Search Results for 'ar mad'

[The Ante-Post King]

Interesting opinions as usual, here"s mine! That was visually the most impressive performance i have ever seen from Kauto Star, his jumping was
clinical, he travelled like a dream and he quickened up like only a true champ can at the end of a race, Neptune ran a gallant race right up to his mark on ground that was not ideal, Exotic could only have got closer on softer ground that would have blunted Kauto"s speed, Albertas run could/should have ran better than his finishing position. Denman will never beat the Kauto we witnessed on friday on that ground! On softer ground
the real Denman would beat Kauto every time no question! The pair of them are so reliable on the state of the ground that we will never know who
really is the best! IMO!

ya know what gwilson for once i agree with you.. x

EASY TIGER! You know me "Becks" a bit of a smart Ass wih a sense of humour though! and having said previously that i thought Neptune would fall
i was hoping to God he didn"t, as you would probably have made an "effigy" of me and chopped my balls off with a rusty pair of scissors!!
He will be off to Punchestown next no doubt to win his big race?

[Bosranic]

Sadly Bos you are amile of the mark mate No offence my friend but Pau Nichols made it perectly clear although he thought he had Denman not far of 100% he wasn’t spot on. He said if he goes off like he did last year he won’t get home (will blow up). The horse wasn’t fit enough to be going of like he was Dessie with wings mate. Bog all to do with whether he reatins his ability or not.

You would think Denman had dropped dead of a heart attack and been brought back to life. He had a minor heart comlaint that many many many animals have and in most cases is self correcting. he’s racehorse/athelete so "Yes" it affected him and held him up in his work but he showed in the Gold Cup he is totally over it and is showing abslotely no ill effects.

The horse hasn’t been injured, many of his races have been easy ones and he’s certainly not had as many hard races as Kauto.

Harry Findlay came away with this he’ll never be the same again rubbish………Harry is human and he worries like any owner.

Next season a 100% fit Denman will be back galloping everything into the ground again. He’s a young horse not an OAP.

In my opinion there was nothing wrong with Denman’s general fitness and didn’t Harry say after the race that if they knew he could run like he did they would’ve ridden him more positively. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Paul Nicholls didn’t think the horse would get home if the same tactics were applied because he didn’t know if he had the same horse as last year.

The question still remains ‘Has the horse retained the ability (due to his problems) to adopt his usual forceful tactics?’

I disagree with you regarding the number of hard races he has had. His style of running suggests that just about every race he has takes it toll. For example, his Aon Chase win may have looked easy enough, but that took just as much out of him as any other race – a lot.

I doubt we’ll see the Denman of old again, in my opinion. As a 9YO, approaching ten next season, he’s no OAP, but far from a spring chicken, either.

I hope I’m proved wrong.

[Aristo]

Kauto Star has captured two Tingle Creeks at Sandown over the minimum trip, so the theory that Denman took him out of his comfort zone last year is bogus, in my opinion.

If there’s one place that takes more jumping than Cheltenham it’s Sandown. Even more so over two miles, negotiating the Railway Fences at pace.

Kauto wasn’t right last year. Period. The foot injury that blighted his preperation for the race was present before the Commercial Chase, yet went undetected.

It’s clear that at this stage of his career he’s best when fresh. He was flat last year, couple that with the injury and you got valid reasons for his below-par effort.

To put Friday’s effort into perspective, I think Exotic Dancer is, as previously stated, a solid yardstick. There’s two races on left-handed tracks that you could analyse with KS and ED prior to Friday – the Gold Cup and Betfair Chase of 2007. KS beat ED by 2 1/2 L and 1/2 L, respectively – an average of 1 1/2 L.

Compare that to their meetings on right-handed tracks, it’s 8L and 12L – an average of 10L.

Kauto Star and Exotic Dancer both came into the race on the back of victories, with ideal preperations and a light campaign. As stated above, their meetings on left-handed tracks are always much closer, but Kauto smashed him by 15 1/2 L in the Gold Cup.

Has Kauto improved? Perhaps, although it’s a bit far-fetched to think he’s better than ever at the age of nine, but not impossible. I just think that Paul Nicholls has found the key to him. Perhaps he has always required time between races to be at his best.

If you forget the Betfair Chase, Kauto hasn’t been asked a serious question this year and has won each race by an average of 10 1/2 L.

I’ll stick my neck out and say that he’ll never put in another performance like Friday again. That’s the most complete performace I’ve ever seen in National Hunt racing. He travelled, jumped and quickened in effortless fashion. The more I watch it, the more I appreciate it. Class, courage and flamboyance – just beautiful.

That was his defining moment, and one that we will all remember him by.

I don’t think Denman will ever return the same horse he was in 2007-2008. He can certainly improve on this season, but those efforts have scarred him for the rest of his career, in my opinion.

Like any good fighter, though, he’s always got one big fight left in him.

There was nothing wrong with him on Friday. He was sound, fit and well. The reaction to his phenomenal effort was relief more than anything – it told us he’s still alive and kicking and fit enough to compete. He didn’t have an interrupted preperation, but the doubts surrounding his retention of ability were the primary reason behind the lack of confidence and subsequent change of tactics.

If he returns to Cheltenham next year on the back of an impreesive season and connections adopt those tactics again, regardless of the ground, he’ll be put in his place again. He can’t win like that.

The question is ‘Can Denman withstand the forceful tactics of old?’

Sadly, I doubt it.

Sadly Bos you are amile of the mark mate No offence my friend but Pau Nichols made it perectly clear although he thought he had Denman not far of 100% he wasn’t spot on. He said if he goes off like he did last year he won’t get home (will blow up). The horse wasn’t fit enough to be going of like he was Dessie with wings mate. Bog all to do with whether he reatins his ability or not.

You would think Denman had dropped dead of a heart attack and been brought back to life. He had a minor heart comlaint that many many many animals have and in most cases is self correcting. he’s racehorse/athelete so "Yes" it affected him and held him up in his work but he showed in the Gold Cup he is totally over it and is showing abslotely no ill effects.

The horse hasn’t been injured, many of his races have been easy ones and he’s certainly not had as many hard races as Kauto.

Harry Findlay came away with this he’ll never be the same again rubbish………Harry is human and he worries like any owner.

Next season a 100% fit Denman will be back galloping everything into the ground again. He’s a young horse not an OAP.

[Blue Brazil]

I’ve not read all the posts, but I suppose it’s similar to last year when Denman had the upper hand and the Kauto Star supporters, which I was one of was trying to defend his performance. Fact is KS was not right last season in the GC. Watch the replay of that race and he made at least 10 mistakes and it had nothing to do with the pace Denman was going at, as he made a lot of them before Denman pushed the thrust button. Denman certainly had excuses this year no doubt, but ponud for pound Kauto Star in my book is the better horse. Denman has the chance to do what KS did this year and regain the crown next year, but I don’t think his record will come close to that of KS, as he’s one dimensional. We’re lucky to have seen a horse like KS who has the versatility to have won at the Tingle Creek and Gold Cup distances. An absolutely wonderful horse that’s once in a lifetime, so enjoy

[graysonscolumn]

when Oliver Brady was third and made that Irish impression of John Cooper Clark

Oliver Brady doing a word-perfect rendition of

Beasley Street

? Now this I must see!

gc

Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.

[graysonscolumn]

Ned’s Atomic Dustbin. Marvellous. Unfortunately, Stourbridge’s moment in the spotlight simply served to reveal the shocking standards of numeracy in these parts. Two bass guitarists and yet no singer.

Well, a sort of singer by the name of John Penney. I’m guessing not the same one.

Stourbridge, briefly the musical epicentre of the planet [steady on – ed], thanks to Neds, Wonder Stuff, Pop Will Eat Itself, and to a lesser extent Fretblanket and Scorpio Rising…

…and at the moment, this fella as well;

VOLUNTARY BUTLER SCHEME – Trading Things In
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ljaHJC5Aco

And speaking of bad hair and long shorts…..lest we forget

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcvHCKo8MRw

Ah, it’s the Ecstasy Mother F*ckers! (or the Epsom Mad Funkers, as

Smash Hits

used to claim, unconvincingly).

Proof positive that it’s the quiet ones you have to watch out for – whilst James, Zac and Derry haven’t been seen since the public tired of their rap-rock tunes, practical jokes (supplanting the content of milkbottles with milk of their own was a particular favourite, if memory serves), etc., guitarist Ian recorded two albums as part of gorgeous acoustic indie-pop trio Whistler, and has more recently hit paydirt as the writer of "Beautiful Liar" for Beyonce and "Tattoo" for Jordin Sparks.

Nice trick if you can pull it off.

gc

Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.

[betlarge]

As I remember, when Oliver Brady was third and made that Irish impression of John Cooper Clark; the TV concentrated on him. The trainer of his first and possibly only winner at Cheltenham got very little coverage.

…something I had the temerity to criticise on these boards at the time. Don’t mind the celebrations, but they’re for when you win, the rest seemed like an ignorant hijacking of someone else’s moment.

Still, he’s such a wacky

character

, eh?

Mike

[Gingertipster]

Why did Ebadiyan run out?

Because given the choice of jumping a hurdle or not jumping a hurdle he chose the latter.

Or may be he did not want OB to be shouting about in the parade ring.

As I remember, when Oliver Brady was third and made that Irish impression of John Cooper Clark; the TV concentrated on him. The trainer of his first and possibly only winner at Cheltenham got very little coverage.

Was it me? Or did he seem to suggest God was on his side in an interview before the race? May be with what happened to Ebadiyan, God was not on his side.

Great character he undoubtedly is, I like him in small doses. Would not wish running out on anyone, but is it possible OB does some of these things for publicity?

Mark

Value Is Everything

[Bosranic]

Like I said, I don’t think there was anything wrong with the general fitness and wellbeing of Denman.

It was his below-par effort at Kempton and subsequent poor homework that raised question marks about his participation in the Gold Cup.

Theses doubts were evident in the Gold Cup. I thought the race would be run to suit Kauto because connections were never going to employ the usual tactics on Denman.

It was this understandable change of tactics that got the horse beat. If they run the same race next year, even with Camp Denman full of confidence, the result would still be the same.

Denman beat Neptune Collonges by 7L last year and 8 1/2 L yesterday, even though both would have preferred softer conditions and NC had apparently improved.

Fist made the initial observation about NC’s proximity to Kauto last year and Jim McGrath echoed this opinion yesterday. Kauto’s 20L reversal of Denman can be accredited to better conditions and a lighter campaign, in my opinion.

I certainly noticed the difference yesterday compared to last year, when I also attended. He looked happier and, as Clive Smith stated, he had a spring in his step.

It will be interesting to see how Paul Nicholls handles Denman during the Summer. Surely he can’t allow Denman to return in the same condition, which could lead to further problems.

I still doubt whether Denman will return the same horse he was in 2007-2008. He can improve next year, but he has a mountain to climb to reverse 13L with Kauto.

Saying that, I doubt Kauto will ever put in a round of jumping like he did yesterday. Also, it’s always a crucial time when horses hit the big 1-0 (ten) and perhaps yesterday was Kauto’s defining moment. Nothing to stop him from winning a fourth King George, though.

Bring on 2010…

[Pendle_Gazza]

Whats proper racing ground exactly?? And how soft was it last year???

Well, my interpretation of it is ground that isn’t going to slow a horse down or blunt its speed i.e. it’s probably fair to suggest Master Oats wouldn’t have sluiced up in a Gold Cup on goodish ground?

My comments weren’t necessarily to put down Denman – how can you forget the exhilarating Hennessy performance for example – more that I was really happy that Kauto put in a truly supreme display at Cheltenham.

Denman is an absolutely fantastic horse and made it a great race to watch, and I sincerely hope he’s back fully tuned up for round three next year. He might be the second in succession to regain his crown, and make it a deserved two Gold Cups apiece.

[huddiepuddies]

For all the debate about Jonjo’s training ability what are people’s thoughts on the Johnson and Wylie partnership.

For all the investment made by these two the returns,Drever aside, are slender to say the least. I hope their indecision over Tidal Bay and his optimum trip doesn’t stop this horse showing his true potential.

[Gingertipster]

Choc rode a great race on Pennek, as Bos says being scrubbed along from some way out. So he was fine then. May be the jolt he recieved from Voy Por when he made that mistake agrevated the injury. Few jockeys would even stay on with such an error, let alone keep the horse in contension. To blame Choc for Voy Por’s defeat is crazy (imo). The horse did not jump well; already had a reminder and made a mistake prior to his main error. The horse has not jumped as well as last year in any of his races this season. It could be Voy Por does not like getting crowded these days. Along with Madison Du Berlais.

It is obvious from Paul’s photo Choc did not feel too good after the World Hurdle, but it had probably got worse as the day progressed. Very much doubt it was anywhere near as bad when he rode in the Coral Cup or Ryanair.

Mark

Value Is Everything

[Nathan Hughes]

Arsenal v Blackburn 2 – 2
Bolton v Fulham 3 – 1
Everton v Stoke 2 – 1
Hull v Newcastle 1 – 1
Man Utd v Liverpool 3 – 0
Chester v Grimsby 0 – 3

Sorry Insomniac but when Cormack made the rules up only four games per day allowed,

Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026

[apracing]

A popular pastime amongst historians, who look at what might have happened if a specific crucial event hadn’t happened. For example, what if Hitler had died of the wounds he received during World War 1.

Back to racing, how about :

– What if Big Bucks hadn’t fallen in the Hennessey ?

Presumably, he wouldn’t then have been switched to hurdling, especially if he’d actually managed to win the race.

In which case, Punchestowns would have achieved the rare treble of Long Walk Hurdle (by 11 lengths), Cleeve Hurdle (under a maximum penalty) and World Hurdle (by 17 lengths). That sequence would have seen him praised as the best staying hurdler of his generation, perhaps one of the best ever.

But instead, Punchestowns is now viewed by some as having failed to live up to the hype that accompanied his two wins before Xmas.

On such slender margins are reputations made …..

[Bosranic]

Kauto Star has landed three King George’s in effortless fashion, but Friday was the most complete performance of his career and, taking into consideration the way he travelled, jumped, the calibre of opposition and the historical significance, probably his best.

Denman ran a cracker. Quite interesting that many have said with a better preperation he would’ve been closer. Denman wasn’t injured between Kempton and Cheltenham, just failing to show his old sparkle at home.

We heard many contrasting, often contradicting reports regarding his wellbeing and fitness after Kempton, where connections were disappointed with his effort. It was that effort, not an injury, that put his participation in doubt. There was nothing wrong with his general fitness today, and perhaps Paul Nicholls was right that he had been kidding them at home prior to his comeback, where it is now pretty obvious he was badly in need of the run.

Denman defended his title with immense credit and he should be thereabouts next season.

Many have questioned Kauto’s form in the past few years, but there can be no better yardstick than Exotic Dancer. Kauto Star is very lucky to have him, but quite the opposite must be said for Exotic Dancer!!

In the absence of Kauto, Exotic Dancer has landed a Betfair Bowl and Lexus Chase in very impressive fashion, where he looked all over Neptune Collonges before that one departed. He was all wrong last year and his Gold Cup effort of 2008 should be forgotten.

In my opinion, he is the third best staying chaser in the country.

Unless the ground is much softer next year, you couldn’t fancy Neptune to get much closer and, with Cooldine looking a useful recruit, he may struggle to figure next year. He’ll continue to win good races in the absence of his stable companions and he should claim a hat-trick of victories in the Punchestown Gold Cup next month…if Kauto Star doesn’t turn up.

My Will and Roll Along had some good horses behind and all roads lead to Aintree. The pair were only 2L behind Neptune Collonges.

Barbers Shop travelled and jumped superbly well and he should prove a force over the intermediate distance next season and three miles on a flat track should prove ideal.

Madison Du Berlais and Air Force One will be better on a flatter track and, although I’m unsure about their end of season targets, they should be seen to greater effect in the Betfair Bowl.

Albertas Run is better than what he showed today and travelled really well. I expect him to return a better horse next year, when I hope the Grand National is on the agenda.

Kauto Star’s faultless performance was the epitome of what makes him such a great horse. Travelling, jumping and quickening better than anything else in the field. His jumping is a weapon, not an Achilles Heel.

Horses like Master Minded and Denman are assured, economical jumpers, unlike Kauto, who is a wonderfully flamboyant jumper and a joy to watch today. His flamboyant nature has made life difficult on occasions, but there’s no better horse to watch in full flow.

Ruby has called him ‘the greatest he’s ever ridden’ and I’m sure no horse, Master Minded included, gives him such a thrill in the saddle.

Kauto Star is one in a million and, in my opinion, still the best in the country.

[seepigeon]

A magnificent performance from one of racing’s true all-time greats, and Ruby was adamant that he is the best he’s ever ridden,which of course includes Denman and Masterminded.
It was clear from the post-race comments of connections that Denman was never going to be seriously ridden, and they were delighted he finished were he did, understandable in the circumstances but, without the advantage of soft ground, doubtful imo that he would have beaten Kauto Star today, whatever his readiness.
The hosepipe brigade might care to consider that today’s result would probably have been quite different had the ground been similar to last year, and that is the

real

difference that over-watering makes in prejudicing some horse’s chances, and the results of even the very highest class races,
It is also plain to see now that KS wasn’t himself last year and, by the time he’d pinged the 4th fence today, it was obvious he was a much different animal to the one who had laboured around the course the previous season. Clearly, great trainer though he is, P Nicholls doesn’t always get it right.

Of course Denman was ridden seriously this year, more conservatively yes but on that ground I doubt Denman could have made a decisive break.
Even so had Kauto Star not been on the top of his form then Denman would have won. Kauto benefitted from the ground today just as Denman did last year, and if they meet again in 2010 it is likley the ground will again be a major factor.

What elevates Kauto Star to true superstar status is his abilty to win at a greater range of distances and types of course

[zilzal]

Some in-form Championship sides up against eachother this weekend so I’ll settle for a stab at a skinny Prem bet

< 11/4 SOCCER TREBLE CHANCE (2.67 PADDY POWER)

[b:1l16x351]EVERTON WIN V STOKE @ 1/2 (SAT)[/color:1l16x351]

CHELSEA WIN V MAN CITY @ 4/9 (SUN)[/color:1l16x351]

WEST HAM WIN V WEST BROM @ 7/10 (MON)[/color:1l16x351] 0-0

OVER 2.5 HULL V NEWCASTLE @ 2.08 (BF)[/color:1l16x351][/b:1l16x351] 1-1

Sunday Morning Public Park fare offered by the Hammers last night – Brom deserve to go down for not going all out for a win too