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Dogged it again didnt he.
I dont think there is anyway you can confidently back him to be honest, and there’s no way that he will be carrying my money in the Champion Hurdle.
Yes, he comes there cruising all the time, but that isn’t much good if he doesn’t like it when push comes to shove.
Great to see Straw Bear get back up and show some guts and determination to win the race. Great ride from McCoy too i thought, had him up with the pace, which is where you want to be with the ground the way it is at Kempton today.
Shakes the Champion Hurdle market back up again now doesnt it.
and Mccoy rode a superb race …exploiting Harchi’s weknesses so cleverly
All the same, it perfectly illustrates why Harchi is not one for Cheltenham
McCoy is fantastic, an awesome jockey. superb ride it was indeed.
Up where you need to be with the ground being the way it is at Kempton today and the race unfolded accordingly.
Let that be a lesson to those who always say Paul C should push on with Harchibald earlier in his races. It was a pretty poor effort from the jockey but a top class one from McCoy. You could see from a long way out he was going to hit the front too soon.
The camera angle of the replay today on Channel4 was brilliant and I advise everyone who has an opinion on Harchibald to go back and watch it closely. It ranges up right along side Harchibald the whole way up the straight. Look at the "rein tension" between Paul C’s hands and Harchibalds mouth….if a horse truely was pulling double that rein should be straight and hard with plenty of tension but today (as is always the case with Harchibald) it was loose with little tension..Harchibald was giving absolutely everything he had on the bridle. Its only Paul Carberrys style of racing that makes it look like he is hacking over everything.
Horse simple does nothing in front and barely gets 2 miles…despite all that he just lost out to an inspired McCoy.
Harchibald’s inability to find more when off the bridle is the reason why he’ll never win a Champion Hurdle.
McCoy’s has to be applauded for the ride he gave Straw Bear.
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Well I was right and wrong. I told you one of the three would get done, always happens.
Didn’t thing anything would be good enough to beat Harchibald though.
You can back Denman with more confidence now one of the three has gone down.
I personally can’t see Kauto Star or Denmman getting beat but Harchibalds chances of winning are far slimmer .
Lets hope Denman does the stuff so my prediction is right
Wouldnt be too worried about Harchibald’s performance – he wasn’t enjoying himself on the ground and wasn’t jumping with his usual fluency. Could see that a long way out and thought that he mightnt get anywhere near the winner about half way round.
Good to soft at Cheltenham and he’ll be a different proposition. They were some way clear of the rest as well.Wouldnt be too worried about Harchibald’s performance – he wasn’t enjoying himself on the ground and wasn’t jumping with his usual fluency. Could see that a long way out and thought that he mightnt get anywhere near the winner about half way round.
Good to soft at Cheltenham and he’ll be a different proposition. They were some way clear of the rest as well.I see your point but one thing that was more obvious than anything was that he got outfought on the run in again.
Wouldn’t want to back him for the Champion Hurdle.
I still say Black Jack Ketchum will win it if he’s targetted at it.
Harchibald will get the fast pace he needs in the CH. Admittedly he needs to be ridden to perfection, but it would be hard to see him out of the first three and with some luck, he’s capable of winning it.
Really wish that Harchibald would have won today (as would a lot of people) but it cost me 6 out of six in the scoop6. So naturally a little gutted today
That Harchibald is too clever for his own good. He eyeballs Straw Bear and pulls a length clear. When the upstart pulls along side, again he eyeballs him, but there isn’t enough race left. In another 50yds I think he would have pulled in front again.
It must be infuriating for connections as he is clearly a magnificent horse.
I was dubious about the ride given by Carberry at Cheltenham, as were a number of people. Now it looks like they were spot on. If Carberry can produce it in the last 50yds again they must have a great chance at Cheltenham.
Harchi is no more or no less likely to win the Champ H than he was before yesterday’s race.
We know now only what we knew before that this talented but enigmatic horse can only win at Cheltenham if all goes well in the race and that his challenge is delivered at the optimum moment (probably half to two-thirds the way up the run-in).
Now 8/1 for the big ‘un. If he’s anything like that on the day he would be well worth a few quid.
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