- This topic has 38 replies, 21 voices, and was last updated 16 years, 7 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
His owner is giving him next to no chance at Ayr. (Source SP)
"I really think it’s a one in 20 chance that he’ll do it," said Frewen.
"He’s top weight and has not run over two miles in four years. There are normally very few entries but there are a lot, including some interesting ones down the bottom of the weights.
The obvious question is – why run him then?!
It smacks of greed to me.
It must be another order or merit race if Lough Derg is running.
Blackbeard to conquer the World
Well, Pigeon Island has just had his 20th run and seems ok for it. If I’m totally honest I’d find it very hard to turn down the opportunity to win £200,000 or whatever the prize money is. If anyone was handed this amount and told that they could keep it if the horse ran but it would be taken away from them if they said not to run him, how many of us would give it back? Lets hope he comes back safe and sound anyway.
It must be another order or merit race if Lough Derg is running.
it is, but his last few runs have been well below par he’s had a very hard season with some great wins under his belt and a few of those races he looked like he couldnt win but he battled very hard indeed and thats why i think his last few runs have been below par IMO it seems he needs a well deserved break insted of running him around Ayr tomorrow…
great horse this season hope he comes back sound!!!!
His run on the Thursday of Aintree wasn’t below par.The horse is no world beater and if he was mine he would definitely be running tomorrow.
As Moehat mentions, there’s plenty of horses who regularly exceed Lough Derg’s total in a season: Dalriath and Jupon Vert spring to mind, so it’s a tad churlish to assume he’s only running because it’s an Order of Merit race; he’s a good horse therefore he’s likely to find himself running in them. Some horses thrive on being kept busy, others don’t.
That said, this and previous examples of running (possibly) over the top horses in end of season OM races is a little unsettling.
It would be nice if being awarded the OM was – like the real thing – honour enough, without it needing to be incentivised by filthy lucre; the horses who win it have won plenty of prizemoney after all.
Regarding today’s race. From a sporting point of view it’ll be intriguing how Lough Derg gets on off top weight against classy horses from out of the handicap. Both it and the National have a strange shape this year: Conditions events bar one or two, and no less interesting for that.
Sorry Drone
I think it is a tad naive to suggest to entertain the notion he isn’t only running because it is an Order of Merit race. Although if it’s not because it’s an Order of Merit race, it makes yu wonder why they haven;t thought of fropping him back to 2m any time in the last three and a half years.
I wonder of he proves his effectiveness at the trip today they’ll decide to give him his chasing debut in the Celebration Chase at Sandown. Given how that race tends to cut up, he’d probably only need to jump round to pick up the points required!
That’s not to say I’d criticise Pipe and the owner for what they are doing, if I was in their position and I had a fit and healthy horse, I’d almost certainly be doing the same. The problem comes when you market a competition as an Order of Merit when it should be an order of toughness and durability.
Hello,
At the end of a very good racing season, I would find it very strange that LOUGH DERG could be the winner of an Order of Merit competition.
Nothing against the horse, owners, trainer etc., but I think the scoring system may need looking at. I remember last season, or season before, ROYAL SHAKESPEARE was developing getting well beat into a fashion, but somehow he was in the top 3 of the Order of Merit through out??
I personally think the £200K winners pot could be put to better use than someone picking it up for strategically placed horses getting beaten regularly in certain races’…
Again, no slight against Lough Derg, the rules are there…
regards,
doyley
They mentioned today on teletext about him running and it is to try to win the order of merit. I think they said he needs to finish in the top four to beat Kauto Star.
I too think it is a bit greedy to keep running him but it is a big prize so I suppose so long as he is fit and well they think it is worth taking a chance.
The order of merit was set out to get the best horses running more often but it is a bit worrying if they keep turning out again and again at the end of a hard season so perhaps the way the order of merit is done needs looking at.I don’t see anything wrong with running a horse if he is fit and well. I also think schemes to encourage owners and trainers to run their horses have to be applauded. We don’t want to go back to the days of only seeing good horses 2 or 3 times a year. Though I have to admit this race doesn’t seem ideal form him not just the distance but the size and quality of the field. Is there not a stayers race at Sandown for him next weekend?
If the horse is healthy…why not run him ?
Yeah why not…….Pipes have never given a damn about horses in the past why start now?
They mentioned today on teletext about him running and it is to try to win the order of merit. I think they said he needs to finish in the top four to beat Kauto Star.
I too think it is a bit greedy to keep running him but it is a big prize so I suppose so long as he is fit and well they think it is worth taking a chance.
The order of merit was set out to get the best horses running more often but it is a bit worrying if they keep turning out again and again at the end of a hard season so perhaps the way the order of merit is done needs looking at.I’m dead against running him and dead agaist the Pipes for doing so.
That apart this order of Merit is a load of crap and i ahgree with you…..Lough Derg is fair but by first class standerds he’s moderate as hell………I don’t know how they calculate this stupid thing nor am I interested…..[deleted] it should be scrapped immediately.
This is the fundamental flaw with the OoM.
It’s all very well when a highly superior animal like Kauto happens to pick it up whilst effectively following it’s original campaign, but when a more moderate animal is in with a chance, there’s always the danger mercenary connections will do this.
For me it was a real shame to see LD run so poorly today, and for a horse who was so gutsy and genuine earlier in the season to have clearly had enough just makes it even worse.
If they’d skipped Cheltenham and Aintree and come straight here he might have run better, but you surely can’t have the glory of racing at all the big meetings, the big festivals, AND land the OoM if your horse isn’t the best in his particular sphere.
Yes it’s a lot of money. But the horse has won big races already this season and before the OoM came along, that would have been enough.
If I owned the horse, I like to think that I would have refused to let him be entered post Cheltenham or either missed Cheltenham for Aintree or missed both if it would benefit the horse to have a break and run today instead.
I would NOT have run him at all three.
I’m dead against running him and dead agaist the Pipes for doing so.
That apart this order of Merit is a load of crap and i ahgree with you…..Lough Derg is fair but by first class standerds he’s moderate as hell……….
Not on a going day he isn’t, you only need to look at front running performances at Ascot in grade one’s to know this is a first class horse on his day.
Talk sense Marb he beat Hardy Eustace abd BJK at Acscot neither of whom have raised a gallop all season. then he beat two mules in his next race at Ascot…oh Yeah and he beat wonder horse MWDS who has run like a mule all season and a horse PN laid out for Aintree.
Anytime he has come up fit horses in good races he is all but tailed off…..he’s ok racing against horses in mid season who are probaly about 90%.
He’s above average but when it comes to top class he definately is moderate.
Can’t agree with you Zoz…the horse is not top drawer, and there’s a £200k pot available. Why not take the chance if the horse is sound ? Tom Scudamore wasn’t hard on the horse once it became apparent that he was being taken off his feet. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
We know he’s a stayer and not a two mile horse but if people on this board are really saying that they wouldn’t have run a healthy horse today, then I don’t think they are being truthful.
I think a lot of the views being put forward here, are being driven by the fact that the trainer’s surname is Pipe.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.