Hargam A Good Thing At Aintree?

[stevecaution]

It seems hard to find fault with Hargam’s chances in the Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree tomorrow.

He comes here top rated after an excellent third in the Triumph Hurdle, where the late rain probably went against him. As an ex-flat horse in France, you would think this track should suit him. He seems to travel and jump well and he’s the highest rated horse in the field.

The second highest rated Bristol De Mai comes here after being beaten favourite the last twice. When he won it was plenty soft enough and you wouldn’t think this will play to his strengths tomorrow. The old chestnut that not running at Cheltenham has already surfaced as a potential help to him. With the Twiston-Davies team having a Cheltenham to forget he’s not one for me this time.

Devilment was 4th in the Triumph and has 10 lengths to make up with Hargam on that form. There isn’t really any reason to believe he can turn that margin around.

I think Hargam will win this unless he falls and at Evens that seems a risk well worth taking, given the way he has jumped in his career this far.

It’s getting on for one of those where you can’t believe the old mince pies that he’s not odds on.

I would have him 1/2 if I were playing bookie.

Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.

[seethesun]

I have loved this horse since it’s debut defeat to Golden Doyen at Cheltenham. We hear that it wants good ground and there are signs to support this, based on its breeding and performance at Musselburgh earlier this season.

I would love to see it bolt up tomorrow. I’m not a massive follower of the jumps when compared to the flat, but this horse just left a massive impression on me since that debut run. I thought it’s performance in the triumph was very good, if what we hear about the ground going against it is completely accurate.

The champion hurdle is often run on good ground and I am on ante post EW for next season at 20s. I’m convinced it will be more like a 6/1 shot on the day next year.

Not a price I will get involved with tomorrow, it should win with a bit in hand. I also think Stars over the Sea is a big price and it ran with credit at Cheltenham. Travelled very well through the triumph and I think this flatter track may suit, providing it gets a decent gallop. Each Way at 22/1 is quite appealing , we not seen the best of this horse over hurdles yet.

[stevecaution]

The evens is gone everywhere on Hargam.

He was available at that price pretty much across the board but varies between 8/11 and 8/13 now.

I may be wrong, but with Easter just gone, it feels like Christmas may be here really soon this year

Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.

[raymo61]

Am on at Evens Steve and I think it is a good thing!! I think the track will suit and the ground will too!!

The only thing I have giving him a race is maybe Intense Tango which may be my saver at 14/1

Hendo could actually have the first three winners!! Not that I will be backing them all.

[stevecaution]

I never thought he travelled that well today, certainly found nothing off the bridle and that has to go down as a bitterly disappointing effort.

Hargam won’t be troubling the Champion Hurdle horses based on that effort anyway.

I suppose that’s what makes the bookies rich and us punters poor.

Bristol De Mai was much more like it today, when the Twiston-Davies team hit better form he might be worth keeping an eye on.

Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.

[raymo61]

I thought Hargam ran very flat.Nicky Henderson’s horses have not been red hot all season. I don’t know whether he doesn’t have the ammunition or they are all not quite right.Even though he had the one two three in the Triumph it may be that he hasn’t got the class of horse we are used to him having.

Hargam is nowhere near Champion Hurdle class on all known evidence. He will have to improve more than a stone to feature next March.

[seethesun]

I would not be so quick to write him off. In a perverse way, if it was gonna get turned over today, I would rather it gets turned over in a similar fashion to that.

Horses he has clearly beaten at Cheltenham on ground he supposedly don’t want,have come back here and beat Hargam relatively comfortably.This is clearly not the horses ability.

I would be more concerned had he gone down beaten half a length in second. It’s clearly shown a much higher level of form than this field, the positive performance of the improving Devilment also means I’m not too concerned with this performance.

[stevecaution]

It was a dismal effort though. I don’t like making excuses for horses and everything looked set for a good show today.

Ma Filleule was also poor for Henderson today, along with Vaniteux, who I feel has been poorly campaigned by Nicky Henderson this year. Described as a horse just marking time this year before going chasing next season, he had already been tried at 2 and a half miles, where his trainer said that the longer trip didn’t seem to help him at all. Chucked into the Champion Hurdle he looked out of his depth and I don’t see the point in putting him back up in trip today, when it had already been stated that it didn’t help.

Maybe running a horse out of its depth and getting it used to finishing down the field is a good prep for going over fences but it’s not what I would be wanting to watch my horse doing.

Of course the old Channel 4 commentators curse reared its head as we were told the stable was on fire with 7 from the last 11 winning. Who would be a pundit with the old kiss of death waiting to happen minutes after you open your mouth?

Very disappointed with Hargam today, he folded very tamely.

Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.

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