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I am probably one of the few who is not that impressed with Kasbah Bliss.
The horse undoubtedly has talent, but I also think he is over-rated, he is unlikley to progress further (imo) and his price for the Stayers is all wrong based on what he achieved last weekend.
I am probably one of the few who is not that impressed with Kasbah Bliss.
The horse undoubtedly has talent, but I also think he is over-rated, he is unlikley to progress further (imo) and his price for the Stayers is all wrong based on what he achieved last weekend.
Join the club lads, very much over rated IMO and a fair chance he will be a beaten banker.
I backed Big Bucks as a bet to nothing at 5/1 and I still think he is although you can get 6/1 now. Having said that the win part of the bet doesn’t look anywhere near as appealing after Kasbah Bliss demolished the field at Haydock. He is going to be very difficult to beat. Punchestowns may be the weakest of the three but I don’t think there is any each-way value beyond the market leaders.
I am probably one of the few who is not that impressed with Kasbah Bliss.
The horse undoubtedly has talent, but I also think he is over-rated, he is unlikley to progress further (imo) and his price for the Stayers is all wrong based on what he achieved last weekend.
Can’t agree. He’s priced up based on marked improvement on the flat (G3 winner then 4th in a G1 with Yeats behind), his performance last year (Which is the best form on offer imo), his trainers comments (Although he did breed Kasbah and not Baracouda) and his trainers record. He is a worthy favourite in my opinion; perhaps a little skinny now.
I would agree with Stan though that Big Bucks is a very talented horse and I would be covering my Kasbah Bliss with him.
Interesting to see several people of the opinion that KB is overrated. Also puzzled a bit that people would see his room for improvement as less likely than say Big Buck’s.
Over the course of the last two years KB has done nothing but improve. From 17 length 5th to the great Inglis Drever in this race in 2007 to a much improved 2nd beaten only by a length by the same horse but resoundingly beating every other participant in a similar quality field. In between those runs cutting his teeth a bit on British racing with ever improving results.
Takes an almost five month break and looks and runs like a horse that has matured again by winning some high class flat races without missing a beat. Even though these particular accomplishments might be lost on some of the anti flat brigade they are definite signs of significant improvement again.
Horse goes on another four month break and when turning out at Haydock on ground his trainer has stated several times in the past, is the least advantageous to his abilities he more or less strolls home.
Imo there is a lot more conjecture concerning the possible improvements of Big Buck’s or Punchestown. Regardless of that they are going to have to improve big time to trouble KB in my book
I’m on at a bigger prices but if KB loses on March 12, Cheltenham will be a bust for me financially. Personally I’ll be slightly disappointed if he wins and does not make mincemeat of this field.
Doesn’t it tend to be a race for specialist hurdlers rather than horses on their way to being chasers [Punchestowns] or failed chasers
? The only thing against Kasbah Bliss last year was his age [and the Drever!]…and the trainer knows a thing or two about this race.
Tazbar and Mobaasher @46 and 34 respectively, haven’t done anything wrong and will be my covering bets.
The former has been quite impressive in defeat, while C&D winner Mobaasher would have been a hell of alot closer to Punchestowns in the LW hurdle had he not been impeded at a time when the pace lifted. Both will appreciate a bit of give and a gallop.
All said, Mr Pieux would have to take the wrong course for any of the above to have a prayer
Interseting you should mention Tazbar. No way has he been fully wound up in any of his races this season and he is much better than his bare form suggests. The Reveley’s are not known for running horses here but I am told this one will definitely run a big race and to back him EW which I have done also. I also had a bit on at 6/1 without the big 3.
Over the course of the last two years KB has done nothing but improve. From 17 length 5th to the great Inglis Drever in this race in 2007 to a much improved 2nd beaten only by a length by the same horse but resoundingly beating every other participant in a similar quality field. In between those runs cutting his teeth a bit on British racing with ever improving results.
Takes an almost five month break and looks and runs like a horse that has matured again by winning some high class flat races without missing a beat. Even though these particular accomplishments might be lost on some of the anti flat brigade they are definite signs of significant improvement again.
Horse goes on another four month break and when turning out at Haydock on ground his trainer has stated several times in the past, is the least advantageous to his abilities he more or less strolls home.
Imo there is a lot more conjecture concerning the possible improvements of Big Buck’s or Punchestown. Regardless of that they are going to have to improve big time to trouble KB in my book
I’m on at a bigger prices but if KB loses on March 12, Cheltenham will be a bust for me financially. Personally I’ll be slightly disappointed if he wins and does not make mincemeat of this field.
The form of last year’s Stayers is not worth a carrot, imo brendanr. The only reason KB finished closer to Inglis Drever last time, was because the Wylie horse ran well below his best form (due to a combination of his pre-race setback and unsuitable ground).
Kasbah Bliss may have had a "stroll" at Haydock, but it was no more or less a "stroll" than Punchestowns had at Ascot. The performances are almost identical, and with KB having had some 20-odd starts over hurdles already, I’m quite happy that Punchestowns (and Big Buck’s) are less exposed in terms of potential for further progression.
As for talk of conjecture, I’d suggest the theory that French Flat form over 16-20f will translate into improved hurdles form at 3m, fits that definition nicely.
I’m not entirely sure what is meant by the statement "cutting his teeth" in British hurdle races, either. Kasbah Bliss had raced over here about eight times prior to the last Festival – if the intended inference was that he somehow lacked experience, then I would have to take issue with such an assertion.
As far as I am concerned, there are plenty of legitimate reasons for looking to oppose Kasbah Bliss. It has nothing to do with part of the "anti-Flat brigade"…………..though I do like to think of myself as the spiritual leader of that organisation.
Good luck with your bet. The best horse will very likely win.
Doesn’t it tend to be a race for specialist hurdlers rather than horses on their way to being chasers [Punchestowns] or failed chasers
? The only thing against Kasbah Bliss last year was his age [and the Drever!]…and the trainer knows a thing or two about this race.
Is Big Buck’s a failed chaser just because he unseated when still in contention last time after hacking up the time before? I just think they are protecting his handicap rating and though I don’t like ante post betting, will be backing him for next year’s Hennessy as soon as the book opens.
The reason a lot of past winners have tended to stay in the sphere and not go chasing is because there is good money on offer for staying hurdlers and it maybe takes less winning than having to go novice chasing, then looking for the big pots in open races the year after. And anyway Iris’s Gift, Baracouda and even My Way de Solzen all tried chasing to different degrees of success, so they could also be called potential chasers when they won it.
As for Kasbah Bliss’s flat form, I’m not sure the level of his group 3 win, but the race aginst Yeats was maybe misleading given that Yeats does not run well that time of year and had been turned over on previous end of season runs in France. And dare I say it, but even last year’s Stayers may not have been that hot and certainly didn’t have the depth of this year’s race so he may need to improve a fair bit on that to go one better. Just a thought or two.Doesn’t it tend to be a race for specialist hurdlers rather than horses on their way to being chasers [Punchestowns] or failed chasers
? The only thing against Kasbah Bliss last year was his age [and the Drever!]…and the trainer knows a thing or two about this race.
Christ thats hard to call Big Bucks a failed chaser. I`ll try to remind you of that when he wins the GC sometime in the next few years. Only reason heis in is that PN suggested to the owner he could probably harvest a few of these top staying hurdles. Very sensible to.
Interesting comment by Nicky Henderson regarding the World Hurdle…
"I think Petit Robin has the perfect chance of being second to Master Minded in the Two-Mile Champion Chase and Punchestowns has a good chance of being second to Kasbah Bliss in the World Hurdle!"
There’s no doubt in my mind that Kasbah Bliss has achieved more than enough in recent seasons to suggest he’s the one they all have to beat. Both Punchestowns and Big Buck’s must improve to beat him.
His flat from in the summer is solid enough. He beat Barnaby in the Prix Gladiateur – that horse reversed form to land the Prix Du Cadran from Incanto Dream, who had previously won a Group 2 event.
He gave Hills of Arran 8lbs at Haydock and beat Duc De Regniere into third by approx. the same distance as Punchestowns did at Ascot.
Making up the amount of ground he did at Haydock is one thing, to do it in such effortless fashion is just taking the p***. To add insult to injury, he quickly put daylight between himself and the rest in the same manner.
Very impressive.
I’m always slightly dubious about Ascot form translating to Cheltenham and I don’t think Punchestowns will prove as effective around Prestbury Park.
Both he and Big Buck’s are chasers masquerading as hurdlers, whereas Kasbah Bliss is the epitome of a top class hurdler. He travels, stays, possesses a solid turn of foot and is by far the most fluent hurdler in the field.
The others have something to prove. Kasbah Bliss doesn’t appear to have any chinks in his armour and has, without question, improved since last year.
Time will tell but you can twist all kind of form round to make it look good or bad. As for trainers comments, I always take them with a huge pinch of salt and Henderson can BS as good or as bad as the best of them.
When Kasbah Bliss came there cruising last year who looked unbeatable until Inglis Drever was swtich to challenge.
He may have done some good things on the flat but I am not so sure he has improved that much. His win over Hills of Aran amounts to very little.
KB obviously has a good turn of foot on the flat but when he hit the Cheltenham hill last year he wandered pretty badly and the race fell to Ingls Drever.
He did put a fair bit of distance bewteeen himself and the 3rd Kazal, but he has done nothing to boost that form. If anything he’s let the form of the race down.
The point that can’t be ignored is his main rivals are WH newcomers and it’s difficult to know exactly how good they are;
The bookies and the punters have been very fickle here. One minute Punchestownswas a future champion the next Kasbah Bliss is a good thing, after winning a very bad race on very heavy ground.
I’m just not preared to jump on the Kasbah Bliss bandwagon and think he could easily get turned over by Nicky Henderson’s horse.
One thing to bear in mind regarding Kasbah Bliss is that due to the lost day last year, his race was run on the Old Course, so the uphill run at the finish was a lot less than it is on the New Course where the race will be run as usual this year.
If you take the view that KB is better suited by a flat track, as I do, that run last year is slightly deceptive in terms of what might happen this time.
One thing to bear in mind regarding Kasbah Bliss is that due to the lost day last year, his race was run on the Old Course, so the uphill run at the finish was a lot less than it is on the New Course where the race will be run as usual this year.
If you take the view that KB is better suited by a flat track, as I do, that run last year is slightly deceptive in terms of what might happen this time.
Completely forgot about this – Good point AP. I still think he is the most likely winner though.
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