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Jamie: There is absolutely no chance of Ghizao running in the QMCC; despite him loving Cheltenham he does not have anywhere near the class! He always makes that crucial mistake, i think you will find they will step him up in distance to 2 1/2M
The bonus for you is that Ruby loves and rates this horse and the trainer gave him great words in the Stable TourYeah that’s why I backed it for the champion chase, because of how highly they rate it, just doesn’t seem good enough. Doesn’t look like it stays further either, see what happens, but sadly hasn’t reproduced it’s form from last year.
"GDC" wrote: Jamie: There is absolutely no chance of Ghizao running in the QMCC; despite him loving Cheltenham he does not have anywhere near the class! He always makes that crucial mistake, i think you will find they will step him up in distance to 2 1/2M
The bonus for you is that Ruby loves and rates this horse and the trainer gave him great words in the Stable TourHis last two runs have been over 2m5f, appeared a non stayer on the first of those runs before running a very ‘strange’ race last time. I’d be surprised if he’s not dropped back to 2 miles for a handicap chase.
He’s not too slow, but i doubt he’d win as i think he prefers flatter tracks.
The GC entry is bizarre.
Didn’t look so slow when he picked up for Barry after looking well beat last time.
He’s got to be up against it though Sizing Europe simply doesn’t have any flaws when he’s on song.
I’ve always thought of him as a future King George horse and if SS wins the Arkle in style then Finians wont be chasing any QMCC’s while he’s racing at 2 miles.
Couldn’t have Finians Rainbow winning any chase at the Festival whatsoever
Jumping will not hold out IMO
Not entering Captain Chris for the QM is one of the stupidest, most scatter brained, simply bizarre decisions I have seen from connections of a top class horse for years.
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C’mon Shabs, you’re beginning to sound like Ginger; telling trainers what they should do with their horses.Captain Chris may have won an Arkle, but that was against novices and he didn’t prevail until the final strides.
That Realt Dubh found 7l on him round the sharper Puunchestown gives a clue to his real 2m ability, and it was confirmed by his struggling against far worse 2 milers at Exeter than he’d meet in the CC, again never looking like winning until late on – over further than the race you want him entered for.
Truth is, top class 2 milers such as Sizing Europe and Big Zeb would eat him for breakfat, and his trainer knows it."reet hard" wrote: That Realt Dubh found 7l on him round the sharper Puunchestown gives a clue to his real 2m ability
Ever been to Punchestown Reet
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No, I haven’t. thm, though the finishing hill looks less severe than Cheltenham – more pertinent is they only climb it once at P, twice at C; (in 2m chases).
Tis farm from a sharp track, that I can promise you that. It’s in the dictionary beside the words ‘big’ and ‘galloping’
Not entering Captain Chris for the QM is one of the stupidest, most scatter brained, simply bizarre decisions I have seen from connections of a top class horse for years.
Disagree vehemently. Reet is spot on for the majority of his post IMO.
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thm
Aye, it’s a big enough course, but not as testing as Cheltenham for the simple reason that the finishing hill isn’t climbed as many times – fences or hurdles, 2m or 3m+.Here’s the thing guys,
You are a top trainer of NH horses… you have two excellent novice chasers in the same ownership as the spring festivals approach (lets call them Captain Chris and Wishfull Thinking). It is not clear the optimum distance of either (they are novices after all) your friends in the media are offering plenty of opinions on trips from 16f to 24f.At Cheltenham, despite some disbelief you run one (CC) over 16f…he wins the Arkle. You run the other (WT) over 20f…he is an honourable 2nd and goes on to win at 20f at both Aintree and Punchestown festivals.
CC runs again over 16f at Punchestown and wins another G1.
You are hailed, quite rightly, as a genius and a trainer who knows his onions and will make the right decision for his horses despite public scepticism. Your owner could hold no other view.Fast forward to the autumn and you reverse the campaigns with WT running mostly at 16f and CC being stated as having a 24f campaign with a possible drop to 20f if he ‘doesnt stay’. Neither of your horses has won at all so far this season despite 5 runs and the only likely victory was denied by an unlucky unseat when CC was running over 18f…the shortest distance tried and closest to his G1 successes.
Now how do you explain this switcheroo…
Captain Chris
* His best form is course and distance form for the QM
* Despite what reet says the Arkle was over as a race by the last fence
*Arkle winners have an excellent record in the QM
*He is not proven over the Gold Cup trip yet gets an entry there
but doesn’t for the QM.
His RP form comments on the only time he has attempted 24f read…"
rallied to chase leading pair after 4 out, no impression next, weakened last but clung on for 3rd"
* Much has been made of his dam winning at 3 miles but she was much better at shorter trips.
*Immediately after dismounting after the KG, Richard Johnson said, …"he wants a fast run 2 miles"Wishfull Thinking is I think the issue here…connections (wrongly in my view)think they have genuine 16f horse on the evidence of him outspeeding the slower types of Blazing Tempo, Hampshire Express & Medermit over 20f. They have misinterpreted this as 16f form…..it isn’t.
Sizing Europe and Big Zeb will disappear over the horizon.
WT’s run in the Desert Orchid is a red herring…it was run at a farcical pace and he was left to beat Oiseau De Nuit up the straight in a sprint. ODN must come from behind in a fast run 16f and was very disadvantaged by the pace of the race and and being left in front 4 out. Whilst WT managed that task Finians Rainbow (a horse with genuine 16f credentials) outsprinted him from a very bad position.
Basically WT is a 20f horse and the sooner he gets back to the discipline where he has enjoyed considerable success the better.Now back to the Captain…I don’t think an entry in the Gold Cup or even running there is bizarre or silly. I dont think he will win but I actually have a tiny bet on him for that race at nearly 30.
Phillip Hobbs has stated that they are going to run in the Denman Chase to see if they can do better than Kempton…a sensible move if you think you have a Gold Cup horse but what if he doesn’t stay? By all means find out but dont take away the QM option till you do find out. Kempton was hardly positive…you could be left with the Ryanair, a worthy race but hardly the prize required to match such a talent as Captain Chris.
Take a look at the Arkle 2011 again, Captain Chris has finished it as a contest going to the last and crosses the line full of run…not because he wants further but because he is an exceptional 16f horse.I maintain that not giving him an entry for the QM is absolutely bizarre.
The bonus for you is that Ruby loves and rates this horse and the trainer gave him great words in the Stable Tour
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