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Shabby, this horse will only get close if the ground is good or close to it. He doesn’t really want soft in the description.
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One thing that always perplexes me ( among other things
) is this: why do trainers persist in sending their good horses to run at right handed / left handed courses when said animal is, according to perceived wisdom, evidently (or apparently) at a disadvantage ?Imperial Commander being a prime example.
Maybe Nigel thinks Kempton will suit his horse this year – or maybe he’s simply pissing against the wind and hoping for the best ?
Whatever the reason, Imperial Commander has improved and surely he cannot run as badly as he did last year, and for my money, looks a cracking good each way bet.
Who knows, he might even win.
While I still believe the safest bet in the race is Imperial Commander without Kauto Star but I couldn’t back him to beat him even if I hadn’t backed Kauto to win this many months ago.
However those who prefer to chase the big odds prefer going ew in the hope he might just win.
We’ve all read the PN and Ruby Walsh quotes telling us how Kauto needed the run, has come on since etc., etc.
What we don’t know is how fit was Imperial Commander at Haydock and how much has he come on since?
Also who said Imperial Commander can’t go right handed he only run at Kempton and was was all wrong?
On watching the race again there can be little doubt if he hadn’t stuttered through the 3rd last, lost 2 lengths advantage and his momentum for a few strides he would have beaten Kauto Star and probably by a few lengths.
All things being equal that probably makes him a better horse than Exotic Dancer was and a bigger danger than anything he has faced in the King George before.
I can’t agree with those who think he doesn’t really stay miles there is more to say he does than he doesn’t. I thought the same but you can’t count last year as a non staying performance when the yard only had 1 winner from 48 runners over the period and his other poor run was due to a very bad mistake which took him out of the race.
This horse stormed up the Hill in the Ryanair which indicates 3 mile is within his scope and you don’t come back at a horse like Kauto Star over 3 miles in soft ground if you don’t stay especially if you have left other good horses miles back in your wake.
I can’t buy into this he has to be fresh label Imperial Commander has despite it seeming to have happened 3 times. The first two I’ve already covered and that race in Ireland was run through a ploughed field covered by a lake with half the field unable to complete
plus 80% of horses who run after a top performance at Cheltenham get stuffed if turned out again because they have gone over the top..I just can’t see this being anything other than a repeat of Haydock with Kauto Star and Imperial Commander fighting out the finish.
Whatever the outcome Imperial Commander looks a sound bet. Whether you back him EW or without Kauto depends on whether you want to buy the wife a new fur coat or your content with a bottle of Chivas Regal for New Year
I think it will be an absolute cracker with Kauto winning (of course) but by no more than a length or two.
Preview to the big one!
Fist, a bit harsh on Punchestown dont you think?!
Ploughed field?! Come on now, slightly exagerating there.
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’twas very heavy to be sure! no offence meant at all
Can’t have Imperial Commander around Kempton, place lay for me. Madison de Berlais can run really well if getting into a good rhythm. I also fancy both of Tom George’s to run well with slight preference for Tartak who ran a blinder at Huntingdon despite jumping like a blindfolded yak. Odds-on quotes about the fav look right though.
the owner of IC has posted at length on betfair about his horse in the KG, for anyone interested.
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I am never away from Betfair these days but have never ventured beyond the horse markets…..any chance of telling us where on Betfair?
horse antepost, fist
his forum name is, bobby dazzler
there’s likely a king george thread with hundreds of replies, so might be hard to find but if you tag on and ask nicely they’re mostly a helpful bunch. Use my name if it helps, but I can’t read the place anymore I’m banned
This’ll have you in a tizzy, Fist; on the betfair Bobby Dazzler thread there is talk of the owner backing Crackaway Jack at the bookies for the Champion Chase!
The nearer to the race we get the more tempted I am in an each way punt on Tartak. He may well be playing for 2nd behind Kauto but he looks to be coming right based on his 2nd in the Peterborough. Often the King George sees an up and coming horse get placed (last year it was Alberta’s Run). Thats a key angle with Tartak. With plenty of doubts around the likes of Imperial Commander, Nacarat, Barbers Shop etc then the 40-1 seems a fair price to me.
One thing I notice in Tartak’s form is he has a good record on flat tracks. Wins at Kempton, Aintree and good run at Huntingdon. He is stepping up in trip but his runs this season and towards the end of last season suggest that could be a positive.
Time will tell.
"Fist" wrote: ’twas very heavy to be sure! no offence meant at all
None taken! I went to that meeting undecided wether to back I.Commander or N.Pere, yet after walking the track i realised only one horse was going to win!
I, like most no doubt, would love to see KS win again.
However, I feel that he is genuinely vulnerable this time round. His run in the BF, IMHO, showed him to still be very good but deffo more beatable than ever. I still cannot believe Imperial Commander lost that photo finish!
IC is a BIG danger, but I am plumping for Barbers Shop as I think he has a touch of class and 3 miles on this flat track is what he wants.
At 18/1 Corals and Totesh*t he’s the EW chance for me.
You can go on about the fitness of KS in the BF and how he lurves Kempton – they may both be valid. For me, though, I think he is finally being caught up by the younger brigade.
But which one?
Barbers Shop, of course!
Zip
Am I the only one who doesn’t get this Barbers Shop at all? I doubt he’ll ever come close to winning a Grade 1. Taaffe’s horse that beat him in the Jewson is very much an exposed handicapper now and that Abbeybraney that he beat at Sandown was getting beaten around the gaff tracks over here before Wylie bought him. He only scrambled home to his first chase win at Hexham a few weeks ago after six previous attempts.
Tartak would be the only one that would slightly interest me in the w/o Kauto Star market. I like Imperial Commander as a horse but if he was mine I’d be bringing him over for the Lexus on a track that would play to his strengths more.
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I can’t really see why there’s this fixation with Imperial Commmander not going right handed?
He’s been beaten twice travelling that way, but both times he travelled and jumped as well as anything in the race until tiring, and nothing in his technique suggests he’s greatly favoured by one way or the other.
Win or lose, I doubt the track will make much difference, nor do I think he’d even be running if connections thought it that significant.
) is this: why do trainers persist in sending their good horses to run at right handed / left handed courses when said animal is, according to perceived wisdom, evidently (or apparently) at a disadvantage ?
plus 80% of horses who run after a top performance at Cheltenham get stuffed if turned out again because they have gone over the top..
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