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Does anyone have any thoughts on this horse’s likely schedule this season.
I’ve been seriously impressed with this animal – as has everyone no doubt – so far this term. He’s a giant of a horse and chasing will undoubtedly by his game. But he’s still only a five-year-old and surely can take high ranking amongst this season’s hurdlers.
The horse is still well handicapped no doubt, but is almost certainly good enough for graded races. He’s won over 2m and 2m 5f without coming off the bridle and it’s very obvious that Henderson things very highly of him.
A fast run 2m will suit ideal perhaps, so given that the horse he beat on Friday – Mille Chief – is in the Champion Hurdle betting, is it silly to suggest that Aegean Dawn could end up there in March? Henderson said he will, "Tip-toe along" with the horse this season. Yeah right… wait till he wins his next race in a canter off a mark in the middle 140s.
There’s been a lot of talk about the current crop of novice hurdlers being the best for a while now, but could it be that Aegean Dawn turns out to be the best of them – and not necessarily in novice company?
He isn’t a novice as he won a hurdle at Folkestone last season. So if he stays hurdling, and I agree that makes sense, the logical targets would the Ladbroke back at Ascot on Dec 18th, then the Tote Gold Trophy.
If the two miles proves too sharp from his revised mark, then there are two fairly valuable handicaps at Ascot in Jan/Feb over two and half miles.
AP
He’s absolutely a chaser, lovely horse. If he were mine I’d be inclined to look after him too, I presume he’s had some problems to have run so few times (although that could simply be he was just too backward).
I wonder if they’d consider the Totesport Trophy for him? In which case they might not want to run him again before then – mid-140s would give him a reasonable weight most years.
It would still be looking after him to give him one more run then go to Cheltenham. How often do they do need to put him on the track when they have Binocular in the yard?
He isn’t a novice as he won a hurdle at Folkestone last season. So if he stays hurdling, and I agree that makes sense, the logical targets would the Ladbroke back at Ascot on Dec 18th, then the Tote Gold Trophy.
I forgot the not-a-novice bit, even though I was looking at his form when I was typing! I don’t think he could go for both Ladbroke and Tote – if he runs well/wins in the Ladbroke he will surely get hiked into the 150s, and even though Henderson had Punjabi run a cracker off 150 it seems rare for horses rated that high to have a go or do well.
Yes, thanks AP regarding the novice correction, totally slipped my mind also that he’d won a novice hurdle last season.
I just think the yard know they have a very classy animal on their hands. At Cheltenham, the dogs were barking louder than I’ve heard for a long time about his chances in that competitive handicap hurdle. It was as if the yard knew they had a 150+ rated horse running off 115.
Given that the current Champion Hurdler is rated 172, and that AD has had only had three runs over hurdles, is a five-year-old, and has massive scope for further improvement then I don’t think it’s too folly to have big hopes for this animal – whether that be over hurdles or fences.
Looks a chaser to me. Also not sure a tight track and big field at the Festival will suit him at all. I give him another race at xmas and then Aintree or Punchestown. Then leave him off to Novice Chasing next year.
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