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It’s always going to be the flat for me.
Personally don’t think the jumps is helped by the fact that it never really seems to end.
OK the AW takes over from the flat during the winter season, although it’s really only the races above Class 4 that really take the interest, but the jumps seems to drag on through the summer months when the weather and going is unsuitable.Having said that, my most loved horses from the past have been jumpers/hurdlers…Desert Orchid, One Man, Best Mate, Viking Flagship, Rooster Booster it goes on and on, the characters are there year after year.
I think this year the jumps has been particiularly slow in kicking off.
Hopes and dreams for Long Run have been shattered by the fantastic revival of Kauto Star and now he has to prove himself (earplugs out) at the Festival, we all wait with baited breath for the outcome, for me it has to be Kauto Star although it’s going to be some training feat by Paul Nichols to keep him in peak condition.The best of the jumps is still to come with the build up to the Grand National and the Cheltenham Festival, so let’s hope the weather is kind and all the top horses get to run and come back sound and safe.
I can’t wait for the Craven Meeting at Newmarket to see the new hopefuls for 2013 and then the Guineas Meeting and the build up to the Derby (will Camelot come good for young Joseph O’Brien?)and then Royal Ascot, and the one word on everones lips this season FRANKEL to have even greater success as a 4yo and
end the season unbeaten…bring it on
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out..."rockerrich wrote:
"Smaller trainers have more say and chances to win.
May be in the past. Not now, as the big guns of Nicholls and Henderson, Mullins and Meade dominate. With the likes of Pipe and McCain just behind.
It’s a similar story with owners. The McManus, Hemmings, Stewarts dominating.
Value Is EverythingI guess I am one of the lucky ones who has always enjoyed both codes equally
On saying that I suppose I do have a slight preference for the Flat overall for the following reasons:
– The Pattern – a series of top notch races and festivals throughout the season instead of geared up to one festival at the end (although this has been messed about with of late)
– The breeding and bloodstock aspect.
– The international scene and the strength in depth that provides.
– The aesthetic qualities of pure speed (think Frankel!) and sectional timing, although this could be matched over jumps by the thrill of the horses jumping.
I’m guessing the biggest problem with this season’s NH action is that all the quality racing is packed into weekends and not spread out quite as much, although it actually suits me as I can’t get ATR on my Skybox and I don’t subscribe to RUK!
Still, I’m already planning on getting tickets to wherever Frankel runs next so I’m keeping tabs on that one. And I’m looking forward to the warm, light, spring days.
I didn’t have a preference until this season. I now prefer national hunt because of the re-appeareance of the same horses. There are also more ‘characters’ if you could call them that, in national hunt. For example, before Cheltenham you get many trainers and jockeys holding press conferences and knocking back a few shandys. It all sounds and looks like a good bit of banter. I never actually thought about it before this thread was made, but compare the Irish people in the flats to their national hunt contemporaries. I’m in no rush to hear O’Brien say ‘listen listen’, or see trainers with 40 entries in each race.
My preference is National Hunt but I also love flat racing. This National Hunt season has been quite nondescript thus far but I’m quite sure it’ll set the juices flowing come March, as per usual.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
yeah – im not the slightest bit interested about this seasons novices – a really boring bunch
i also enjoy both diciplines but i probably prefer the jumps because i think you can build a relationship up more with the jump horses maybe because they are around longer than most of the flat horses and imo the higher graded flat racing seems more like a business than a sport also think this years jumps has been pretty exciting my highlights being kauto, big bucks and carruthers i also think we are seeing somthing very special in gran crus i believe if he goes for this years gold cup he will win it
Isn’t this an old arguement heard a million times before
When flat’s in height we hear calls for it to be over and jumps to get going (proper) and vise versa for NH.
I even bet if you search this forum deep enough the be a similar title thread.
I hate this lull that seems to emerge every year just after Xmas but it’s hardly been a boring first half of the season.
I think a lot of you who say it’s been boring have been kicked in the teeth and what you wanted to happen didn’t so you reckon it’s been poor.
The fact Kauto Star the best chaser sine Arkle came bouncing back at Haydock wasn’t enough he just had to go and win the King George for a 5th time in 6 years.
Sprinter Sacre pops at Doncaster and puts up one of the best performance seen from a novice in more years than I can remember then tops that by treating a Champion Hurdle 2nd like he’s selling plater. The mind boggles at how good this horse could actually be.
Just out of the novice stage Grandouet takes on Celestial Halo and falls when hacking all over the top of him. He then takes on Overturn and makes him look like a tree. Then Celestial Halo boosts the form by carrying top weight in a handicap showing he’s no back number, leaving everyone wondering which horse actually is Nicky Henderson’s No.1 for the Champion Hurdle.
Then Binocular bounces back to something like his old self and muddies the picture even further.
Sizing Europe showed he’s as good as ever as did Big Zeb and after
Finaian Rainbow’s win from an impossible position the QMCC looks like being an absolute cracker this year.Grand Crus? what can you say? he’s been so impressive people are suggesting he should bypass his novice career and go for the Gold Cup.
With horses like Spirit Son Hurricane Fly and Zakander still to appear the season is only just starting.
It been a boring week for racing so far and answering this thread passes the time but that’s about it, as the reasons for starting seem to be completely personal and without real reason or foundation.
I totally agree, the Jumps season has been TOTAL GARBAGE with NOTHING WHATSOEVER to take interest in.
Kauto Star? Well maybe that one-trick, flat-track bully Kauto Star. But apart from there’s been NOTHING ELSE in the season.
OK, maybe the Long Run rivalry, too. Oh, and Carruthers perhaps, if you insist. Can’t forget Le Beau Bai against Giles Cross myself. And the Master Minded saga. And Great Endeadour and Grands Crus and David Pipe. And Nicholls and Henderson. The ‘creche’ of Harry Dereham and Brendan Powell and Sam Twiston-Davis. And Big Zeb and Sizing Europe. Sprinter Sacre, Cue Card and Pedlers Cross. The precocity of Fingal Bay and Baby Mix. And not forgetting SWC and the Otage De Brion incident. The Cross Country confusion. And the whip rules.
Big Buck’s, anyone? Fourteen in-a-row in the Long Walk? Sooo boring…
Hurricane Fly – will he or won’t he? If not, Binocular’s back…or Grandouet. And scores of other sories about to be written as the season climaxes.
Yep as you all say, halfway through the season and nothing to see here.
Nothing at all.
Mike
All of the above plus the next big thing on every decent 2m1f novice hurdle event we see.
nh season has been a bit of a drag, probably because long run hasn’t fulfilled others expectations, hurricane fly not running yet etc.
still, the novice chasers this year have been the most powerfull for a while, which is good stuff.
It’s the flat every time for me without a shadow of doubt, not only from quality point of view, but dare I say from a fairness prospective as well.
I’m not a big betting man and only really bet small stakes for a bit of fun at weekends or at the big meetings. Now I know the stalls draw can have a dramatic effect on flat results but by and large the draw bias can be assessed to some degree before the contest, I don’t know about any others but I’ve lost count of the times I’ve backed horses readily giving 10+ lengths starts only to beaten in photo finishes over jumps.
If were’re not to use stalls then surely the starter and mostly experienced jockey’s can ensure that that their mounts are within say a length at the starting gate, quite often starts are a mockery to fairness over jumps.
Flat Season hurry up!!!
Seconded
..and the Lincoln at Donny and the Craven and Guineas Meeting and Dawn Approach can’t wait Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...I can’t wait either.
This one decent race per week (weather permitting) jumping is boring me senseless.
There was a lot of talk a few years ago questioning the narrative of the flat. If there’s anything that needs a narrative change its jumping.
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