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I don’t like NTD either but that’s because he’s a dead ringer of my old boss
Haha, just realised that’s true for me too! Maybe that’s where it comes from
Not sure how someone can be adamant that the horse can’t go righthanded, on the basis of three runs, when before last season on the basis of five runs it was patently obvious that the horse doesn’t stay three miles.
Good point Gerald.
I’m not at all sure the KG suits Imperial Commander but the trainer is regularly pilloried as being clueless and yet keeps winning big races, despite having the square root of bugger all in terms of sexy owners. Regarding his "arrogance" when winning the Gold Cup, I find such opinions massively at odds with my experience. NTD’s interviews on Gold Cup Day were hilarious in just the right way and he’s showing himself to be the kind of character racing desperately needs. More power to his elbow, I say.
I think NTD attracts criticism because of his poor strike rate. He runs a lot of them and runs them quite often which, combined with the fact that he lacks the raw quality in his yard enjoyed by a Henderson or Nicholls, means he is always going to struggle with strike-rate.
HOWEVER, when the chips are down, on the days that matter, he is the equal of anybody at getting them fit and is particularly adept with races/horses where stamina is at a premium.
I’m always wary of his, whatever price they are, when I am against them.
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I have learnt, the hard way, the folly of taking a set against this yard. Now much the wiser and poorer.
I agree to some extent Ken. The Twisters should be a formidable combination in years to come with more enthusiastic homebred youngsters to follow ( who can forget younger son cheering home IC in the Gold Cup ). Not sure about the O’Briens though. Young Joe is already tall and may not have a long time left on the flat. He’ll be struggling to make the weight in 2yrs for mine.
NTD has always come across to me as being a tosser.
Leave him to it
Agreed. Kauto will demolish the field again come boxing day.
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NTD has always come across to me as being a tosser.
Leave him to it
Agreed. Kauto will demolish the field again come boxing day.
I think Planet of Sound will win (if he runs).
*looks in thread*
*see’s a load of pockets talking*
*leaves thread*
I’ve never backed Imperial Commander. Ever.
You started a thread attacking a trainer, wrongly, as I’ve pointed out clearly to you, and you haven’t the decency to apologise for it? Not very ‘big’ of you, I’d say.
Also, the
owner
wins a ryanair and a Gold Cup, and one of the bigger clowns on here says he has more money than sense for prepping in the King George
You actually couldn’t make it up, get on to Betfair lads, you’d fit right in.
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*looks in thread*
*see’s a load of pockets talking*
*leaves thread*
I’ve never backed Imperial Commander. Ever.
You started a thread attacking a trainer, wrongly, as I’ve pointed out clearly to you, and you haven’t the decency to apologise for it? Not very ‘big’ of you, I’d say.
Also, the
owner
wins a ryanair and a Gold Cup, and one of the bigger clowns on here says he has more money than sense for prepping in the King George
You actually couldn’t make it up, get on to Betfair lads, you’d fit right in.
I’m never started the thread or spoke badly of him. I backed him in the Paddy Power 08, Ryanair 09 and Gold Cup 10.
I was referring to the sore losers who backed Kauto when IC when the gold cup.
*nevermind lol, just realised the guy who started the topic has a similar looking username*
wow never saw/realised that, apologies to the phil i’ve wrongly offended!
the other one should not be let off so lightly
I don’t expect IC to run well in the King George. How could I ? He’s disappointed there the last twice , there’s no reason to expect any different. I backed him when he dead heated Kauto and when they went Evs and 16/1 about the Gold Cup , I thought it was an insult really. More to do with the trainer than the horses performance and NTD was entitled to have his say regarding the medias view of his horse , after all , he had just won the Gold Cup. He’s a great trainer and as has been posted here , he has a knack with staying chasers but you would be hard pushed to say running at Kempton again was a shrewd move , I think IC runs well at the festival despite his regular debacle on boxing day , not because of it , I don’t see how you can view last years KG performance as any kind of positive , sandwiched between dead heating Kauto and beating him , the kempton run was a bad performance . How can that be a positive part of the horses prep? That said, the trainer’s enjoyed success with the horse but it’s not out of order to question this latest decision , racing is about opinions and as every trainer of a top class horse soon discovers these stars soon become ‘public property’ to a certain extent.
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Saw this on the front page on the way in and thought it was anew thread but when I read it I just had to bring it up.
I may be able to make it a bit clearer to why he’s underperformed on his last two occasions.
NTD subborn poor strike rate shouldn’t be even thinking of running Imperial Commander in the King George.
And I thought I had heard it all.
Low strike rates since when. He had a poor one last year but 14% 15% and 17% is well above average and 1 poor year doesn’t justify tarring the man with that brush.
Stubborn? would know and I doubt if the poster does either.
Running Imperial Commader in the King George may not be wise to some but prey tell what should he do. Put him in a box and leave him there over Xmas and wait for Cheltenham to come round? If you don’t try you don’t get.
IMVHO the race he ran last year had nothing to do with Kempton as a racecourse or it being the wrong way. The previous year was most likley for the same rason but I can’t remember that far back of what was said other than Kauto put up the best performace seen on a racecourse for 40+ years.
It’s my understanding NTD believes it was his feed that caused his horses to go of the boil around Xmas and he’s had the experts in to remedy the sutuation. So far the way his horses have been running whatever diet they’re on seems to have given them a boost 50 winners and 1/4 million already takes some doing.
According to Paddy Brennan Nigel’s horses shouldn’t even have been on a rcecourse at Xmas they were running that badly.
I’d rather accept that than accept a top class chaser like Imperial Commnder who scared the living daylights out of Kauto Star round Haydock, even forgetting he won the Gold Cup, can’t go round a right hand corner.
He looked perfectly happy when he was travelling during last years race before whatever was ailing him on top of that bad mistake early doors grounded him to halt.
Wasn’t like he was running wide round the bends losing lengths or anything. Even if he doesn’t like going that way he’s still head and shoulders above anything else that’s queing up to take Kauto on.
Someone once told me when Paddy Brennan is being interveiwed if he raises his shoulders slightly it’s his body language saying are you effin stupid. If it’s true I bet he’s raised his shoulders afew times on that one.
Man was there he rode the horse and if he says he wasn’t right then he wasn’t right IMO.
We’ll soon know I can hear jingle bells already.
"Running Imperial Commader in the King George may not be wise to some but prey tell what should he do. Put him in a box and leave him there over Xmas and wait for Cheltenham to come round? If you don’t try you don’t get."
Send him to the Lexus is what he should do Fist. Simples.
I’m be a happy layer of IC for a place all day long come the 26th.
"Running Imperial Commader in the King George may not be wise to some but prey tell what should he do. Put him in a box and leave him there over Xmas and wait for Cheltenham to come round? If you don’t try you don’t get."
Send him to the Lexus is what he should do Fist. Simples.
I’m be a happy layer of IC for a place all day long come the 26th.
Me too.
Last 13 runs, 4 wins, all at Cheltenham. No further comments.
Excellant post Fist,
It might be that Imperial Commander is best left-handed, but only might. There is plenty of evidence to suggest other reasons for his two poor runs at Kempton.
Last year when I looked at the race, (if I remember rightly) Twister had not had a winner (or certainly very few winners) since Khyber Kim won the Boylesports on 12th Dec. This poor run lasted in to January.
The previous year when Imperial Commander ran poorly, Twister had just 1 winner in 46 runners for December. It’s a time when the yard in general have a drop in form. To judge any Naunton runner on his late December form is problematical to say the least.
Not saying IC will act around Kempton, but there is surely every reason for another go?With Kauto Star getting old, ditto Denman who is probably best left-handed and unlikely to run, it may well be Imperial Commander won’t need to run to his best. 14/1 looks worth taking. And I’ll have a bit more nearer the time if Twister is firing in the winners.
Value Is EverythingLast 13 runs, 4 wins, all at Cheltenham. No further comments.
At the time of IC’s head bobbing second to Kauto Star on the tight, flat Haydock, it was by far his best performance. Yes, he runs well at Cheltenham, but is also capable of top class form elsewhere.
Value Is EverythingMy email to Mr. Twiston Davies (Dated March 19, 2009)
Mr. Twiston-Davies,
Many congratulations to you, your family and all at your stables. You wins in the Gold Cup, Foxhunters and Grand Annual were truly spectacular and thoroughly deserved. I very happy for your son Sam who gave Baby Run a fantastic ride and warrented a supreme victory and bolstered what was to become an unforgettable day for you. I’m glad that all your hard work and talent got the results it has meritted and also wish your horses their fair share of luck.
All the best to you and yours,
He replied courteously 3 days later.
I won’t hear of a bad word said about the man. Its ridiculous that people are letting themselves down in this thread by being vulgar about a person they have never met.
Shame.
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Imperial Commander is an easy horse to weigh up, just bet him on his ‘odd’ runs, and lay him on the ‘even’ ones.
The most inconsistent horse in training last season and, given he has the same connections, no guarantee he won’t be just the same this!
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