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I think we’ll see a much improved performance today, and his "gallop them into the ground" style will be a lot more effective in these conditions than at Market Rasen and Bangor. He should leave his previous chase form behind and signal a marked step up today.
His jumping was a bit ropy, but his engine stood him in good stead.
One good thing is that his jumping was better on the 2nd circuit than the first. However, on the flipside, that might just be because he had run the legs off the challenger by then and was jumping alone.
The juries still out. He’s got to jump better, but there’s another 4.5 months to go.
Steve
Having seen him now jump four times, I don’t think it is going to improve a great deal. He is never going to be spectacular. When he hits one, it doesn’t actually stop him, and even if he clouts one, I can’t see him coming down, there’ll just be a massive hole in the fence. That said I don’t think he jumps well enough to win a Gold Cup but the Sun Alliance often goes to an unspectacular strong galloper with bags of stamina. Iris’s Gift fits that bill and there hasn’t been a novice chaser I have seen this season yet that has a better chance than him in that race.
Quote: from stevedvg on 5:08 pm on Oct. 26, 2005[br]his engine stood him in good stead.
Now I am no expert on horse anatomy but where is that located for the next time I am doing paddock inspections.
Well done to IG (sounded convincing enough), Newbury for the Hennesey has to be favourite if given a handicap mark of less than 150?
To me IG is all about engine and bottle, I can remember the scrap with Ad Hoc at Chelt in 02, if he gets to the third last come March I might be rushing to back him.
Not all Gold Cup winners are great jumpers, how close did Take TS get last year!
Quote: from arkle66 on 5:26 pm on Oct. 26, 2005
Newbury for the Hennesey has to be favourite if given a handicap mark of less than 150?
<br>As he’s beaten a 130 rated chaser by a wide margin and has a rating of 172 over hurdles, there is no chance of him getting a mark under 150. I reckon something closer to 160 would be more likely and as the handicapper very rarely allows a difference of more than a stone between the chase and hurdle ratings initially, perhaps 158 would be a fair bet.
AP
i cant see him get near 158 because he beat the same horse only 4 lengths recieving 8 pound at market rasen. I would say 145 would be more appropiate being a novice but if hes over 150 he would have a very stiff task at newbury if he were to run!
This statement was post Bangor:
BHB senior handicapper Phil Smith yesterday forecasting a mark "in the 140s"
I could see a rise of 7lbs tops for today’s win, hence my 150 guess.
With this new chase taking away the top class chasers that could be close to top weight (11st5-8lbish). I think the Hennesey is tailor made for him, next step of the ladder and all that. <br>
Yep just read Jonjo’s comments on the RP site, the grade 2 that Cornish Rebel won last year is likely to be his next race. Seen his other attempts over fences (only listened today) and was happy with his jumping, granted he guesed/low at a couple, but nothing alarming.
Hope he is sound tomorrow if he jumped that badly.
Also hope Rob Lester Jnr is celebrating so he still looks sick on his return to work tomorrow!;)
I may well be totally wrong about the handicap mark – I hadn’t seen the Phil Smith quote. But for comparison, the last two winners of the Stayers Hurdle to obtain a chase mark were given 159 (Bacchanal) and 157 (Cyborgo).
Watching him today reminded me of Carvills Hill and apart from the deja vu aspect of watching an even money favourite taken on for the lead, IG seems to have a similar stiff backed jumping style that finds the Cheltenham open ditches a particular problem.
Like Carvills Hills, he can maintain a fantastic gallop, but also like Carvills Hill, at his best when out on his own and able to measure the fences. And like CH, that suggests the Welsh National, with the long run to the first fence, might suit him better than Newbury.
Whatever his eventual target, he’s already provided a fascinating taster to the NH season and provoked more debate on here than most classic winners!
BTW, entries for the Hennessey closed today, weights will be based on form up to and including Nov 5th and will presumably be published around Nov 9th.
AP<br>
(Edited by apracing at 7:41 pm on Oct. 26, 2005)
uncanny Alan, I was just about to write about his similarity to my namesake when I got to the end of the thread and saw your post!<br>I reckon some horses that reach the top over hurdles never adjust their jumping style for fences no matter how much they are schooled (though Carvills couldn’t jump hurdles either) and that IG will be one of those- ok in ordinary company but found out at top level especially in big fields.
Lord of Illusion looks extremely well handicapped off a mark of 138. I don’t think there is a handicapper of similar standard off as good a mark as him. I think the ideal race for him rather than the Hennessy would be the Intervet Trophy on Paddy Power day at Cheltenham. Although it is a stiff track, I think that Cheltenham really plays to the strengths of sound-jumping front runners, his performance when slamming Baron Windrush (won the Warwick Chase next time from the very well handicapped D’Argent) and ItTakes Time (won the Grade 1 Ascot Chase next time) on New Years Day there was hugely impressive. If he’s in against the likes of Stormez, Fasgo and Merchants Friend I can see him running them ragged.
Regarding Iris’s Gift, THE race for him is definitely the Welsh National.
The way i look at his handicap mark is that last year ollie magern had 3 runs last year in novice chases before he ran in the hennesy. He won the same race last year that iris’s gift won today and he beat a better horse in comply and die last year than iris’s has faced this year over fences. Ollie was given a mark of 146 for the hennesy and i know that ollie was only rated 130 over hurdles but it was clear to see early on last year chasing was his forte, where as iris’s still has to convince me he is a natural chaser. If iris’s is given more than a mark of 146 then it will be a joke because outta the 2 ollie was more impressive last year than iris’s has been this year. I wonder what mark Forget The Past has been revised to because he could be interesting in the hennesy.
Hes a lovely horse but I wouldnt touch him in a big competitive field (regardless of mark) with jumping like that…
He doesnt look like a natural…maybe they should revert back to hurdling. and what would be wrong with that?
hi guys thanks for your thoughts. as far as i know the plan is for the novice chase on the day before the hennesey. ted got home safe and sound. (unlike the owners!)
p.s still of work today. the champagne was flowing freely last night!! but i might try to get out of bed in the morning.
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