- This topic has 17 replies, 14 voices, and was last updated 17 years, 3 months ago by
.
- Posts
Tidal Bay, last years impressive Arkle winner, is set to tackle Royal & SunAlliance hero, Albertas Run, in tomorrows Colin Parker Intermediate Chase at Carlisle.
Run over 2m 4f, the race will see Tidal Bay stepping up from the minimum distance and Jonjo O’Neill’s charge dropping back from three miles.
Noland, beaten into third by Tidal Bay in the Arkle, claimed a Grade 3 at Down Royal today. Roll Along, runner-up to Albertas Run at The Festival, beat Air Force One in the United House Gold Cup at Ascot.
Should be a cracker!
I can’t believe how unusually bullish Howard Johnson is!
From RP online…
Johnson added: “Tidal Bay’s grand and I’m happy with him. He is not really tuned up, but he is ready, and he needs only to be half-ready for this race – let Albertas Run run!”
Tidal Bay beat Albertas Run very easily last year at Aintree and I cannot see he will not do it again.
A lot can happen in a year, especially with second season chasers. I fully expect Albertas Run to get within 20L of Tidal Bay this time!
I’ve followed Howard Johnson’s star from day one and ever since his defeat at Doncaster last year, I knew he could reach the top as a chaser.
It will be interesting to see how he jumps. I was very impressed with the ride Denis gave him at Cheltenham and the horse benefited from the lesson immeasurably. He jumped beautifully at Aintree.
Don’t underestimate Albertas Run, though. He’s a lovely looking horse and improved throughout last season.
I hope Tidal Bay wins impressively today en route to Sandown.
Albertas Run doesn’t take much to get ready. He has won 1st time out 3 out of 3 and the way Jonjo’s are running I wouldn’t think this year he will be any less fit.
You have to ask yourself why AR missed a 100K race over 3 miles to run in a 20K race over 2m4f.
Perhaps it’s a better race to sharpen him up for his next target and if Tidal Bay is only 80% fit then the chances are he could even beat him.
Front running O’Maley will ensure a strong pace and this could end up being a bit of a stamina test especially round Carlisle on soft ground.
If we are to believe HJ then Tidal Bay may be found wanting over the last couple of fences. He is no doubt at his best on Good or Good to soft ground so there are several reasons why AR fans might fancy their chances.
Tidal Bay who without doubt was the best Novice seen out last season and on a normal day you would think he would have miles to much speed for AR.
I would suspect there won’t be much pushing and shoving going on in this race. One bad blunder from Tidal Bay and that will be that as I doubt if they would be knocking him about to win this.
A fun bet on Albertas Run wouldn’t go amiss but even if defeated here Tidal Bay will prove to be a league above AR in the future.
Hi there, a good friend of mine works for the BBC and speaks to the trainers quite often i have found out that Jonjo O’niell think that Albertas Run will beat Tidal Bay today. Will be a good race and i hope AR can win!
It’s a good race for a Sunday at Carlisle.
I agree with other comments about how the testing ground and track should play to Alberta’s stamina strength. However, I still think Tidal Bay is a fair bit ahead.
Also, Jonjo’s record of 1 winner from his last 25 runners isn’t inspiring. Having said all that, there seems to be a lot of confidence behind Tidal Bay so if that’s reflected in its price and Alberta’s Run goes 3/1 or more I’ll go wtih AP.
Wondeful display from Tidal Bay at Carlisle.
I’m not too familiar with the course, but it certainly doesn’t play to his strengths. I think he’s better going left-handed and might prefer a flatter track, but he displayed his versatility Sunday and it will be interesting to see which direction Howard takes him in.
I’ve seen him travel better (again, perhaps the track was far from ideal), but we’re all fully aware of his speed and Master Minded certainly won’t have things all his own way at Sandown, if Mr Johnson decides to take him there.
He has incredible confidence in the horse and there’s no doubt in my mind that he would like Master Minded to turn up.
I believe the Tingle Creek is being held on December 6th this year. Considering Howard Johnson stated before The Festival that he had no worries running Tidal Bay in the Royal & SunAlliance if things didn’t go to plan in the Arkle, it wouldn’t suprise me to see him turn up at Kempton 20 days later, where a potential clash with Kauto Star would be on the cards.
Again, I don’t think HJ would be too worried by the presence of ‘The Great One’.
Analysing the horse closer today, he’s certainly strengthened up. His head carriage will never change, but I don’t think he’s ungenuine. I made the point last season that mentally he could still be a bit of a baby and I’m still under the impression that he’s not entirely sure what this game is all about.
It’s quite possible you could put him in the Paul Gascoigne ‘daft as a brush’ catagory!!
He has his own way of getting from A to B, but like Kauto Star he never looks like falling.
If he goes to Sandown and turns over a potentially rusty Master MInded then the world is his oyster. It still wouldn’t surprise me if, win or lose, we see him at Kempton on Boxing Day.
I’ve always admired the look of Tidal Bay. As Ginny Wright said after he was beaten at Doncaster, he’s a difficult ride, Denis O’Regan gets on particularly well with him. I thought he ran well today. I reckon he would have benefited from a stronger pace. O’Malley seemed to set a modest gallop. Tidal Bay raced close up, he made a mistake, at the one just before the home straight, but jumped well enough,and never looked like being beaten running out a good winner, scoring with plenty in hand. He possesses plenty of speed and stamina and it will be interesting to see which way they go with him.
There’s not much of Albertas Run but,usually what there is of him is good. Today I would imagine was a day where he’d come on for the run.He was in touch all the way until about the fifth last,where they quickened and then seemed to get outpaced but wasn’t given a hard time at all. The distance was short of his best and it looked like he was on a stepping stone to another target probably the Hennessy.
A good performance from Tidal Bay but albertas run was a bit dissapointing although he will probably come on for the run and the trip was too short. Still have expected 2nd place for him though instead of last!
Master Minded was amazing at cheltenham last year but after his aintree defeat we don’t know if the cheltenham race was a true reflection of his ability or if the other horses just ran below form. Either way these 2 look miles ahead of the rest of the 2milers and hopefully they both make it to cheltenham fit and well so we can see a great race!
- Total Posts 17716
Good though he is over 2m, Tidal Bay will always be better over further, and I just can’t see him taking the Tingle Creek/Champion Chase route.
He’d be interesting in the King George, though his trainer said after Aintree that the RyanAir would probably be his main taget this season.I remember a couple of years ago Exotic Dancer running moderately in this race, then coming out and winning the Paddy Power.
I can see Alberta’s Run coming on immensely for the run and running a massive race in the Hennessy.
I was never a massive fan of Tidal Bay, but i have been very impressed with him in his recent races, apart from 1 blunder against Leslingtaylor, he has done very well.
- Total Posts 17716
Graham Wylie has always said that Howard Johnson’s plan for this year was to aim for the Tingle Creek to ‘see how they got on’ against Master Minded.
As good as Tidal Bay is, I don’t think he has a prayer of toppling either Master Minded over two miles, or Kauto Star over three miles. The former is, as I have said on another thread, less experienced over British fences, two years younger and arguably has greater scope for improvement.
It’ll be an interesting season.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.