- This topic has 26 replies, 14 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 3 months ago by
.
- Posts
Point is Peddler’s Cross is never going to be impressive. Just finds more when challenged. It is not form rating that makes him value (imo); it is the fact he finds plenty for pressure and we won’t know how much more is in the tank, until beaten.
Value Is EverythingOn the downside I wasn’t quite so impressed with Quatica De Poyans who carried his head at a bit of an angle on the flat. He has an alarm tendency to walk through the odd fence and that will hinder him in the best hunter company.
Spot on. He’s been a bit of a talking horse in Pointing / hunter circles ever since his novices’ hunter chase rout at this course last season. Goodness me he can smash his way round, though, as evidenced by falls at Aintree and Chaddesley Corbett in the interim.
I thought an upset might have been in the offing, given those jumping frailties and the rampant form of Optimistic Harry’s handler Samamtha Drake recently, but ultimately the Shirley-Beavans’ inmate was just about able to hold it together enough – possibly confidence was derived from an essentially faultless jumping round when easily landing his Members at nearby Friars Haugh two weeks earlier.
He’s still nothing like a Cheltenham Foxhunter or Aintree Fox Hunters’ aspirant to me, though – too clumsy. Maybe some headgear would assist.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Lovely lovely genuine and generous horse Peddlers, im a massive Binocular fan (best jumper of a hurdle ive seen since See You Then IMHO) but i have to say i am really worried that Peddlers could win the Champion Hurdle. He’ll have to kick early to do it but once he does i very much doubt he’ll stop and the rest of the speed horses will have to be on their metal to take the prize.
Thought it was a decent run at Kelso…..I think Maguire didnt wanna take it easy as he wanted Peddlers to have a hardish time to make sure the race done him good.
Think you’ve hit the nail on the head Ardrossthegreat.
Although Peddler’s Cross wasn’t as impressive as he could’ve been, I do think the testing ground was a good training exercise. He’ll be much better for it.
- Total Posts 17716
Peddlers Cross had been ready to to race for at least a month, and his trainer reported afterwards only that he would "come on a touch" for the race.
Considering pace, distance, and heavy ground all served to emphasise his stamina, his workmanlike win suggests he won’t have the speed for a Champion Hurdle (Hardy Eustace showed a better turn of foot when winning his RSA), and his ‘ability to produce more’ is more a sign of his inherent stamina than any ability to change gear.The trainer also said the last few weeks had been ‘testing’ with the horse, he’d been pulled out of a previous engagement because of a cough, the jockey reported he felt he’d ‘come on a fair bit’ and dealing with heavy ground is more than just stamina.
All in all I don’t think it told us anything at all we didn’t know before. I think if you’re a PC supporter it wouldn’t have added to your confidence about Cheltenham but neither would it have diminished. He’s an unbeaten previous Festival winner who has already taken some notable scalps this term so underestimate at your peril.
But, much as I like him, it’s a toss-up between Binocular and Menorah for me.
Peddlers Cross had been ready to to race for at least a month, and his trainer reported afterwards only that he would "come on a touch" for the race.
Considering pace, distance, and heavy ground all served to emphasise his stamina, his workmanlike win suggests he won’t have the speed for a Champion Hurdle (Hardy Eustace showed a better turn of foot when winning his RSA), and his ‘ability to produce more’ is more a sign of his inherent stamina than any ability to change gear.I think it’s dangerous to assume he will be outpaced in a Champion- especially if there’s a bit of juice in the ground. One thing you know is that he’ll keep finding for pressure. I want him on my side at this stage and at the prices would far rather back him than Binocular. His style of racing means he will always be a bit underestimated, IMO.
- Total Posts 17716
Peddlers Cross is plenty quick enough, reet.
He raced keenly for the first mile-and-a-half in the Neptune, overcame Reve De Sivola when (marginally) outpaced for all of half-a-dozen strides turning in and recorded a time over 2s quicker than Spirit River in the Coral Cup despite carrying 5lb more.
There’s likely some bias in my appraisal of the horse given my financial interest in him, but Finian’s Rainbow also travelled powerfully in the Neptune and he’s currently favourite for the Arkle.
It’s true to say that he wasn’t as impressive as he might have been at Kelso, but he won with a hell of a lot more authority than Binocular did at Kempton and conditions wouldn’t have suited him half as well. I’d also suggest that a horse that missed its previous engagement due to a cough is unlikely to be capable of performing to its best irrespective of how fit it is.
As Corm says, Peddlers Cross reportedly coughed quite recently. He was also McCain’s only winner in 19 starts. So was not in that good form with several running poorly. Possibly turned the corner now.
Must surely be a good reason for not being so impressive as you’d want.
Value Is Everything
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.