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<br>The ‘legless in bottomless ground’ argument is hardly supported by a time of 3m 54s, with the later novice hurdle run even quicker in 3m 52s.
I’m in agreement with DJ that the horse stopped in the manner of one with a physical problem – the sort of thing that sadly often only becomes apparent after a post mortem.
Calling a horse a ‘dog’ is always unattractive, but to use such a term for a horse with his record is a misuse of language. Whilst there have been races he looked likely to win and didn’t, he’s still got wins in some of the biggest races to his name.
How many on here wouldn’t love to own him ?
AP
Grasshopper for all your bluff and bluster and all the words you have written you failed to lay him yesterday.Its easy to talk words of wisdom after the event.
<br>I didn’t expect the Spanish Inquisition though. :biggrin:
))
NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition :)
lets be clear about one thing..Harchibald never finds anything off the bridle and that combined with probably needing the run is the reason he finished where he did. Probably when fit, he will turn around the form next time….on the bridle of course.
SHL
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Quote: from trackside528 on 10:10 pm on Oct. 2, 2006[br]
<br>As for his resolution (or dogness, as some might say lol), he is a bridle horse, pure and simple. Horses like that tend to make it look like they’re going easily on the snaff (especially with the firestarter perched a mile in the air) when, in reality they’re doing all their work on the bridle and find nothing rousted along off it.<br>Personally, I dont see ‘bridle horses’ as ungenuine, thats just my opinion though…
Good point trackside !<br> Who is to say that a horse isn’t giving its all without being thrashed to do so?<br> If one credits a horse with intelligence, then surely it knows what’s required without encouragement from the saddle.<br> George Washington, whom his trainer accords with the equine equivalent of genius, is another who has failed to find more when pressure is applied, but who has called him ungenuine? <br> There is no doubt there are ‘dogs’ in racing, but to assume that either of the above should produce a lot more under pressure is almost the equivalent of believing in phone boxes and Superman?<br> If Harchibald is ungenuine was Giant’s Causeway, dubbed as the ‘Iron Horse’, really that genuine if he responded to every stroke of the whip, surely a genuine horse would have given his all without the need for such encouragement?
An interesting argument, reet……..but I think you will have difficulty convincing the traditionalists that it is right.
Colin
Time after time, debates about Harchibald fail to mention the importance of a strong pace. His defeat in the 2005 Champion came about, in my view, because Hardy Eustace got his own way out front and dictated a steady gallop for the first half of the race. As a result, he wasn’t stopping on the run-in when Harchibald came to challenge. Had the early pace been stronger, Harchibald would have passed him. That’s my view. Unfortunately, I’ve seen no evidence at all that Meade shares it. He came out with a ludicrous statement on the horse’s next run that "it didn’t matter to Harchibald what pace they go" or words to that effect and he’s never so far as I’m aware said anything about running a pacemaker for the horse. Other jockeys know how to get Harchibald beat and we now have the added negative of the horse having had an injury and as he’ll be eight next March I think it makes sense to look elsewhere for the Champion Hurdle winner.
He doesn’t need a strong pace, he needs an overly-strong one, where his rivals have done their running and are slowing down and he can maintain his same speed on the bridle and go past them.
If he isn’t ungenuine, what would you put his awkward head carriage down to. There is clearly a reason for Harchibald finding little, I don’t know whether it is physical or mental but the bottom line is that for whatever reason, he is one to treat with caution.
If Harchibald is an equine genius, I’d far rather own a stupid one like Brave Inca who has won the races his talent deserves. Because as we all know, in terms of ability, there is little between the two of them.
Spare a thought for my mate who had €200 at 10/1 for the Champion Hurdle on Sunday morning.
<br>DJ,
I’d say the awkward head carriage is a classic indication of a breathing problem. Earlier in his career over hurdles, Harchibald wore a tongue tie, fitted after a disappointing run as favourite when he also stopped very quickly once off the bridle.
Presumably he had a breathing operation at some point as Meade stopped using the tongue tie, but it would be no great surprise to see it back on again next time.
AP
For the record it seems that Meade no admits he was way wrong about how ready Harchibald was for his seasonal debut:
"Harchibald<br>7 g Perugino-Dame D’Harvard 2/1312-4<br>It was a big disappointment for everyone when he had that setback last Christmas, which ruled out the rest of the season for him. I thought he was fit enough to run a lot better than he did first time back at Tipperary. Our scales were out of action at the time and he was actually 25 kilos heavier than I thought. He just got tired in the testing ground. He’s come out of the race well and the Morgiana at Punchestown is his next likely target. What happens after that will depend to a large extent on the ground, as we will be trying to avoid very testing going. Whatever route he goes, all roads lead to Cheltenham and another crack at the Champion Hurdle. He went very close to winning it in 2005 and it would mean so much to everyone involved with the horse if he could pull it off this time."
This basically backs up why the horse finished absolutely legless, rather than simply not wanting to make the effort.<br>
I don’t believe it does Aidan. Even an 80% fit Harchibald should be able to finish in front of a horse like Maralan than has consistently been beaten in handicaps off marks in the 100’s. He stopped like a horse with a problem in my opinion and on bad ground against the likes of Brave Ina in the Morgiana I’ll be happy to take him on, even if he’s 25 kilos lighter by then.
There is of course no one called Aiden on this forum….
<br>We’ll agree to disagree david…would you lay Harchibald next day if it was the same standard of opposition?
Mortish, I certainly remember Little Bay, one of my favourites.
I can see him, now, cantering up to the last fence with about two stone in hand (and he was carrying top-weight) and then saying………….NAAAAH don’t want to do that!!:biggrin:
Loads of talent and a mind of his own.:cool:
Colin
(Edited by seabird at 11:22 am on Oct. 12, 2006)
I remember Jonjo riding Little Bay one day where he kicked his feet out of the irons after the last. Little Bay was so confused by this tactic that he totally forgot to lose. Similarly he won the Captain Motgan Chase at Aintree one year when by rights he should have been brought down by the tumbling Badsworth Boy ahead of him at the last. Once again, LB was so concentrating on avoiding the faller with the grace of a ballet dancer that he found himself winning entirely accidentally.
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