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- This topic has 63 replies, 24 voices, and was last updated 2 years, 10 months ago by The Tatling Cheekily.
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December 19, 2021 at 07:51 #1573275
I think they will still have a go at the Gold Cup.
There is an old saying “No one sets out to breed the winner of the Stayers Hurdle”. I do not think anyone sets out to own one either.
McManus named the horse after McCoy and winning the Gold Cup is a long term aim. This season is almost certainly his last chance.
Even though he may have been a little bit fortunate, he still beat last season’s winner in the RSA and showed he relishes the Cheltenham hill. If his jumping holds up, he is a serious contender.
December 19, 2021 at 07:52 #1573276LD he has a back issue , why are they going to risk damaging it further , they have chantry , as for the plunge not being JP related , JP has been known to have the occasional 1 ….
December 19, 2021 at 11:12 #1573285The evidence suggests that McManus has no problem with owning winners of the Stayers Hurdle – in fact he’s won it five times this century thanks to Baracouda, More Of That and Unowhatimeanharry.
In fact, since running plans for his horses are almost always made by him and his racing manager, rather than by the trainer, the decision to enter Champ in the Long Walk was probably his.
December 19, 2021 at 11:52 #1573286HDLG: A back issue that you seem to indicate is serious enough to stop him for jumping fences but just not serious enough to stop him from jumping hurdles?
Any back issue can be aggravated by jumping full stop so I can’t really buy that explanation as a reason why they ran him over hurdles instead of fences because the issue must have been addressed or he wouldn’t have run in the first place.
I do think yesterday’s run was more a case of him being ready to go but there just not being a suitable option of a level weights chase run on a left handed course around this period. The telling thing for me will be where he goes next, I would imagine if the Gold Cup is the aim, the options will be either the Cotswold Chase on trials day or the Denman Chase but if its the Stayers Hurdle then the Cleeve Hurdle would be his likely next run….time will tell.
Re: McManus, yes he is well known for many an ante post betting plunge but all I am saying is that you just can’t automatically assume that it is always going to be him initiating them.
December 19, 2021 at 12:10 #1573290apracing: To be fair not a like for like comparison as Baracouda & Unowhatimeanharry were viewed as out and out staying hurdlers that never went chasing before or after winning the race. Which in hindsight was the correct thing to do with them both.
More of That after winning it went chasing after getting thumped in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on his debut run of that following season (he was clearly viewed as more of a Gold Cup horse – he actually went on to finish 6th in it in 2017) and never went back to hurdling. In hindsight one could argue that was the wrong choice as apart from winning his first two novice chases he subsequently never won again in 10 further attempts.
December 19, 2021 at 13:26 #1573294LD it’s easier for horses to jump hurdles than fences , as for his next race , it may well be Cheltenham , he,s best fresh and doesn’t take a lot of racing
December 19, 2021 at 14:04 #1573299“he,s best fresh and doesn’t take a lot of racing”
He might if he got a chance.
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December 19, 2021 at 18:19 #1573329I don’t think he,ll run more than 3 times this season …it’s hendo , im sure he,d run a horse first time out at the festival if he could , there,s a question has a horse ever won first run of the season at the festival …any anoraks know ?
December 19, 2021 at 18:22 #1573330HDLG- Quevega won the mares’ hurdle FTO five years running!
December 19, 2021 at 18:42 #1573333So she did
December 19, 2021 at 19:08 #1573335Aye Quevega. Reminded me of a top striker scoring a nap hand in a reserve game. Mind you, Claude Duval claimed it was the greatest moment in Cheltenham history. I must be a harder judge. Winning a hundred Mares Hurdles is completely insignificant compared to Dawn Runs achievements of a Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup.
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December 19, 2021 at 20:40 #1573363I am fairly sure Cyborgo won the Stayers Hurdle on his seasonal debut.
December 21, 2021 at 00:30 #1573556Good call. See You Then possibly at least once in the Champion Hurdle? Douvan was travelling bloody well against Altior before falling late on in the Champion Chase.
Handicap wise, Arctic Fire won the County Hurdle on his seasonal debut.
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December 21, 2021 at 00:42 #1573559Penhill another one in the Stayers’ quite recently.
December 21, 2021 at 00:44 #1573560Thats right. My earlier ‘See You Then’ shout was incorrect, he won two Champions off one prep.
Could have its own thread this!
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December 21, 2021 at 00:49 #1573561I wonder if any of the novice events have ever been won on a seasonal debut? Fairly sure it’s less common anyway!
December 21, 2021 at 00:51 #1573562Funny you should say that, I was trying to think of a Triumph debutant winner. Seemed the likeliest Novice event to me.
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