- This topic has 25 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 17 years, 8 months ago by
.
- Posts
Has anyone heard if any of the racing channels are screening the Barka Hurdle and the Grand Steeple Chase this year? RUK have the past few years, surely as both Alan King and Willie Mullins have runners this year.
With around 800,000 Euros up for grabs, making it more valuable than the Gold Cup and easily the biggest prize on offer this weekend, you’d think there’d be a bit of coverage of the Grand Steeple-Chase De Paris in the racing pages of our national dailies, but not a bit of it.
Anyway, the race looks pretty open this year to me, and Mid Dancer is not going to have things his own way defending his crown. The going is expected to be pretty testing and this makes me lean towards past winner Princesse D’Anjou who stays extra well (fell last year).
Mid Dancer’s stablemate Or Noir De Somoza (also a faller last year) is again preferred by Ricou so he must think he’ll stay the distance, and he could be the main danger. These two met in the Prix Heros XII in October over 22f with PD’A just being edged out, but ONDS has never won beyond 22f, so for me the mare has to get the nod on Sunday.
No UK representatives this year, so, trainers, no bleating about low prize money please.
Moka De L’Isle is interesting upped to this trip in the GSdP. He possibly isn’t quite good enough to win it, but he’s a horse I have a lot of time for, and I think he can run a big race.
In the Barka, I think Cooldine will relish conditions, and at these weights, should have a very big chance.
Good to see Mullins having a go as usual. Alan King has also sent Nenuphar Collonges over for the Barka, which is to be applauded. Generally though, I agree with Venusian – with so much cash on offer, you have to wonder why more UK & Irish trainers don’t target the meeting.
Quite why the Post website only has these two races from the card online, is a mystery. No betting on the GSdP either, as far as I can see.
I agree it’s a scandal more British trainers don’t have a go at the big French prizes (given the prize money-quality ratio if I were an owner I’d be demanding it be considered!), unless there is a change of attitude and top French races become thought of more synonymously with the British pattern and less treated as an afterthought, the horses that want the perennially bog-like going that Auteuil throws up for the GSDP will be long roughed-off by the time it enters connections’ thoughts.
This morning, I enquired in my local Coral’s about prices for Auteuil tomorrow and elicited the response, "O’Toy, is that in Ireland?".
Believe me, I have not made this up.
Not at all surprised. 90% of betting shop staff certainly couldn’t tell you Auteuil is France’s premier jumps track, and I’d give you evens that half couldn’t even tell you it’s in France! Having worked in LBOs for three years, I’m astounded at the lack of product knowledge they let the staff away with. There is a famous story (well, amongst the local staff) about a deputy manageress who believed that golf was a sport played with three balls on a Thursday & Friday, and two on a weekend!
This morning, I enquired in my local Coral’s about prices for Auteuil tomorrow and elicited the response, "O’Toy, is that in Ireland?".
Believe me, I have not made this up.
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.
I agree it’s a scandal more British trainers don’t have a go at the big French prizes (given the prize money-quality ratio if I were an owner I’d be demanding it be considered!), unless there is a change of attitude and top French races become thought of more synonymously with the British pattern and less treated as an afterthought, the horses that want the perennially bog-like going that Auteuil throws up for the GSDP will be long roughed-off by the time it enters connections’ thoughts.
I couldn’t agree more. This is a particular bugbear of mine – the attitude by the British to European NH Racing. Something like Halcon Generlardais would have been perfect for such a race. Though Alan King is to be applauded for sending runners to the meeting ( and seems to be a forward thinking trainer). Is it possible for a non British/Irish horse to be the top rated chaser in Europe? Is there a similar system over jumps as there is for the Flat. I just can’t believe that with the level of Prize money in Europe that our trainers/owners are still living in a time warp. Much as I love the Jumpers – it is still an extremely conservative sport. C’mon – get out there, there loads of cash to be won.
Another thing, nothing was said in the papers – seems the journalists are just as bad.With the King team having the forethought to prepare Nenuphar Collonges for Auteuil, I’d find it stupifying if the GSDP wasn’t at least considered for Halcon. He looked very tired at the end of the Scottish National, I’d have to assume that was adjudged to have bottomed him.
Echo all the sentiments above – French NH racing is far more than just some parochial irrelevance, and a pox on the houses of British and Irish trainers for not sending palpably suitable animals to try their luck in that sphere more often.
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.
It would seem it isn’t just British owners and trainers who ignore French racing- just over 5 hours to go before the GSDP and the Betfair win market is sitting at over 220%!
Market could only have been put up in the last couple of hours, Friggo – I’ve been keeping an eye out for it.
I might have a dabble later on. Have to see how the Monaco GP goes first – I’m Hamilton or Bust this weekend.
Ah, that clears things up a little. I hadn’t checked since yesterday teatime.
Hope you get a bet then Grass, but you’ve probably done yer plums with Ferrari sitting 1 & 2, especially at Monaco!I find the UK-based NH trainers, in particular, extraordinarily unadventurous in campaigning their horses – they can’t even get them over to Ireland on a regular basis to compete for the excellent prize money on offer there, let alone over to France!
Here here, France put up good money for their top jumps races yet we seem to ignore it.
Auteuil is a lovley looking course and if you lived in London you could get over their quite easy on the train and be back in time for tea.
Princesse D’Anjou wins, and thanks to Corals, I couldn’t get on.
You can see a recording of the race here (just today)
http://www.chvideo.fr/homepage.aspx
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.