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Because I dont think he did idle in front.If the horse had of cruised into the lead and then tried pulling himself up I would agree that he was idling.He has done that before but Thursday was completely different,he was DRIVEN into the lead and kept up to his work because he didnt go clear.In fact if it was’nt for his two excellent jumps at the last two he might well have got beat.<br> Escorial connections have repeatidly given their reasoning for running her over shorter distances in Ireland.Three reasons she’s small, heavy ground and most importantly Limestone Lad. Invariably Limestone Lad will set a strong gallop in really heavy ground in all the top staying races. She is only a small mare who would prefer better ground so they never wanted to give her such punishing races over that trip. She wouldnt last long if they inflicted that upon her.
Your problem with Liss A Paoraight is pretty weak Escorial considering she has always looked a stayer.Also untried over the trip?You dont rule out Shooting Light over the Gold Cup trip first time do you?<br> I have NO doubt Baracouda is a better horse than we saw on Thursday(incidently he will not win the Stayers if he reproduces Thursdays win) but the fact is he didnt impress as he has done before in previous races.Yes he might well go on and win the Stayers and he is a deserving favourite(not odds on though) but Thurday showed he is beatable.I am still worried about him handling a track like Cheltenham.
What a load of crap the horse idles when he gets to the front!!!!! His last two races he has won taking it up before the last……..he didnt idle then.We know he is a better horse than what we saw on Thursday but its just kinda silly that people cant at all see any negative signs in his worst performance in a long time.
Punchestown is’nt great for the receptions either……….its improving but still not what you’d expect.Cheltenham is just special.
I dont particularly fanyc Ned Kelly for the Champion but I think your being a little unfair on him Escorial.In his bumper run at Cheltenham the horse was only a 4 year old and seeing as we all see him as a future chaser he was a very weak horse.Also you can look up but in all his bumper runs the horse was very keen throughout his races and pulled very hard.But since going novice hurdling he has relaxed alot.The simple fast is we dont know who effective he is on very fast ground because he has never been tried on it since he has matured.My own opinion is he will be most effective on anything other than extremely heavy or extremely fast ground.<br> I would be interested Escorial what you mean by the horse not having the pace for a Champion Hurdle.Do you mean finishing speed or the ability to travel?Certainly in all his races his most impressive attribute is his high cruising speed so I dont think that is an issue but you might be right about his basic finishing speed but on a course like Cheltenham that isnt the most important always.Either way I wouldnt strongly fancy him(or anything else) to beat Istabraq.
Fair enough Escorial but surely Sleeping Night does boost the Sackvilles form somewhat.It is very difficult for chasers just to revert back to hurdles after a spell over fences and Sleeping Night aquitted himself very well.I see they intend to keep him for the Martell Cup at Aintree…………….track would be perfect for him and a few of the others might be that little bit tired after Cheltenham.<br> You say Baracouda would have won easy if he hadnt been given weight away…………the fact is he was giving weight away but was still so well fancied that he was 1/3 or 4/9 whatever price.Yes the horse had a few things go against him and he still won the race but before the race was ran I would have expected him to win with his head in his chest.<br> What would worry me most of all about his run on Thurday was when he made his mistake.The jockey said it took him a long time to recover his balance and once he did he was always confident about winning.Kempton as we all know is a very flat and smooth track and for Baracouda to take so long to recover on that track does not bode well for this long striding gelding on fast ground on a track as undulating as Cheltenham.<br> He probably is the best horse going into the race but evens is a terrible price for a race which looks the strongest renewal in years.Was his run somewhat disappointing Escorial?Maybe not disappointing but it wasnt the performance that would make you want to run out and back the horse?<br>
Firstly I dont find this thread insulting Daylight interesting definately.<br> I think it’s safe to say that when this forum talks about blinkered Irish views my name might come up a bit!!!But I dont mind I know myself that alot of the time I can be looking through green tinted glasses!!!But I dont back horse’s very much so I dont loose through the pocket.<br> I guess alot of it is down to patriotism but also I have worked with the horses or at least the horse’s connections so I can be defensive about them.Also I know from this forum it might look like Irish people only back Irish horses but go into a Irish bookies Cheltenham week and apart from the "Irish bankers" there are plenty of English horses being backed.<br> I think the Irish just enjoy their racing more because their closer to it and hence are more passionate about it.Irish will predict 15 winners at Cheltenham every year but we KNOW it aint going to happen…………..3-4 will seem like 15 though cause thats the beauty of Cheltenham.And you have to remember that we havent had our fix of Cheltenham for 2years so were rarely to go!!!!
You talk about Ned Kelly’s poor runs on fast ground yet you ignore Valiramix’s run at CHELTENHAM and in a flat race in France where he finished closer to last than first.Also Ned Kelly was ridden by a starving amateur that day at Cheltenham.
This is where reading a strick line on the form book is decieving.Escorial you say Istabraq was being ridden along before the turn in at Cheltenham2000.True……………………for a round 2 strides and he immeadiately came back on the bridle and Swan held on to him till the last.To take 5 lenghts out of Blue Royal(who Henderson rated so highly) from the last hurdle to the line without getting a hit from his stick was so impressive.His acceration was simply awesome that day.Maybe he didnt hit his top rating but I really do think he could have won by 10 lenghts that day.When I hear Dean Gallagher say yesterday that Hor La Loi is only 4lenghts inferior to Istabraq at his best makes me laugh.The form book says it is four lenghts but for me it is so much more.
"Why do you still say that Hors La Loi must have had his one off day against Valiramix?"…………common sense tells me that that was not the same horse.
First of all Istabraq…………my opinion on his best run was actually his last Champion hurdle win.Escorial you point to how close some got but the reason for that is simple…………….Swan was travelling hard held on the bridle up to the last and took 5 lenghts out of the field from the last to the line.Imagine what he would have done to the field if he had sent Isty on from the bend like he usualy did.<br> As for Hor La Loi…………………won well today but again that was not the same horse today that Valiramix beat simple as that.Maybe I was unfair saying the horse is inconsistant but in no way does this provide a boost to Valiramix.Valiramix beat a shadow of the Hor La Loi we saw today.
I phrased it wrong ratpack, the horse was placed in nearly all his runs except when he fell.But come on if O’brien over raced all his horses name a few more except this one………as for Pipe……………Champleve,Or Royal,the novice he ran over National style fences that was killed etc etc etc
"Cyfor Malta keeps coming back to prove you wrong" As far as I can see Cyfor Malta was a big disappointment last time and his other run this year was hardly Gold Cup standard albeit he was coming back from a break.Deserves to take his chance in an open Gold Cup field though.<br> As for Magnus he certainly has considerable ability but is he or indeed any National Hunt horse worth that amount of money?I think that is what look is getting at…………….the horse would need to win a few big races every season to recover the money but while he might do this whats for certain is the owner will be paying training,food,vets fees etc while in training.
Fascinated you used Idiots Venture as an example of a horse who was over raced.He certainly didnt show it,indeed at the time he was fatally injured it could be argued that he was in the form of his life………….just 4 races ago he had failed my the smallest of margins to win the Galway plate carrying top weight.After that run in Galway he ran a couple of days later and won.I previously remember that he ran twice at one Punchestown festival running 3rd to Klairon Davis then winning a valuable race next time.I dont see how a horse can be over raced if he continues to win.Is Limestone Lad overraced?
"He did well with ordinary horses but his only good horse, Idiots Venture, he ran into the ground, so I don’t think this puts him on some higher moral ground than Pipe"………………Idiot’s Venture Aidan O’Brien’s best National Hunt horse???????Where would you race Istabraq Ratpack?!!!!!And if your going to argue that Pipe is the better trainer etc than O’Brien your arguement that O’Brien over races his horses is humerous considering time and time again Pipe has burnt his horses out.<br>
You pick one extreme example of Golan but sure the year before King’s Best was aggressively campaigned.The name of this years 1000Guineas winner slips my mind but from memory she ran a few times at two.And Lahan the same before.
Too be honest how can Stoute and Cecil simply not "be bothered" to compete with O’Brien and Godolphin??!!!What are they bloody paid alot of money to do??!!<br> Rob you contradict yourself…………….first you state O’Brien’s multi entry system and the money behind him for the reason of small fields.Yet over jumps it just put down to one of those things??Perhaps it’s just happening in both.
