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It would be a major shock if What a Friend wins this, he may be the most UNDERrated chaser in training. So surely 7/2 is an appalling price. I want to be with Nacarat but feel the play now is just to lay Nicholls horse.
Fixed.
Imperial Commander should beat this lot easily. He should be a 1/2 shot on all known form.
What A Friend is a scandalously short price. He has a desperate head carriage and won’t have Walsh’s assistance. If he was with any other trainer he’d be at least twice the price for this and about a 50/1 shot for the Gold Cup.
Hard to understand why connections of Imperial Commander don’t insist on sending him straight to Kempton, en route to Cheltenham.
On all known form he isn’t as effective on a right-handed track, so if he has any chance of beating Kauto Star at Kempton, surely he should go there fresh and at the peak of his powers.
He already has a mountain to climb to defeat Kauto there, and sending him to Haydock today won’t improve his chances. If he has anything like a hard race, it’s game over before we even finish our Christmas shopping.
I’ve never been convinced by the horse and his overall form figures hardly inspire confidence.
Paul Nicholls has always held What A Friend in high regard and what many appear to forget is that he continues on an upward curve, arguably improving with every run last term. He’s only a 7YO and there’s plenty more to come.
Talk of his attitude is nonsense. There was certainly nothing wrong with his attitude in the Lexus Chase.
The only worry is that Paul Nicholls has stated he’s not as far along this year after his wind op, so he may need this.
Planet Of Sound won on his seasonal bow last year and is very much unexposed over this trip. His trainer continues in good form and this track should suit.
Tidal Bay is fairly unexposed as a staying chaser. He’s only tackled a staying trip twice. The last time in bottomless ground at Cheltenham, but he put up a fine performance when second in the Rowland Meyrick, giving 18lbs to Nozic. He also gave the talented Cloudy Lane 10lbs and a 4L beating that day, with State Of Play a further 4L back, who was receiving 14lbs.
I can’t possibly fancy him these days, but the ability is still there and he is race fit. Wouldn’t be the biggest surprise if he ran a big race.
I think What A Friend could very well end up the best of these come the end of the season, but
Planet Of Sound
is improving and unexposed over this trip. He has gone well fresh before, his yard are in fine form and the course should suit. There has been plenty of support and I expect him to fill a top two spot.
What A Friend is a scandalously short price. He has a desperate head carriage and won’t have Walsh’s assistance. If he was with any other trainer he’d be at least twice the price for this and about a 50/1 shot for the Gold Cup.
Spot on. Has a horse ever been gifted two Grade 1’s like this creature was last year? I was gonna back Nacarat for this but I can’t see any chinks in IC’s armour and a lay of What a Friend is the play. On ratings he’s no better than Nacarat or Planet of Sound.
The realist in me says that Imperial Commander should be staying on too strongly for the rest. Therefore, he has to be the bet.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
Only realised yesterday that my beloved Chief Dan George is running. C’mon the Chief!
The chink in his army is that he hasn’t won away from Cheltenham in over 3 years!
What chink?
It might not have been a "win", but IC’s second in this race last year was (at the time) his best ever performance. Therefore, talk of IC needing Cheltenham is way off the mark.Twister’s horse only needs to run to the form of last year’s race to win this easily.
10/11 is far too big.
Value Is EverythingDid what he had to do Imperial Commander.
You have to wonder with the proximity of Tidal Bay, what the form will work out like from the race.
I do think that Brennan wasn’t able to get away from them as he would liked, everytime he looked behind, Nacarat and Planet of Sound were still there, and so too Tidal Bay.
However, i think connections will be pleased with that as a first run, as Tidal Bay and Nacarat have already had outings this season, so far.
To be fair that was a first class start to the season for the horse i dont think i have seen him jump better if he had jumped like that in all his races last season he would have a much better form profile.
It is interesting on the turn for home Imperial Commander and Nacarat were going the best. Yet Nacarat weakened markedly in the closing stages. Wonder whether the front two got involved too early, Imperial Commander going too soon which explains why those held up finishing strongly and closer to IC than you’d expect come the finish.
Twister’s Star is the one they all have to beat come March. And don’t right him off at Kempton if the stable are in better form at Christmas than they’ve been the last two years.
Value Is EverythingThat was my reading too Gingertipster; they were racing a long way out and Tidal stayed on as the others fell away.
Thoroughly professional performance first time out and he is the one to beat in March. BUT I’m not convinced yet that IC is the sort to win two gold cups.
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Not sure the pace was that strong really, and – with the ground going against him – Nacarat was looked after rather more than he would’ve been on firmer. Still ran a blinder in the circumstances though, and looks to have improved from last season.
Imperial Commander ran an OK race (for a Gold Cup winner), but the proximity of the others hardly sets the world alight. God knows how good Tidal Bay could be, if only he could be taught to jump.easy money that was , he should of won by further , shouldnt be letting a horse like tidal bay finishing that close. hopefully denman does the buisness now , will be a sweet double
Not sure the pace was that strong really, and – with the ground going against him – Nacarat was looked after rather more than he would’ve been on firmer. Still ran a blinder in the circumstances though, and looks to have improved from last season.
Imperial Commander ran an OK race (for a Gold Cup winner), but the proximity of the others hardly sets the world alight. God knows how good Tidal Bay could be, if only he could be taught to jump.I think its more of a case of teaching Tidal Bay to race from the start to finish, bad jumpers dont win Arkles in my opinion. Hes a complete nutcase, who will probably tail himself off next time out.
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