- This topic has 38 replies, 15 voices, and was last updated 14 years ago by
.
-
Posts
-
- Total Posts 17716
I think Albetas Run will win regardless of weight, conditions etc and have backed him at the 5’s available each-way.
The top five all boast solid figures on their seasonal bow – fitness should not be a problem.
Tartak is an obvious favourite. Like many decent novice chasers who inevitably prove most effective over two miles-four / five, he struggled during his second season. Albertas Run was a shadow of the high class novice we witnessed when returning the following season, but still reminded us of his talent when chasing home Kauto Star in the King George.
Tom George’s star showed enough last season to suggest he still has plenty of ability. His trainer insists he is more forward this year and hopefully his jumping is more fluent than the early stages of last season.
Albertas Run has an impressive record around Aintree, with two wins and three placed efforts from five outings. His return to form coincided with quicker conditions and connections insist he jumps better on good ground, but he has plenty of form on a softer surface.
I’msingingtheblues was another who struggled as a second season chaser. I think he is the one horse in the race who would prefer quicker conditions and he has yet to convince at this trip. It will be interesting to see if his new connections can rejuvenate him, but he’s best watched at the moment, in my opinion.
Hid old stablemate, Poquelin, is something of a Cheltenham specialist, but has not enjoyed the same level of success at Aintree (0 – 4). He improved as much as anything last year, chasing home Albertas Run at The Festival. He will need to translate his Prestbury Park form to Liverpool and that is the big question mark hanging over him. Arguably still improving, though.
Monet’s Garden loves Aintree and proved as good as ever when winning this last year and boasted some solid efforts in defeat. He can be forgiven his only poor outing at Ascot when the race came too quickly and he reversed form with Albertas Run next time out.
It’s quite interesting that both Monet’s Garden and his old rival also thrive around Ascot as much as Aintree and that formline should be ignored.
The ground should be ideal for Nicky Richard’s veteran – not too testing, but enough to possibly slow down his younger rivals. He is clearly still showing enough both at home and on the track for his doting connections to return for another year.
A hard race to call – you can make a case for all of them, but MONET’S GARDEN is the safest option – a course specialist with a solid record on his seasonal bow and conditions in his favour. Tartak could prove the main danger.
Even though it meant my own defeat i simply had to cheer the old boy home. That was great stuff. Would have finished even better had he not reached for the eighth. A rare mistake.
Yes; I feared for him seeing him make a mistake, and then Poquelin seemed to be going so well. My heart was in my mouth when they jumped the last fence. What a horse and what a fantastic result.
Excellent performance from Monets Garden, despite a few jumping errors.
I thought Imsingingtheblues was going quite well until he took a dive at the fence down the back.
Poquelin didnt seem to find much and Monets Garden jump at the last sealed it.
Tartak, dont know how anyone could have backed him at 15/8, 7/4, etc… awful jumping and never really travelled.
Albertas Run will no doubt come on a lot for the run, but i expected him to be closer at the finish.
- Total Posts 17716
I’m sure Nicholls had Poquelin in decent enough shape, but today was surely a warm-up for the Paddy Power? That said it was a wonderful performance from Monet’s Garden; his jump at the last was magnificent.
It’s about time Racing For Change forgot about breaking tradition and altering the shape of the racing season, and started doing something useful. If they can’t sell an effort like that they don’t deserve to exist.
Jockey said that Monets Garden made the mistake because he was far too fresh at the start of the race. Was going to back I’msingintheblues today but changed my mind at the last minute; thought he was going very well when he came down so still don’t know if he would have seen out the 2 1/2 miles. Hope he’s alright, but he seemed to gallop on ok after the fall.
Not the first time that the Old Boy won me a few quid.
I would very much expect this form to be turned on its head as the season progresses.
Albertas Run is clearly better than that and, after watching that, he will be better for the run and will certainly appreciate a quicker surface. He does go on a softer surface and has gone well on his seasonal debut in the past, but a combination of those factors today give connections a valid excuse.
Poquelin is the one to take out of the race and I was very impressed with how he travelled – it was fairly obvious that he was going to take a hand in the finish very early on.
Only seven, he has maintained an upward curve from last season and he could be the one to beat over this distance as the season unfolds.
- Total Posts 17716
Wouldn’t make any assumptions based on today’s going being any softer than perfectly good ground; it was clear from the start that the horses were hardly making any kind of print.
Though the overall times were slow, the novice Medermit ran the last in just 12.2 over standard, off just a fair pace and being allowed to saunter home in his own time for the last half-mile. Not surprising that I’msingingtheblues ran so well considering, and Albertas’ demise probably owed much more to lack of fitness than it did to the state of the ground.
One of those days when none of the races were actually run at anywhere near their optimum (imo), and clear evidence that the clock, quite often, does lie.
Good luck to those that backed the winner btw, though I would tend to agree with AJ, that Poquelin was ridden as though his jockey had more than just today on his mind..Wouldn’t make any assumptions based on today’s going being any softer than perfectly good ground; it was clear from the start that the horses were hardly making any kind of print.
Though the overall times were slow, the novice Medermit ran the last in just 12.2 over standard, off just a fair pace and being allowed to saunter home in his own time for the last half-mile. Not surprising that I’msingingtheblues ran so well considering, and Albertas’ demise probably owed much more to lack of fitness than it did to the state of the ground.
One of those days when none of the races were actually run at anywhere near their optimum (imo), and clear evidence that the clock, quite often, does lie.
Good luck to those that backed the winner btw, though I would tend to agree with AJ, that Poquelin was ridden as though his jockey had more than just today on his mind..As poor a post as i"ve read on hear that reet! i"m dissapointed in you! The ground was on the soft side of good for a start! Monets garden proved that alone. 4m 50ish is genuine good ground! 5m 20ish is Soft ground, Monet clocked 5m 6sec, and he wasn"t crawling,the remainder of the meeting proved without any doubt whatsoever the ground was a lot softer than you make out! The sooner you realise
The Clock never lies
the better!
Well done to the old boy. Was a great race to watch, and very happy to see him win, although not backing him!
- Total Posts 17716
You do talk some tripe, TAPK.
Maybe you’d like to explain how Medermit, having his first run over fences, jumping like the novice he is, and allowed to coast home for the last half-mile, ran a time a relative 4.4 secs faster than Monet’s Garden – in exactly the same conditions?
You do talk some tripe, TAPK.
Maybe you’d like to explain how Medermit, having his first run over fences, jumping like the novice he is, and allowed to coast home for the last half-mile, ran a time a relative 4.4 secs faster than Monet’s Garden – in exactly the same conditions?It might have been a two horse race pretty much but they didn’t hang about. Lets not forget Medermit is a top class horse as well and the race was run at half a mile less so furlong for furlong it doesn’t equate to much of a difference to Monet’s Garden.
- Total Posts 17716
Ian
I accept that Medermit was a good hurdler, though, even running against horses of much less ability, his jumping was far less fluent than MG, which has to have an effect on the overall time.
The times I quoted are relative to RP standard (which should be reliable, as both are well established) and make no allowance for the gulf in class between the 2 races, which suggest (as does watching the replays of both races) that the ground was no worse than good.You do talk some tripe, TAPK.
Maybe you’d like to explain how Medermit, having his first run over fences, jumping like the novice he is, and allowed to coast home for the last half-mile, ran a time a relative 4.4 secs faster than Monet’s Garden – in exactly the same conditions?Thats the second most ridiculous post you have put up! How anyone can compare what a novice chaser clocks over 2m to what an experienced 12yo clocks over 21/2m cannot be taken seriously! There is No comparison to be made! Other than both were run a lot slower than average! that would,concurring with every other time on the day suggest the ground was on the soft side of good! Its not difficult Ffs! Very dissapointing coming from someone who doesn"t generally talk tripe!
- Total Posts 17716
How anyone can compare what a novice chaser clocks over 2m to what an experienced 12yo clocks over 21/2m cannot be taken seriously!
Good God – you’ve morphed into Ginger!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.