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I found Best Mate,Iris’s Gift and Azertyuiop most impressive but I don’t think I can wait 8 months for Best Mate’s next run-I just need to hibernate until that day lol
I thought Iris’s Gift was so impressive especially as connections say that anything he does over hurdles is a bonus as chasing will be his real forte.
How do people think Baracouda will do if/when he goes chasing which he probably will now that JP knows for definite that First Gold is a shadow of his former self?????
Quote: from beaker on 4:43 pm on Mar. 14, 2003[br]Best Mate would easily beat Arkle :o
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That statement was made very much tongue in cheek, I never had the priveledge to see Arkle run during my lifetime, so I guess Best Mate has become my Arkle.
It is of course impossible to predict which of the two horses would have won on a said day, buy I guess people who saw Arkle race will say Arkle, people who didn’t may say Best Mate. Maybe come 2006 people of all ages will have to admit that Best Mate is the best ever. One more point is Best Mate will never run enough times to earn as high a rating as Arkle did, so I cannot take the ratings as the casting stone.
Beax
With all the media coverage concerning the championship races, surely the performance of Spirit Leader in the highly competitive County Hurdle was an effort worthy of mention.
This was her third high class competitive handicap of the season and she was having to carry a fair weight in the process.
<br>Griff.
it would be more interesting to debate if best mate was better than mill house..he wouldnt get within 20 lengths of arkle anywhere
IMO he’s not even as good as SMB was at his best. chelt was never SMB’s best course and it was some feat that he actually won a GC..i have him a few pounds better than BM
while we’re on the subject what do other people think of the way he is campaigned? while i see there point ive always thought racehorses were for racing. hen even said he ‘needed a holiday after that’ ! what after a 3month rest and then a canter round cheltenham? yeah he must be knackered! why not run him at aintree or even the hennessey next yr instead of finding a micky mouse race for him..lets see the bloody thing race for gods sake
I think that if Desert Orchid had of been suited by Cheltenham like he was Kempton and Sandown,he would have won at least another Gold Cup and possibly a Champion Chase as well.
He may have even won 3 Gold Cup’s to join Arkle because connections would have ran him in the Gold Cup earlier in his career,probably after his 86 King George win even
Overall I thought it was a fantastic meeting…<br>And I would have to reiterate the mentions earlier in the thread for some of the runners in the Sun Alliance Hurdle – I think it will prove to have been an exceptional renewal.<br>And talking my cue from Nick Mordin’s article in last week’s Weekender, I will be taking this race along with the Triumph Hurdle as "races to follow". <br>On my list will be the first eight (past the post) in the SA (Hardy Eustace, Coolnagorna, Pizarro, Lord Sam, Foreman, Sh Boom, Nil Desperandum and Supreme Prince) and the first ten in the Triumph (Spectroscope, Well Chief, Golden Cross, Lilium De Cotte, Mughas, Le Duc, Newlands Gold, Mutineer, Red Wine, Dashing Home) – these 18 horses to be backed on each of their next three outings. That’s 54 bets – let’s see how it does…
Thanks Nore, you have excellent taste!<br>Going back to horses that could have one more than one Gold Cup, given a bit of luck, I definitely believe my all time fav, Mr Mulligan, would have been something special, if it were not for on going injuries which forced him into retirement and then a freak incident which resulted in his untimely death.:( <br>Going back to this years festival, it will be interesting to see which horses meet up again for clashes at Aintree.
Nore- First runner out of the Sun Alliance Hurdle tomorrow- Nil Desperandum in the Novice Hurdle(3.30) at Navan.
Also a decent chase at 4.30 featuring Go Roger Go,Rince Ri,Knife Edge and Moscow Express
That’s right, PaulCS, but forecast 4/7 Nil Desperandum certainly puts me off following my plan!
I’m going to oppose Nil Desperandum as I think this could be a bit soon after Cheltenham for him.  I like Heads Onthe Ground who should be pretty fresh on his first run since the end of Jan. and is a progressive sort.  He was beaten 1.5l by Emmet that day but meets that one on 7lbs better terms so should reverse placings at least.  At the forecast prices I’ll take a chance with him.
I had thought along the same lines as Elderberry but, lo and behold, Nil Desperandum hacks up ….
Not to mention unlucky triumph also ran Kenilworth winning against decent novices. Was it 4/1
I sometimes think that Cheltenham takes a lot out of a horse, especially those that ran in a hot handicap with  a large field. Some just seem to thrive on it. Take yesterday for instance, Bow Strada hacked up after being in one of the most competitive races of the festival. He was 7th to Xenophone and found nothing up the hill.<br>On another note if Hardy Eustace and Pizarro take each other on , again, at Liverpool, do you think Pizarro can turn it around?
(Edited by Mully at 9:44 am on Mar. 26, 2003)
Mully, on the subject of horses "holding their form" after Cheltenham and not seeming to "suffer the effects of a hard race"…<br>There is an interesting piece by Paul Jones in the Weatherby’s Guide to Aintree where he notes that the old cliche that Cheltenham form doesnt hold up at Aintree is becoming less and less the case. This is an argument verifiable from recent years Aintree results.<br>It follows on from an emerging trend at Cheltenham, highlighted by Alan Potts (or apracing to us!) among others, that a light campaign is the recipe for success – 17 of the 20 winners at the Festival this year had had 4 or fewer outings in the season. And so the extension of this, seemingly, is that since the horses have had light campaigns towards their main target, Cheltenham, they are better able to hold their form for the "afters" at Aintree, Punchestown etc.
Interesting little race tomorrow at Haydock. Only 2 horses compete, both last ran at the festival and both finished fourth in their respective races.<br>Montreal 4th to Royal Predica in the Kim Muir and Sea Drifting who ran a blinder at 100-1 and finished 4th to One Knight. Although we only have the two horses to watch, this should be a fascinating race . I have followed Montreal during his novice chasing campaign and i really fancied him at Cheltenham. I thought he had a tough race. <br>Sea Drifting on the other hand did really well to finish where he did, the fancied Keen Leader finished behind!<br>I think I will stick to Montreal as I expected him to be at the Aintree meet.<br>
(Edited by Mully at 3:09 pm on Mar. 28, 2003)
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