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Nothing daft about your question, Moehat.
IMO trainers understand the financial pros and cons of running in these races a lot better than many of those who criticise them do.
Yes, there’s place prize money to be had, but it’s in the lap of the Gods what the Handicapper will do to your horse’s mark if it even gets even remotely close to Energumene and Edwardstone.
Future plans to land a gamble somewhere could also be ruined, never mind the winning prize money in lesser races becoming out of reach off the new mark.
Plus how many owners get into ownership so their horse can be humiliated by top-class rivals for the sake of a few grand?
It’s winning races most of them dream of.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I’ve always been fascinated by a horse called Ida’s Delight. Although I wasn’t massively aware of him at the time I was aware of him running in races that Dessie was in.In the aftermath of the Dessie years I used to look back and think what a great horse he must have been to own. Only ever fell once in his life. I’d love to think that he had a nice long retirement.It just got me thinking about all the horses that used to race against each other (nostalgia fest)back then.
“I’ve been watching old Desert Orchid races recently where top class horses and handicappers all competed against each other”
Dessie won the Clarence House didn’t he? When it was a handicap.
I suppose it depends on the horse’s racing style as well. First Flow collected third place prizemoney last year and I thought he might have gone for it again but I found this quote:
“He had a very hard race in the Clarence House and that was race of the century. He was very bottomed out afterwards and that was his season over as the ground went against him.”He races prominently and only got dropped a measly 1 lb for going out on his shield beaten 19 lengths and needed a lot of recovery time. If you hunted a hold up horse round and closed a bit at the finish you’d be put up.
Yes Dessie won it when it was the Victor Chandler Chase in 1989, I believe it was the first renewal of the new race that managed to beat the weather as the the first two runnings ended up with the meeting being abandoned.
Dessie carried 12st to victory that day over Panto Prince who was receiving a mere 22 lbs and it was off the back of his 2nd King George win and two starts later he won the Gold Cup…couldn’t imagine imagine todays stars being asked to do that – back in those days there simply wasn’t the level weight races around that the top horses could run in so handicaps were it……even the Tingle Creek was a handicap in those days.
Personally it is looking likely that the weather will claim the meeting again based on how the course is currently (lots of frozen areas of the track and frozen areas underneath the frost covers as per cotc) and the forecast (temperatures to be -2C to -3C for the next few nights and the predicted warmer weather not due to arrive now until Sunday) doesn’t sound good.
“Back in those days there simply wasn’t the level weight races around that the top horses could run in.”
That land of lost content when there was still a National Hunt season and a few days in Gloucestershire did not dominate everything.
It looks like there is very little chance of this going ahead. If so, I believe the plan is to run it at Cheltenham’s end of January meeting instead.
I wonder if Mullins will still run Energumene or wait for Leopardstown the following week?
Another race cut up – and that’s if it runs. I’ve said elsewhere that the NH needs a major rethink; it can’t go on with numerous single figure graded races…..
Each division should only have two Gd1 races; one December/early January, and the second either at Cheltenham or Aintree – but not both. For the 2 miler chasers that would be the Tingle Creek and the QM Champion. Return this race to a Ltd H’Cap…..
NH racing isn’t the Flat; the great champions earned their spurs by running in handicaps and putting up great performances giving weight away. I fear we’ve possibly gone too far, and any changes would have little effect, and the top horses will be wrapped in cotton wool – but it’s surely worth a try?
“It looks like there is very little chance of this going ahead. If so, I believe the plan is to run it at Cheltenham’s end of January meeting instead.
I wonder if Mullins will still run Energumene or wait for Leopardstown the following week?”
That would fit in better with Edwardstone if Energumene went the Irish race
the game Spirit would be a two week break but at least he wouldn’t have broke himself chasing the Mullins horseGaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
I’d imagine Willie would prefer to keep energumene and blue lord separated
Wouldn’t want energumene running the legs out of blue lord before march
It’s worth pointing out that last year’s renewal produced what many were saying was the race of the season.
Energumene v Edwardstone would have been quite a match too.
That said, I agree there’s far too many Pattern Chases.
Tingle Creek, this, Champion Chase – why?
And lesser races like the Desert Orchid and Game Spirit so the likes of Editeur Du Gite can swerve the leading 2m chasers.
This race was better when it was a Handicap Chase.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Yes, Blue Lord is priced up for the Dublin race as if there will be no Energumene
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Looking likely to be a bigger field than what was set for Ascot
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Only one of the six has won a 3m Larkhill Point-to-Point – this could be key.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"
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