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That race at Haydock and the World Hurdle is like comparing a bicycle race to a formula one.
I’m wondering if that Mullins horse that won the Ballmore would get the trip next season. Michael whatistname?
Anyone think that is the way he would go or is it too far? looks a right good horse to me
Mikael D’Haguenet goes chasing Aristo – he’ll be awesome over fences the horse is an absolute machine
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In his prime Inglis Drever no doubt would have won this years race easily and I would bet my cotton socks we don’t see Big Bucks winning this race again.Don’t agree. Inglis Drever wasn’t dominant over his generation – just good at Cheltenham when it mattered.
I’m using Internet Explorer at the moment to watch ATR, so I can’t access the Racing Post website. I think the Inglis Drever SPs at Cheltenham will back up my point.
This is about the 3rd time I’ve mentioned this on this Forum, but Nicholls mentioned Big Buck’s in the same sentence as Kauto Star and Denman at the start of the season.
In his prime Inglis Drever no doubt would have won this years race easily and I would bet my cotton socks we don’t see Big Bucks winning this race again.
Don’t agree. Inglis Drever wasn’t dominant over his generation – just good at Cheltenham when it mattered.
Disagree with that, Gerald.
Inglis Drever was unbeatable just about everywhere else except Aintree.
He was beaten only once in completed starts away from Liverpool in over three years. His race record between 2005-2008 away from Aintree was…
11111F121111P
Three Long Distance Hurdles to go with his three World Hurdles.
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In his prime Inglis Drever no doubt would have won this years race easily and I would bet my cotton socks we don’t see Big Bucks winning this race again.Don’t agree. Inglis Drever wasn’t dominant over his generation – just good at Cheltenham when it mattered.
I’m using Internet Explorer at the moment to watch ATR, so I can’t access the Racing Post website. I think the Inglis Drever SPs at Cheltenham will back up my point.
This is about the 3rd time I’ve mentioned this on this Forum, but Nicholls mentioned Big Buck’s in the same sentence as Kauto Star and Denman at the start of the season.
I still remember the 2007 World Hurdle when Black Jack Ketchum was very short indeed going into the race and was verging on unopposable in the public conciousness, but there was no way I was backing Black Jack Ketchum at his price. I sat and looked through the form for one to beat him and it was like looking at a bunch of no hopers in a "favorite is nailed on race" there was only one other contender in the field that looked possibly up to laying down a challenge and that was inglis drever.
Black Jack fell (which I wasnt exactly crying about at the time) and subsquently seemed to lose all form after but with the way Inglis drever beat Mighty Man and co. I came away thinking that Inglis drever was a semi decent horse beating a poor lot of opposition.
Since he completed a hatrick last year, Inglis drevers form has seemed to be given monster status, but IMO there were two better horses in this years World Hurdle than there has been for some time and Inglis Drever would have had no chance.
BB isn’t getting the credit he deserves for a powerful run. The objective is to cross the line first, and he done this even after a slight glitch at the last fence. He ran superbly well, and all credit goes to him. I couldn’t understand why people were so quick to write him off.
Okay, I’m doing Inglis Drever a bit of an injustice – I’ve just fallen into the trap that other people have been guilty of, that in order to big up Big Buck’s I knocked down another horse.
For the record his SPs in the World Hurdle were 5/1, 5/1 and 11/8*, but one of those was against the might Barracouda, so that is understandable.
One things for certain, If Big Bucks (maybe mighty man too) and Kasbah bliss both go to aintree it’ll be some race, as IMO Big Bucks wont fail to adapt to good ground (which nicholls agrees with) and Kasbah Bliss just has so much speed on good ground and would be very hard to run out of the race. It’d be some finish I think.
Okay, I’m doing Inglis Drever a bit of an injustice – I’ve just fallen into the trap that other people have been guilty of, that in order to big up Big Buck’s I knocked down another horse.
For the record his SPs in the World Hurdle were 5/1, 5/1 and 11/8*, but one of those was against the might Barracouda, so that is understandable.
I dont really think you are gerald, this divison has been waiting for a half decent horse to emerge for some time now. I backed Celestial Halo for at the start of the season in the hope that nicholls would step him up. Then a big gamble started on Punchestowns (whilst inglis drever was still in training) which suggested that he could be that horse (and quite a few people on here got on that gamble).
Then Punchestowns ran and confirmed IMO that he could be that horse. Then in january another heavy antepost gamble started on big bucks prior to the cleeve hurdle, suggesting that nicholls thought he could be better than punchestowns (and again a few people got on that too), with nicholls pretty much shouting from the rafters that Big Bucks would beat Punchestowns that day.
Inglis drever was a very likeable and much loved horse, especially after three cheltenham wins, but I think that that may stop people actually acknowledging that these two genuinely look that bit better than him. To suggest that he would have won today doesnt really do credit to punchestowns and big bucks, who (as both fairly young horses) look like the future of this division for sometime, if not sent chasing (as has been considered for both of them).
Also worth mentioning that Nicholls stated on teletext that Big Bucks to win was his best bet of the day today.
Pleased to have got this wrong although I did back Big Buck’s straight after his previous win. I think he is well up to the standard of previous winners and as he keeps a little to himself it will always be very difficult to give him an accurate rating. I agree with the idea that this was a much stronger renewal than last year.
However still, in my mind, the race that should be leading up to the Gold Cup and not the main race of the day.
Well, I really didn’t see Big Bucks winning.
Well done to him, he has upheld the previous Chelt run and more.
Punchestown did show his gears but just found one too good. I’m going to follow him until beaten over fences – common sense, surely?
I don’ know what to make of Kasbah Bliss – is he really that far behind the protagonists?
Zip
I don’ know what to make of Kasbah Bliss – is he really that far behind the protagonists?
Zip
On todays surface yes…On a better surface (which he is best on) who knows, but I’d expect he’d be much closer and probably a likely contender to win.
I’ve had better days that’s for sure. Cant believe that KB ran remotely close to his best but on the day was just not good enough.
Kasbah’s run was too bad to be true surely? Only heard it on the good old radio as I was working unfortunately. But hand on heart does anyone actually think they’re going to have a bet on next years World Hurdle without the nagging little thought in the back of their head that he might have just chucked in a bad one?
Very happy with Powerstation, 50/1 e/w. Life is good……until tomorrow
It was painful to watch; they only showed the first 2, and the last camera shot showed Kasbah Bliss overtaking Powerstation on the run in.
Well I can tell you,those of us who were there today,and have been behind Big Bucks all along, and have won plenty, are very pissed and happy.
Inglis drever was a very likeable and much loved horse, especially after three cheltenham wins, but I think that that may stop people actually acknowledging that these two genuinely look that bit better than him. To suggest that he would have won today doesnt really do credit to punchestowns and big bucks, who (as both fairly young horses) look like the future of this division for sometime, if not sent chasing (as has been considered for both of them).
People forget that Inglis Drever was also a solid two mile performer who won a Haydock Champion Hurdle Trial and Kingwell Hurdle. He also finished runner-up in a Bula Hurdle and Fighting Fifth.
He won have won at four Festivals but for a narrow defeat in what is now the Ballymore Properties and also finished second in an Aintree Hurdle over two miles-four.
Baracouda collected a second Long Distance Hurdle and fourth Long Walk Hurdle en route to Cheltenham the year Inglis Drever beat him to claim his first World Hurdle and defeat the two-time Champion.
The French horse was seen by many as the banker of the meeting.
Until Big Buck’s and / or Punchestowns achieve that level of success over hurdles you can’t even begin to compare them to The Drever, who also won three Long Distance Hurdles to compliment his three World Hurdle titles – a record that, in my opinion, will be very hard to match, let alone beat.
Many are quick to dismiss him because he was never visually impressive and, because of this, he rarely started odds-on. It’s an incredible fact that, despite his impressive record at Cheltenham and nigh-on invincibility at the track over three miles, he NEVER started odds-on at Prestbury Park.
Inglis Drever was the epitome of what makes National Hunt racing such a thrilling spectacle. Year after year he would give his all and year after year he would defy the odds.
Punchestowns and Big Buck’s will never achieve what The Drever did over hurdles and they will be hard pushed to attain a similar level of success over the bigger obstacles.
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