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Great to see Hardy win, he really has been top class in his time.
Such a gutsy horse, too.
I am a big fan of Sizing Europe, firmly in the "he would have pissed up at Cheltenham" camp, had he not suffered injury.
He really was swinging away that day.
His defeat by Hardy just smacked of lack of fitness, he showed all his old cruising speed and his acceleration. Off a fast pace there would have to be some brilliant "new faces" on the hurdling scene to beat him
Zip
I am a big fan of Sizing Europe, firmly in the "he would have pissed up at Cheltenham" camp, had he not suffered injury.
He really was swinging away that day.
I sometimes think punters forget quite how far away "two out" is from the finishing line at Cheltenham. There are no guarantees at that point at all, especuially with that hill. The way Katchit and Osana went on never suggested to me he would have had an easy time of it at all. Perhaps yesterday was an indication why
I am a big fan of Sizing Europe, firmly in the "he would have pissed up at Cheltenham" camp, had he not suffered injury.
He really was swinging away that day.
I sometimes think punters forget quite how far away "two out" is from the finishing line at Cheltenham. There are no guarantees at that point at all, especuially with that hill. The way Katchit and Osana went on never suggested to me he would have had an easy time of it at all. Perhaps yesterday was an indication why
I seem to remember Sizing Europe staying on just fine over course and distance against the same rival earlier in the season in testing conditions.
The hope if that Sundays run was just lack of fitness and not just a milder "stopping" incident to the one he displayed in the Champion.
The hope if that Sundays run was just lack of fitness and not just a milder "stopping" incident to the one he displayed in the Champion.
That is the danger, isn’t it Aidan? For me, the two incidents were not all that disimilar.
I think SE is probably going to be one to take-on next time, at what is sure to be a very short price.
Come on lads, a "milder stopping incident" – Like a mild chicken corma you mean?
If you can’t see the difference between being beating 101 lengths whilst absoloutley going from on the bridle to stopping quickly like in March, to running a solid race all the way and just getting tired near the end after a long lay off (which was probably the effect of what happend to him in the champion anyway) then I suggest you know something about this horse I don’t?
His trainer was really positive today and for me he’ll take the beating in the AIG.
But you would expect it to be "milder" in a slower run 4 race affair…obviously any problem with be exagerated in a race like the Champion.
I hope your right regarding the horse as he is clear a top class prospect, his next race will show a clearer picture. The AIG is a long way off, if he is being kept off the track until that event I would have serious worries about his well being.
Me neither I still think he oozes class and this looks like a chaser doesn’t bother me one bit. I made no secret of the fact I have backed both Binocular and Crack Away Jack but the thought of Sizing Europe coming at them down the Cheltenham hill scares the life out of me.
He blew up against Hardy Eustace and if one horse in the world is going to come back at you, if you falter, it’s him. I know I have said often he was not my idea of one of the better Champion hurdlers but he is as tough as old nails and never quits. Forget the fact he beat Jered who is obviously grossly overreated by bothe the bookies and punters alike.
If HE turns up at Ascot against Crack Away Jack I doubt if he will afford him the luxury of stopping and I’ll be amazed of the old bugger gets within 10 lengths of him.
Come on lads, a "milder stopping incident" – Like a mild chicken corma you mean?
If you can’t see the difference between being beating 101 lengths whilst absoloutley going from on the bridle to stopping quickly like in March, to running a solid race all the way and just getting tired near the end after a long lay off (which was probably the effect of what happend to him in the champion anyway) then I suggest you know something about this horse I don’t?
His trainer was really positive today and for me he’ll take the beating in the AIG.
The only difference I could see was the jockey never pulled him up… that’s what created 101l otherwise it would’ve been only 20l… i think he looks a class horse but one that is possibly flawed.
I don’t see why people aren’t willing to accept Henry De Bromhead’s view on the race. The horse stopped like he was shot at Cheltenham and a muscle problem in his back came to light afterwards. To my eyes, and as the trainer and jockey have both confirmed, the horse just got tired at the weekend and blew up on the run in.
There was no shame in being beaten by Hardy, plenty of good hurdlers have been, and the word from the Dessie Hughes yard was that he was as good as ever at home. Unfortunately I couldn’t make Punchestown on Sunday but I’m told by people who saw Sizing Europe in the paddock that he was carrying a lot of condition and Henry himself stressed in the run up to the race that he’d need the run.
The form of his AIG win is still the strongest recent hurdle form out there and I suspect that he’ll be a lot shorter than 7/1 for Cheltenham after Leopardstown in either Christmas or January.
The only difference I could see was the jockey never pulled him up… that’s what created 101l otherwise it would’ve been only 20l… i think he looks a class horse but one that is possibly flawed.
20L compared to the 2L on Sunday is a big difference IMO. If you think this horse is flawed based on Sundays performance alone i suggest you get Kingy to bring Katchit over for the AIG!
Good idea! Because of my "possibly flawed" point we should change all of our plans to try to prove a point. My comment was based upon visual similarity between March and Sunday only.
If, come March, Sizing Europe finds loads coming up the hill then not only will i be eating humble pie but I’ll be very disappointed about our own position in the race.
What about Hardy Eustace’s performance all the talk about Sizing Europe ye seem to have forgotten again about the great Warrior.
Sizing Cannot and will not win a Champion Hurdle. There appears to be a hole in him.
I’m ready for the cavalry charge of abuse!!!Not quite a volley of abuse, but it’s surely a lot easier to believe that his last two runs have been coincedence? After all, there have been valid excuses on both occasions (no horse that hadn’t gone amiss could have dropped out that quickly in the Champion, for example). Runs like his Greatwood performance in pretty bad ground says to me that he not only gets 2 miles when fit, but gets it stoutly (as much as the form of that race means little in terms of a Champion Hurdle, I’ll admit).
I believe Sizing Europe was the best hurdler last term but as I said in the other thread, to me his run did seem similar to the Champion. Whether that is due to a recurrance of the same "injury" or a temperament problem. Emptied quickly, I’d try Sizing Europe in headgear.
Don’t right off Jered as it could have been too soft for him. And he did have improvement to find.
I myself doubt whether either Sizing Europe or Jered ran to form, leaving Hardy Eustace (admirable horse though he is) not needing to run to his best to win. All other recent form suggests he is not as good nowadays.
Mark
Value Is EverythingThe Morgiana run raises almost as many questions at it answers about Sizing Europe.
Yes, him tying-up is probably down to him needing the run, and he probably should be given the benefit of the doubt. But the fact remains that he was beaten by a horse who couldn’t get near him last season. Jered’s effort only further confuses the picture, because it tends to bolster the runs of both Hardy Eustace and Sizing Europe, and possibly makes the form look better than it is.
It’s a very unsatisfactory event all round, imo, and I won’t be forming too many firm opinions on the back of it.
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