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What a win by sizing europe!!
14/1 get in, never in any doubt!!
Hopefully the winners will start flowing tomorrow and friday, luck not been with me so far!! Up a bit now though. Hopefully find a couple of big winners tomorrow!!
I wouldn’t go as far as to say that Master Minded is finished.
He’s won two Grade Ones this term, including a second Tingle Creek – that’s not exactly the form of a horse who is finished.
I agree with Paul Nicholls that he would probably have been placed but for the error and there’s no reason why he can’t come back next year and go for his third Tingle Creek.
He has always been hot and cold around Cheltenham, and as far as him being a top contender for the two mile championship, those days are probably behind him.
It will be interesting to see how he fares at Aintree, where he will once again step up to two mile-four. He’s not the tearaway he was a few years ago and should see out the trip on this occasion – Ascot proved inconclusive after the departure of Albertas Run.
Mickey Mouse grade 1s though Bosranic. When the test came he fell a long way short.
He was a great champion but he certainly is no great Horse for me as people keep saying.
Sizing Europe performance was every one bit as good as what Master Minded has ever done.
Sizing Europe should be 5/2 favorite already for next year. He is imperious around the track.
Delighted that clown on the Racing Post called Graeme Rodway and was he said about Sizing Europe
Master Minded is getting to the age where he will find one or two too quick on that ground over 2m – im not an expert but those french breds tend to mature a lot earlier and a lot of hard races at the top level are bound to take a toll.
He is still a great horse and might just need smaller fields with a bit of cut. Never thought he was at is best at chelt – maybe today proves it. He has seemed a bit one paced but still travels very well in a race – as he always has done. Just doesnt seem to find a lot when asked. Seems to be better when he can just cruise along.
I would bet against him over slighly further or even just at 2m on a different track on softer ground.
The ground certainly was against MM and the fact he is French Bred.
Their are lots of races to be one with MM But the CC is not one of them.
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I was on Sizing Europe as well plus had a straight forecast for Big Zeb to come second…it paid 40.1 – 1 : )
When I checked the times of last years Arkle and Champion Chase I noticed that Sizing Europe and Big Zeb were both at least 4 seconds quicker than Master Minded even on his very best epic 2008 run! and a fair bit more on recent years form. Sizing Europe was very impressive last year and these 2 were well clear of the field on the clock…. it just shows the times clocked for course and distance and ground conditions are good pointers in competitive races.
Nicholls says Master Minded will be running over 2m4f and over now, although the one I can really see improving for distance is Captain Cee Bee, looked out paced but stayed on really really strongly.
I was very impressed with Sizing Europe, he can win the next CC until Peddlers comes for him of course he did look a different league to the others and can go on any ground learnt his trade in the bog stuff over chases.
Massive run from Big Zeb, though not good enough to save my hard- earned from being flushed down the pooper.
Did the RFC for a quid…times are tough, ya know.
Thought SE was very impressive. Interesting point about times of SE and BZ in previous Chelt races being quicker than anything MM had achieved at Chelt.
The most impressive winner of this race I’ve seen was MM in his first Champion Chase annihilation. Maybe that was just so visually impressive…
I cannot see MM staying 2m 4f in a horsebox.
Agreed he could still mop up some decent races in a season, but his form level will never be what it was. I.E. he’ll never be a champion again – still, takes more than one horse to make a race.
Zip
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When Sizing Europe has won at least another Champion Chase, over £1,000,000 in prize money, 2/3rds of all his races, clocked a t/s figure of 185, and 3 RPR’s higher than today’s – then you can say he’s as good as Master Minded.
Fwiw, I still believe MM has a recurrence of his breathing problem and, regardless of PN’s conjecture, he was beaten today before he made the error, which is nothing like the form he showed in his first 2 runs this season. If so, the horse is only 8yo, and it may not be insurmountable.
In the meanwhile, (imo), it would be folly to back him to stay further, when he’s clearly struggling to last home at the minimum.MM’s repuation is largely built on his 1st Champion Chase win. Like Hawkwing’s Lockinge, and Harbinger’s King George, one swallow doesn’t ake a summer; the opposition may have been very weak. Anytime MM has been faced with real competition he has come up short.
A good horse, but seriously over-rated due to that one performance- Total Posts 17716
7 grade 1 swallows, and 7 170+ RPR’s, ought to count for something?
2m on fast ground on a sharp track or 2m on softer ground on a flat – if a horse acts of softer ground i would take it on 2m on soft.
Beau Ranger was a point in fact – one of the best 2 1/2 milers when there was no championship race – but anything on 2m soft ish let him in – and good to firm on 2 1/2 miles = race over.
Some horses act over course and dist and they both play a part – some are just class
some of the class horses act on all sorts of ground
Jeez he fair sprinted away from them. I was starting to lose the faith in him and thought he might be becoming a horse without a trip but couldnt bring myself to not back him.
Sizing Europe deserves plenty of credit for his improved effort. Even though he got an easy lead. Going in to the race, there was a doubt whether Master minded would be at his best on the ground, Somersby likewise, Woolcombe Folly had missed his intended prep. Those three were probably below form. Big Zeb (now a 10 year old) had been beaten by Golden Silver (for the first time) in his prep, might not be at his best. Golden Silver himself has not run well in two earlier Cheltenham races. Captain Cee Bee has probably improved a bit on his beloved good ground. For all of those already mentioned to have run to form, Captain Cee Bee (another 10 year old) must have shown a lot of improvement. Seems unlikely. I’m So Lucky’s might have improved for the blinkers, but even so, his proximity surely keeps the form down.
It looked a vintage renewal beforehand. Sizing Europe was a good winner; but (at least by my first look at it) I don’t think it proved to be a vintage renewal.
Today’s ground was good, Big Zeb’s win was on good, but probably a bit softer, Master Minded’s wins came on good-soft. Therefore, the times of Sizing Europe and Big Zeb would be quicker.
Master Minded won his first Queen Mum by 19 lengths from the previous winner Voy Por Ustedes, with 16 lengths back to the third. Sizing Europe came to the second last fence with most of the field in with a chance of winning. For people to think Sizing Europe’s performance is the better seems strange to me.
At this point, I’d say Sizing Europe deserves to be rated no more than a pound or two ahead of Big Zeb’s performance last year.
Value Is EverythingIs it strange though…VOY Pur was certainly no vintage 2 mile chaser.
Also was is up with the ground the times do need lead me to believe the ground was quick by any means.
We are all quick to make excuses for what we see as a champion. In my mind now i think the excuses have been on show for 2 years regarding MM and i certainly believe his peak was 3 years ago when he first emerged on the scene as does everyone else but MM is no Moscow Flyer a true champion who faced top class opposition where excuses where no the virtue of the day after every defeat the few that they were.
I made excuses for Dunguib…no more. I think the MM camp as the Cue Card camp has to admit that we all overestimated him and when history looks back it will not be kind to MM IMO( in comparsion to the champions of the past)
Even Moscow Flyer had excuses sometimes. Remember when he fell and some said Azertyuiop was the better horse after the Queen Mum. And again when age caught up with him. A poor jump, age as well as injury, should be allowed as excuses. Sometimes they are valid. When evaluating form it is neccessary to decide which excuses are valid.
To judge horses from different eras you have to judge them in their ideal conditions, when 100% fit. Of course Master Minded was at his best the first year he came to prominence. He’s had ribb and wind problems since.
It would be wrong to judge Master Minded against Sizing Europe on what both horses showed yesterday. As it would judging the merit of Newmill and Moscow Flyer, purely on what happened in 2006; when MF finished 5th.
Master Minded was brilliant in his first year, probably just as good (on form) as Moscow Flyer. But for me Moscow will have the edge for his consistency.
Value Is EverythingVoy Por was far from vintage, rated 163 by Timeform, but MM beat him by 15 lengths, barely off the bridle.
Big Zeb rated 169, although I’d have him a bit less, last year’s race hasn’t worked out.I think Cue Card was an exceptional novice, emphasise "was". But his head carriage is that of a temperamental horse. Got to say now, it seems he finds nothing off the bridle any more. Reminds me of Celtic Swing. Exceptional 2 year old, then his trainer anounces all her runners would wear nosebands. As a 3 year old he had a slightly high head carriage, and never able to recover quite the same form and idling in front. When a small stable has an exceptional performer, there is nothing at home to go with it, so gets used to winning gallops hard held. Then, on the racecourse, thinks it’s done enough once in front.
Value Is Everything
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