still think Denman will run a big race, this fella has done every thing asked and looks the value bet ... update later Tea and smoke required

[bennythedip2]

.. I'm not listening Shane, oh go on then !!



A cross section survey of over 250,000 people in the UK made up of Afghans, Pakistanis, Indians, Poles, Iraqis, Somalis, Africans, Albanians, Bosnians, Turks, Geordies, Brummies, Scots, Scousers and Chavs were asked if they thought England should change its currency to the Euro.

99% said no,


as they were perfectly happy with the Giro !!!!!!!