Charlie Hall Chase 2017

TAPK’s first proper bet of the Jumps season today and its simply a case of how fit is Blaklion…If Nige has thought about the conditions of this race carefully he knows this fellow is thrown in on his best form…form that includes this tough course that Wetherby is.You have to jump round here to win,no mistakes and having learnt a lot from his Grand National experience I expect a massive run today…10/1 with sportsbook this morning is huge…I took 8/1 e/w in the week expecting an SP of 5/1.The old guard of ‘Cue Card’..Joe shows his loyalty a year too late… and ‘Coneygree’ will make things interesting..I just hope ‘Bristol des Mai’ is running to put him spot on for the ‘Betfair’ chase a race I have backed him for at 8/1.I also hope Wholestone can show his class..I took the 13/2 about him earlier in the week knowing he’ll be spot on for this..Whoever framed the weights mind makes a mockery of Handicapping how a 146 rated horse gives 3lb to a 164 rated horse both 6yo beggars belief!

Will watch from behind the sofa I think. Just pray that Coneygree is fit and healthy, and that Cue Card gets home safely. He’s nearly 12, doesn’t owe anyone anything. I wish they’d have retired him, to be honest. I realise that will be unpopular but it’s how I feel.

Interested to see how Shantou Flyer does after leaving Curtis.

Well done BDM backers. I got a real fright there the way Cue Card piled into the belly of that fence – thought he’d had a heart attack. I hope they retire him now.

Brennan saying horse couldn’t see for low sun. Certainly looked like he was blind the way he pretty much didn’t take off.

Report from Sally Ann Grassick on ITV was that De Boinville also claimed low sun affected Coneygree when he took off too early and landed on top of the ditch down the back, he then over jumped the next fence which caused him to peck on landing and that may have scared him as he was never jumping after that.

It would be interesting to hear whether the other jockeys back them up on the low sun issue but I was under the impression that low sun was more of an issue for the jockeys being unsighted rather than horses as their eyes are better equipt to deal with it than humans are (something about the lens on their eyes having yellow pigment that acts similar to a visor/sunglasses as it filters out bright light).

With regards to Cue Card’s fall, in some respects it looked similar to his first Gold Cup one when jockey asked him and he put down on him – maybe age is catching up to him and his body can’t respond to go long in the same way as they get towards the later stages of his races (which is when he tends to fall).

Winner looks like Haydock’s Betfair Chase on soft ground will be right up his alley and he has good form at that track in those conditions (arguably flat tracks suit him best) but I would be surprised if him or the second cut much ice in the Gold Cup.

Just got home and relieved to hear that Cue Card is ok having been worried sick all the way home. Saw Coneygree being led back in but there was no sign of Cue Card.

Cheers all – happy with the winner

But that’s not how I want to win a race. I don’t buy the excuses with the Sun about Coneygree. I loved that horse through his novice season and had him for the gold cup.

I’m saying it now.. that isn’t the same horse. He never at any stage today had the same sparkle of two years ago.

For me, I’d retire him now. He’s a gold cup winner – let him retire now rather than numerous ‘comebacks’.

I also agree about retiring Cue Card. He’s got nothing to prove. He’s not quite as good as he was. I always thought Sire De Grugy should’ve been retired after his decline. That was a Champion Chase winner who is now an handicap hurdler on occasion. Let the horse retire. Same with CC. He deserves a nice retirement I reckon.

Anyway.. rant over. At least BDM done the business.

What lovely pictures Zamorston and like everyone happy that Cue Card and Coneygree are fine and fit to fight another day although I would be happy to hear that Cue Card had hung up his horseshoes… my nerves just won’t take seeing him run another race.

Huge Bristol De Mai fan and well done MOM for backing him too. Was watching the race having a coffee between races at Newmarket and a huge groan went up as Cue Card tumbled, if only Wetherby had had the weather we had at Newmarket today wet, windy and not a hint of sun all day long the last day of the flat there until April.

Bristol De Mai ran a brilliant race he was totally enjoying himself all the way round and a different horse today running fresh and just one small mistake near the finish a great battle to beat his stable companion Blaklion. Have him in my 10 to Follow in Bobby’s comp and feel that this could be his year after a bit of a lack lustre one last season wish him all the luck and hope he goes on to prove that this win was no fluke because he also had to cope with the awful low sun and he did it admirably. Jac