John Durkan 2022

[IanDavies]

Fakir now out to 9.4 – the machine doesn’t agree with me!

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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"

[Nathan Hughes]

Fakir is a good horse Ian,
I have him in my 10 to follow
He will win races and if Galopin doesn’t anything wrong you’d think it would be him to pick up the pieces

Charles Darwin to conquer the World

[Ben_Bernanke]

Very impressive there, with so much speed I do wonder if a Gold Cup is what the horse really wants, feels like the Ryanair trip could be his optimum but assuming Allaho makes it to the festival I can’t imagine Willie would want to take his own horse on.

[Nathan Hughes]

That wasn’t flashy but at least it showed he can be restrained, which would point toward the Gold Cup
think Townend was safe enough on him at the jumps

Charles Darwin to conquer the World

[IanDavies]

That’s some horse – the runner up has an OR of 165 and the third one of 155 and is race fit and he’s absolutely hammered them both by what? ten? eased down.

Jumped alright too, I thought.

I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
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https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"

[greenasgrass]

All the other jockeys getting low in the saddle rounding the home turn and getting to work, Townend just sitting up admiring the view…the horse has some engine.

[greenasgrass]

“Jumped alright too, I thought.”

Yes, neat and not too flashy aa Nathan said.

[befair]

Impressive for his first performance in open company; Fakir D has been probably the best 2+1/2 chaser for the last few years and he was readily dismissed.

[LD73]

Smooth performance, settled really well in behind horses so proves he is not one dimensional and the fact that he doesn’t have to make it will help him in a Gold Cup as although he has won over 3m his stamina for a Gold Cup is still a slight question mark (as we know many top horses that stayed 3m have been found out by the extra 2F at Cheltenham).

[GM23]

A brilliant performance as expected though we still know nothing regards his Gold Cup credentials.
I really feel they should’ve targeted the Savills chase with him. The Irish Hennessy is a bit close to Cheltenham so we may not see this horse tested against proper horses over 3m before the big one.
Nicky gets all the flack yet Willie has been every bit as cautious with his horses in recent times.

[IanDavies]

I’d have run him in this – it was a gimme.

He’d be hard to beat in the Ryanair, especially if Allaho didn’t turn up.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup?

Needs to be every bit as good over the extended 3m2f – think he looks quite speedy myself, but it’s possible.

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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"

[GM23]

Ian, if he stays the 3m2f well, we have another Kauto/Arkle on our hands. His speed over 2m4f is so impressive that he looks every bit as much a Queen Mother Horse as a Gold Cup Horse. He actually reminds me a lot of Sprinter Sacre since he’s gone chasing.
We’ll not find out until March but he’s not unlike the great ‘One Man’ either who found those final 2 furlongs rather difficult.

[Nathan Hughes]

“I like Galopin Des Champs, but I remain to be convinced that he’s all he’s cracked up to me.

For me, he’s a chocolate hob nob still waiting for the chocolate to arrive.”

Any chocolate arriving for him yet, Ian?

Charles Darwin to conquer the World

[LD73]

I seriously think he would beat Allaho in the Ryanair if they went that route but whilst he is unproven at the Gold Cup trip you have to find out one way or the other whether he stays and the Gold Cup will tells.

He could end up being best suited to the 2m4f-3m trips but regardless of that I would love to see him in next year’s King George as I think that would be tailor made for him being a more balanced test of speed and stamina.

[Tizaaards Cider]

Where is he going to prove his 3m 2f stamina before march? There’s not a lot to go on and certainly nothing competitive enough that if he ran in it he’d be able to completely dictate the pace to suit and therefore proving nothing.

He was none the less impressive today but for me he’d be a lay in the GC all day long.

[IanDavies]

“Any chocolate arriving for him yet, Ian?”

Now, I’ve sat down, like the complete and utter anorak I am, and rated the race, I think Galopin Des Champs only had to run to 167 to win by the margin he did.

But that’s with a “+” because he won easily.

I don’t think – looking at the proximity of the third and fourth – the runner up has run to his mark, but this is still a thumping win first time out for Galopin Des Champs.

2/1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup is very short, because he’s a complete unknown at the trip and tougher opponents await, but he impressed me like a double-coated chocolate hob nob today, that’s for sure.

I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"

[LD73]

ALl this talk of Hob Nobs (chocolate coated or otherwise) is making me peckish but seeing as I do not have any of either variety it will have to be a good old McVities Milk Chocolate Digestive.

[Author]

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