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He would be tackling his rivals off of one run in a novice chase though CH. I remember seeing a potentially top chaser have his career ruined by a very bad fall when leading in a handicap chase at the Festival not ten years ago – strained back muscles that day, was off for a while and never the same horse after.
Agreed, but Mr Hales might prefer that to going a stride faster than he’s able down to the second last in the Arkle….
I got the impression that all we learned today was that he was going to be a sound jumper and probably want further than 2m. He was fully entitled to beat today’s opposition as he did and although he still has a bright future, shortening him in the Arkle market seems typical of the over-reaction that is prevalent at this time of year.
He would be tackling his rivals off of one run in a novice chase though CH. I remember seeing a potentially top chaser have his career ruined by a very bad fall when leading in a handicap chase at the Festival not ten years ago – strained back muscles that day, was off for a while and never the same horse after.
You’ve wrecked my head with that IS- I can picture the horse leading and have a feeling Jamie Osborne was aboard- am I warm?
Flash, from how I am interpreting what Hales is supposed to have said, I dont think he is saying the Arkle is a bad race as such, or even Cheltenham for that matter.
I think he is trying to give the horse more time to gain experience before pitching him into the Prestbury Cauldron so I would imagine he would run him in the QM next season if all goes well.
After all Noland is only just back from injury and a failry inexperienced animal. Having spent a lot of money on the horses recovery I guess he would rather look after him for a season and go for the QM rather than finish him in an Arkle. Lets face it, you would rather your horse goes down in the history books a QM winner than an Arkle wouldn’t you?
FINALLY…………………chatea u have hit the nail on the head, one gd is a dead horse???????????/ for sake of winnin a few quid? more experience before being dropped in the ocean so to speak, theres already jacks death then, when it comes to rushing things well we have to look at azza everyday as a result of that..
It was Osborne but not Space Trucker – think you’re thinking of the right horse though CH – was trained by Oliver Sherwood and in the William Hill NH Chase .
Sorry for turning this into a hijacked "guess the horse" thread.
Kadou Nonantais?
To be fair, he’d had quite a few runs over fences and he’d already jumped round Cheltenham in a novice chase.
But the parallel with John Hales is apt as he was owned by the Mercers, who had at least two of their horses with Pipe killed in races at the Festival.
AP
Just watched the race. I would have to disagree that he didn’t show any toe. At the fence before the bend; Ruby kicks him into it, then asks him to quicken and he takes 5 or 6 lengths out of them. After that he looks to idle after the second last then kicks away again after the last, winning pretty comfortably.
Polinamix was rated 130 over hurdles at his best; although you would probably contend he was more likely 125. This would give Noland in excess of 10lbs on hurdle rating so he should have won as he did.
I reckon Noland is a Gold Cup horse but I would still run him in the Arkle. He’s an athletic type rather than a big chaser like Denman and given he has only run once since March 06 the RSA might just be a bit much.
Kadou Nonantais?
To be fair, he’d had quite a few runs over fences and he’d already jumped round Cheltenham in a novice chase.
But the parallel with John Hales is apt as he was owned by the Mercers, who had at least two of their horses with Pipe killed in races at the Festival.
AP
That’s the one Alan – my point was that he too was pitched into a big field race against still more experienced rivals and took a hell of a fall which IMHO ruined the rest of his career.
Don’t recall the Mercer one’s but do remember seeing a mare of his debut for Pipe up at Haydock in 2006 I think it was, Nostra – she was backed into about 4/1f no idea who was backing her as at the time it was January or Feb and she was only 5 and if she was any bigger than 15.2hh I’d be surprised. Wasn’t the best piece of race placement, she was pulled up about 4 out IIRC.
It was the opening day, 1996. Draborgie, the favourite in the Arkle and Mack The Knife in the Champion Hurdle, both broke down on the flat if I remember rightly, both in the Mercer colours.
I was at Newbury when Kadou Nonantais won his final run before that Cheltenham fall – he was as good a jumper as I can remember, but you’re right, he was never anywhere near so good afterwards.
AP
Aree that shortening him for the Arkle was an overreaction, and why he will probably prove betterover further than 2m, I still have egg on my face after suggesting My Way de Solzen needed further than 2m last year so I’m not willing to make the same mistake again!
I saw his first run back after the fall I think it was at Haydock, he was pulled up a mile from home behind The Last Fling – he looked ponderous at the fences and just plain slow
Didn’t follow racing too closely back in 1996 – had been racking my brains too.
I remembered through the pain of a losing docket- he was going well up to then and I was beginning to hope….
Might have known you’d remember Alan- are you as good at the wife’s birthday?That was the year I was beginning to get into racing. Remember skiving off during 6th form to go down the to the pub just down the road to watch that first day of the Festival. Hors La Loi was the first leg of a Lucky 15, quickly followed by Flagship Uberalles in the Arkle, Istabraq obviously in the Champion Hurdle and Kadou Nonantais to be the last leg.
CH,
June 11th, but remembering that serves no purpose as I’ve been divorced 35 years!
AP
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