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In an effort to return to TRF to a state of sensible discussion, the Festival Bumper certainly looks to have opened up somewhat following the dismal effort of The Old Pretender at Newbury, and an impressive victory from the unbeaten Zaarito at Naas.
With Carl Llewellyn’s apparent main bumper hope struggling, Mad Max and The Nightingale looking far from exceptional and the emergence of a strong challenger from across the Irish Sea, where do people stand on this race now?
Having backed The Old Pretender at 16/1 ante-post I’m obviously hoping something comes to light to justify the run this afternoon, but I’ve been looking through some of the Irish form and could see a number of once-raced horses improving significantly – OK Corral and Otay Kawn in particular. Was the ground just too bad at Newbury, as hard to believe as that is given what The Old Pretender, Mad Max and The Nightingale won on on debut?
Think we could see another contender emerge tommorrow in the shape of Themoonandsixpence. Very well thought of by the Mullins yard and reputed to need good ground to be seen to best effect. Travelled very nicely for a long way on his debut at Fairyhouse in heavy conditions, though the form of that race hasn’t worked out too well.
He is also THE man to follow in the Bumper – he trains the winners and has even ridden them on occasion. Was unlucky not to win it last year too had Fiveforthree not been near enough put through the rails on the turn.
Voila LGR – Cousin Vinny does the business for Mullins in the finale at Punchestown today, won the past 3 runnings now (Freds Benefit, Fiveforthree and now Vinny too). No idea if he’s the one for Cheltenham but I backed him before the race as I did with the previous two winners so fingers crossed
He wasn’t all that impressive though for me, and faster ground would surely go against him…?
Unless ive totally lost the plot, this zaarito’s a machine!
That was the view of The "Couch" who writes for the weekender after he whitnessed the performance of Zaarito the other week in the bumper at Naas. Along with Apt. Approach and Time Electric, the irish once again look like having a strangle hold on the champion bumper!
RINCEOIR RUA is supposidly Willie Mullins best bumber horse in the yard, but after what I have read on here I am having doubts that the info could be crap…….watching brief at the weekend will tell us more I suppose.
Personally hate the bumper as you think you have a world beater and something else better always seems to come along.
Would I be right in sayng that the fav at this stage very seldom wins?
My first post here having lurked for yonks so hi all.
Having been at Naas 10 days ago I have plenty of respect for Zaarito, who showed a tremendous turn of foot under a double penalty. However, it’s worth noting that Ballyverane Oscar in third or fourth ran moderately this week at Punchestown.
Having gone there five years in a row now, that Naas bumper has a tremendous record. Last year Mick the Man (Ha!) was second but won the Punchestown Festival Bumper; the year before Leading Man won and went on to win at Punchestown with Hairy Molly third and going on to win at Cheltenham. The year before that it was won by Missed That who went on to win at Cheltenham. Zaarito’s performance was very reminiscent of the latter.
I saw the race for the first time earlier today, and thought Zaarito put the race to bed in a matter of three or four strides. There was plenty to like about the performance, and he looks a worthy favourite to me at this stage.
You do that then, im happy as ive backed him anti-post!
Dogs must me barking louder than I thought
GLI haven’t seen the Zaarito race yet, but I was impressed with the Queens horse Gold Award at Ascot on Saturday against a well backed PN debutant.
Having reviewed the weekend’s racing again, Jessica Harrington’s Horner Woods made a very impressive debut at Navan and I’d be interested in getting a price about him should he take his chance at the Festival (doesn’t appear in any ante-post markets as his targets are unclear).
He’ll make on hell of a chaser though, with his point form having worked out pretty well (second was beaten on his only subsequent start, but the third has won three times since).
I haven’t seen the race yet, but I was impressed with the Queens horse Gold Award at Ascot on Saturday against a well backed PN debutant.
I’ve just watched Zaarito’s 3 races and he looked a vastly improved horse on his 3rd run. It has to be said that was on very very soft ground which he is unlikely to get at the Festival.
He is either a horse that has improved and goes on all ground equaly well or he needs a lot of cut to be seen at his best.
The horse that finished second to him is trained by none other than Willie Mullins who will know the strength of that form and the nearest horse to Zaarito in the betting, trained by him, is stuill around 16/1 I believe.
It could be they have something to beat him but if they a have they are certainly not lumping on it………..I doubt if we will see Zaarito between now and Cheltenham and if he runs like he did last time out it;s going to take something real special to beet him IMO
Horse showed a great of foot and as much as he has won 3 bunoers which may be offputting to some I wouldn’t be confident of betting anything to beat him………..I won’t be having a bet but the horse does deserve to be fav. My worry is if he is’t as good on better ground he will get stuffed as he didn’t look good enough in his 2nd run runs to be winng the Chlt bumber
There are two facts that stick in my mind regarding the bumper race.
(1) All the times that Willie Mullins has won this race has been when he enters just the 1 runner.
So when he comes over with 5 or 6 it may be that he thinks that no one horse he trains looks that impressive at home and he is just guessing?
(2) Since the foot and mouth debacle every winner since has won 2 races.
This seems to suggest that experiance counts for so much in what is normally a race where there is a lot of horses getting bumped around.
I think Time Electric looked pretty decent and someone in Ireland told me Themoonandsixpence has been well backed with Powers.
At present though I cannot see this Willie Mullins horse making the cut.The bumper this coming Sunday 24th Feb at Naas could be worth watching as there are some decent prospects entered that could be Cheltenham bound.
GL
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