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Couldn’t agree more, Grass.
Conversely the 8.2 and 12.5 currently available about Punchestowns and Duc De Regniere could look very attractive if either takes the Long Walk Hurdle impressively. I’ve had a few bob on both already.
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
why should blazing baily win the world hurdle??.It always finds a couple two good i dont really think cheltenham is the course for this horse and also think its more off a aintree horse.What ive seen in the past the horse has always come up short in the world hurdle and why should things change now?
Because he’s yet to wear blinkers around Cheltenham. I’m not saying he’ll win the World Hurdle, but Saturday confirmed to me that he needs the headgear to be at his very best.
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I can’t argue with the inclusion of Punchestowns in any ante-post portfolio, but the likes of Petitfour, Duc De Regniere and the Nicholls dog surely aren’t up to World Hurdle standard?
There is little strength at the top end of the staying hurdle division and were it not for that fact, I could understand the slight reservations about Kasbah Bliss’s position in the market. But, whilst he could hardly be considered lightly raced, there can be no denying that he is improving (I tend to think that French-bred horses reach their peak at around 7-8 years of age) and did well to push the best staying hurdler on the last four years all the way to the line at Cheltenham.
Given his recent efforts on the flat, which are a far cry from what he was achieving two or three years ago, I couldn’t be happier with my somewhat considerable interest in him.
Are you referring to Elusive Dream when you talk about "the Nicholls dog", Equitrack?
If so, on what basis do you consider him a dog?
Equitrack will be referring to Mobaasher, I’d have thought. Now he is a Nicholls dog.
I’m going to get some big prices on Ringaroses and hope Hen Knight can keep him in one piece, but realism tells me that Kasbah Bliss is the best bet of the Festival at this point in time.
How about the fact that he has only won seven of twenty-one hurdle starts?
Well that isn’t bad by any standards is it? – especially when you pick through the bones of his defeats (unfavourable ground, quality of his conquerers).
This is the most talented hurdler in training imo and quite underrated it seems. Feel free to slate Mr Pieux, although I can’t, as much as I’d like to, say I’ve ever seen him give the horse anything other than a competent ride.
I would have thought the ‘black or white’ approach to reading form was slightly naive….coming from yourself of course!
I dont know if its already been said but for me Pettifour looks the best bet for this race based on what we’ve seen so far this season. Given real pace, I would be surprised if he couldn’t overturn Newbury form with the Henderson horse and Kasbah Bliss still has to prove he’s actually up to winning a big race over here. Will be interesting to see how the Long Walk is run but given a better gallop and slightly better tactics, I can see Pettifour winning and becoming the new Stayers jolly.
He’ll have to jump better than he did at Newbury, Stan. He lost ground at several of the hurdles.
That is very true, but I think the fact they went no pace didn’t help as sometimes a horse needs to be put under pressure to hurdle correctly. But at the prices I fancy him more than I fancy Duc de Reniere, especially over a true run 3m at Cheltenham.
Anyone else think that Shakervilz could emerge as a contender for this race. Gave Aitmatov (who wasn’t beaten too far in last year’s renewal) a sound beating today over 2m4 and he’s already won over the trip. He’s clearly on the improve as a 5yo and this division looks crying out for some younger horses to emerge.
I am always very wary of Irish form when its acheived on very soft ground. They dont tend to go any pace and its just the horse that has the guts for the slog who wins. If he has any good gorund form like most of ireland’s festival winners do tend to have somewhere in their locker, then find, but if he is just another mudlark, its a big ask to expect him to go round Cheltenham at the pace they will go on what will almost certainly be much much faster going.
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