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Champ

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Viewing 17 posts - 35 through 51 (of 64 total)
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  • #1573275
    Avatar photoCork All Star
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    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.

    #1573276
    Avatar photoHe Didnt Like Ground
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    LD 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 ….

    #1573285
    apracing
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    The 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.

    #1573286
    LD73
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    HDLG: 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.

    #1573290
    LD73
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    apracing: 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.

    #1573294
    Avatar photoHe Didnt Like Ground
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    LD 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

    #1573299
    Avatar photoThe Tatling Cheekily
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    “he,s best fresh and doesn’t take a lot of racing”

    He might if he got a chance.

    BUY THE SUN

    #1573329
    Avatar photoHe Didnt Like Ground
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    I 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 ?

    #1573330
    Avatar photoGladiateur
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    HDLG- Quevega won the mares’ hurdle FTO five years running!

    #1573333
    Avatar photoHe Didnt Like Ground
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    So she did

    #1573335
    Avatar photoThe Tatling Cheekily
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    Aye 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.

    BUY THE SUN

    #1573363
    Avatar photoCork All Star
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    I am fairly sure Cyborgo won the Stayers Hurdle on his seasonal debut.

    #1573556
    Avatar photoThe Tatling Cheekily
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    Good 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.

    BUY THE SUN

    #1573559
    Marlingford
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    Penhill another one in the Stayers’ quite recently.

    #1573560
    Avatar photoThe Tatling Cheekily
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    Thats right. My earlier ‘See You Then’ shout was incorrect, he won two Champions off one prep.

    Could have its own thread this!

    BUY THE SUN

    #1573561
    Marlingford
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    I wonder if any of the novice events have ever been won on a seasonal debut? Fairly sure it’s less common anyway!

    #1573562
    Avatar photoThe Tatling Cheekily
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    Funny you should say that, I was trying to think of a Triumph debutant winner. Seemed the likeliest Novice event to me.

    BUY THE SUN

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