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Do you not think that MM may frighten off some of the major competitors in th QMCC and therefore the Ryanair could turn into a very hot event.
I hope Tidal Bay goes for the QMCC as I have him as the only horse who can give MM a run for his money by making it into a true test of staying. The Arkle was run 10 seconds slower than the QMCC, but in both races there was an injection of pace after the second last. As we know MM will not stay beond 2 miles, but TB should keep going. If Tidal Bay could do what Denman did to KS which is run the finish out of him then he may have the beating.
Otherwise we could end up with a very good Ryanair with TB, VPU, Jack the Giant, Taranis, Noland (??) and Our Vic to name a few?
Do you not think that MM may frighten off some of the major competitors in th QMCC and therefore the Ryanair could turn into a very hot event.
Yes and yes.
I can see Nicholls entering all of Master Minded, Takeroc and Twist Magic in the QMCC to account for every possible eventuality of going type and mistakes. Mark Howard has Silverburn down as a QMCC aspirant as well, though I think a lobotomy, rather than a return to the minimum, is required before I lump in on that creature too often.
Big Zeb has been touted as the main Irish challenger in some quarters, but his win over 2m on good at Punchestown last Spring, in a race where two of his main market rivals slit each other’s throats and paid accordingly, looks shaky form to me – much more is required.
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.
Takeroc is the one who interests me the most – clearly very highly regarded and has the potential to be better than both VPU and Tidal Bay with the requisite improvement to be expected. Hoping they give him a fair crack at the big races rather than exploit a low handicap mark over hurdles.
I agree about Takeroc, looks like another decent 2 miler from the Nicholls yard for this coming season.
Not sure about Twist Magic myself, i think he got found wanting, big time, in the QMCC of 2008. Whether it was the ground that went against him on the day, who knows, but will be interesting to see what distance they campaign him over this season. I think potentially, they may step him up in trip.
Anyone know if Kruguyrova will be campaigned over 2 miles this season for Charlie Egerton? ? ? Will be interesting to see how she trains from 5 to 6, she’s a very genuine mare and gives her all in her races, and i think she could win a race or 2 again this season.
I agree about Takeroc, looks like another decent 2 miler from the Nicholls yard for this coming season.
Not sure about Twist Magic myself, i think he got found wanting, big time, in the QMCC of 2008. Whether it was the ground that went against him on the day, who knows, but will be interesting to see what distance they campaign him over this season. I think potentially, they may step him up in trip.
Anyone know if Kruguyrova will be campaigned over 2 miles this season for Charlie Egerton? ? ? Will be interesting to see how she trains from 5 to 6, she’s a very genuine mare and gives her all in her races, and i think she could win a race or 2 again this season.
It will be very interesting to see if Paul Nicholls targets this horse at Cheltenham again. He’s never jumped well there and perhaps they’ll keep him fresh for Aintree or Punchestown.
I can’t see them stepping him up in trip. He’s a proper two miler, in my opinion and over that trip, on good ground, he’s a real force.
I was very impressed with Kruguyrova in the Arkle. The youngest in the field, she got beat by a very, very good horse and had plenty of good ones behind her that day, too. She was OTT at Aintree and the quicker conditions were certainly against her.
She improved throughout last season and there’s no doubt in my mind she can still improve physically. A very tough mare.
There’s a possibilty connections will step her up in trip, but my guess is they’ll keep her at two miles early season.
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Unless connections think that Twist Magic is being outpaced over two miles at Cheltenham, rather than simply failing to stay, I can’t even contemplate them stepping him up in trip. I would think it far more likely, given that Master Minded is an almost certain winner of the Champion Chase, that he’ll be aimed at the Tingle Creek, with a view to going on to Aintree and Punchestown.
Twist Magic is a tremendous horse. He won two grade One races last season and one the previous season. He would ideally like two miles on good ground with a decent break between his races, to see the best of him. He looks like starting off in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter, with the main target again being the Punchestown Festival Kerrygold Champion Chase.
It surprised me to read, on the ATR stable tours, that Paul Nicholls is thinking of at least trying, at some stage, an increase in trip with Twist Magic, as Gaz’s Way De Solzen suggested.
"His first run will be in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter over two miles one and I’m thinking he might get two and a half. But he wouldn’t run if the ground was soft and I wouldn’t run him anywhere if the ground was very soft. He’ll have to take on Master Minded but the Punchestown Festival would be his target again. He’s very smart on good ground."
I agree with Irish Stamp. Takeroc is a very striking grey. He was a decent second to Tidal Bay and second also in the overall Novice Chase classification for last season.With a hurdle rating of 147 and a chase rating of 157 I hope they hold him in such high regard as to keep to a chase plan, unless they really do have exploit that hurdle mark. He’s definitely a horse to look out for this season.
"His first run will be in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter over two miles one and I’m thinking he might get two and a half. But he wouldn’t run if the ground was soft and I wouldn’t run him anywhere if the ground was very soft. He’ll have to take on Master Minded but the Punchestown Festival would be his target again. He’s very smart on good ground."
Interesting.
That is what the team are aiming our My Way at, the Haldon Gold Cup.
I didnt realise Paul Nicholls had stated that he would like to step Twist Magic up in trip, i think it would work well for the horse though.
To my eye, Twist Magic is lucky to get a stiff 2 miles. He would have no chance of going over 2½ miles if he were mine.
Spot on Friggo he is definately a non stayer. He wouldn’t get the trip on a bus round Chelteham. He will be very hard to place this season No doubt they will be looking for good or good to soft ground round the likes of Newbury or Kempton for him. He has class but his stamina is a huge worry and something they need to try and overcome.
I am shocked PN said he thinking of running him over further. He must have said so before his morning coffee. I couldn’t see him winning over 2m4f in a PN dream.
I dont think his stamina is a problem, it is his speed i think.
A quick 2 miles on an undulating track like Cheltenham when the lads go quicker up front, he doesnt come to the fore.
I dont think his stamina is a problem, it is his speed i think.
A quick 2 miles on an undulating track like Cheltenham when the lads go quicker up front, he doesnt come to the fore.
I really have to disagree. He stopped like he was shot at Ascot against Tamarindbleu and showed nothing at Cheltenham. His wins at Aintree Punchestown and Kempton show he has a liking for easier tracks.
The one exception was Sandown but I had severe doubts about the form of that race. I for one wouldn’t have a coin on him on a course like Cheltenham and if he rrun against a top class 2 milers at any course you care to mention I think he will be found wanting when a strong pace is in play.
I dont think his stamina is a problem, it is his speed i think.
A quick 2 miles on an undulating track like Cheltenham when the lads go quicker up front, he doesnt come to the fore.
I really have to disagree. He stopped like he was shot at Ascot against Tamarindbleu and showed nothing at Cheltenham. His wins at Aintree Punchestown and Kempton show he has a liking for easier tracks.
The one exception was Sandown but I had severe doubts about the form of that race. I for one wouldn’t have a coin on him on a course like Cheltenham and if he rrun against a top class 2 milers at any course you care to mention I think he will be found wanting when a strong pace is in play.
So how are you disagreeing with me.
You said you think his speed is the problem and not his stamina which I don’t understand exactly what you mean.
For me he is definately a non stayer
I doubt if he would see out 2 miles on any track if the pace was strong enough to ensure stamina was a deciding factor.Good animal if he is allowed to do things in his own time but the least little thing goes wrong for him he will fold like a pack of cards.
I really have to disagree. He stopped like he was shot at Ascot
I’d not be in a hurry to place maximum store in Ascot form nowadays – the surface post-reopening is untrustworthy at best, utterly unfathomable at worst.
His wins at Aintree Punchestown and Kempton show he has a liking for easier tracks.
Punchestown is less up-down-up-down than Prestbury Park, but I think it’s pushing it to lump it in as an "easier" track of the calibre of Aintree and Kempton – that’s a big, galloping circuit they had to take in.
Probably wisest to oppose Twist Magic on the grounds that he’s exposed at the highest level now, and that others in the 2m chase division are likely to improve past him again this season.
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.
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I think Gaz’s point, Fists, is that your assurance that a strong pace will prove the undoing of Twist Magic falls nicely in line with his own theory that pace, rather than stamina, is his main problem. I don’t personally think the two comments can be assimilated tohugh, especially given how well he travelled in the Tingle Creek before quickening clear.
Cheltenham represents an almost unique test and a strong pace from start to finish, even over two miles, places far more emphasis on stamina than it does speed. Twist Magic barely stays two miles on good ground, so was never likely to be in contention at Ascot or the Festival, and I can’t see that having changed.
If he’s upped in trip, he’ll be destroyed.
Twist aside VPU was a great lay today and I stand by what I said about Master Minded. He beat absolutely nothing at Cheltenham and Tidal Bay connections should definately have one go at him.
I do however think MM is on special horse but to give him a free ticket is nuts. One race against him would do Tidal Bay no harm and if he were to beat him the world would be his oyster. There simply isn’t another horse that could touch Tidl Bay over two miles.
As I said VPU won’t win a race this season.
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