[greenasgrass]

I’ve a lot of ground to make up!
1.40 Hawk High, Sky Khan
2.20 River Wylde
2.50 Marinero
3.25 Josses Hill (nap)
4.05 Straidnahanna
4.40 Beyond Conceit
5.15 Loud and Clear

[greenasgrass]

Well done everyone who had winners and longer priced placed horses, I only managed a paltry 3rd from a 3/1 shot…must try harder!! But enjoying my first go at one of these comps

[greenasgrass]

1.45 Frodon
2.20 Flying Tiger
2.50 Silviniaco Conti
3.25 The New One
4.05 Pacha du Polder
4.40 Yorkist (nap), Alisier d’Irlande
5.15 Mountain Path

Thanks Nathan.

[greenasgrass]

There also isn’t any requirement to publish any conformation altering surgery or any other problems in the public domain is there? Unless it is talked about to the racing press, you can be trimming back soft palates and having the horse racing a few weeks later with nobody any the wiser….so the get of a stallion prone to throwing offspring with DDSP etc can be winning all round them and the stallion gets to spread his conformationally unsound genes a bit further. Ditto bleeders…some connections volunteer the info and it is sometimes in the form as an explanation for a fade/PU but a lot must go unremarked or just rumoured. So if you are looking to buy a related horse, you don’t know whether “disputed lead to second last, faded, heavily eased” on the form of its half brother meant just an unfit horse or a bleeder.

[greenasgrass]

I thought it was harder to keep big horses sound in both wind and limb. Thistlecrack looks like a proper big staying chaser and is standing in a box. Party Politics won the Grand National breathing through a tracheostomy.
Although swings and roundabouts- perhaps poor Vautour’s leg would not have broken in the field if it had been a bigger thicker boned leg, or perhaps it was just bad luck.
I take your point about the inbreeding. Rough blooded mares to retain genetic diversity is no bad thing. Where will their daddies come from though, if standing unfashionable national hunt sires with small books becomes financially non viable?

[greenasgrass]

Poor Ziga Boy, just read that it was a tendon. Flemenstar came a distant 3rd yesterday to horses he would have wiped the floor with in his heyday…hope Ziga’s heals better and faster.

[greenasgrass]

I’ve followed you on River Wylde Steve, I think NJH said before Cheltenham that he might be more suited to Aintree (LDS even more so which is why he didn’t run at Cheltenham…but I think RW’s Supreme run is pretty solid)

[greenasgrass]

Just put a bit on Pendra to replace Ziga Boy as my longer priced runner. All picks E/W. I have a terrible record with this race, have never picked the winner.

[greenasgrass]

I was on Ziga Boy too, and also Foxrock who’ll probably go for Irish National. Hmmph. Just leaves me with Vicente and Highland Lodge now.

[greenasgrass]

Thanks VTC, no beginners luck for me today though! The winner looks a very nice mare.

[greenasgrass]

I have a little bit E/W on Straidnahanna at 40-1 as I liked his attitude and way of going LTO and think he just ran a bit free and got a little tired-probably won’t be too harshly treated by the handicapper
and some E/W on Gold Present at 16-1 as he seems a scopey sort and NJH does well in this race.

[greenasgrass]

Had great fun watching the festival this year having put some small bets on for the first time. Only had one winner but learned a lot from this forum and enjoyed reading all your thoughts.
Flushed with enthusiasm I’ve placed a few pounds on for next year:
Our Duke Gold Cup 33-1 E/W
River Wylde Ch Hurdle 33-1 E/W
Melon Arkle 16-1 win
Footpad Stayers 25-1 E/W
and have the last 2 in a win trixie with Min for the QMCC

Melon looks chaser shaped to me, Min jumps decently and WPM said really grew and strengthened last summer…I reckon would have put it up to Altior this year. Footpad is too slow to win a Ch hurdle so I think will follow the path trodden by Nichols Canyon this year…wouldn’t be surprised if it runs in the French Ch hurdle this year as a test, and gets 5yo weight allowance in that.

GC ’18 was mentioned by trainer for Our Duke and I don’t think she is full of idle chatter or runs horses for the sake of it, as evidenced by her first GC runner.

NJH seemed keen on River Wylde and as he pointed out, he’s had 2 horses that came 3rd in the supreme that didn’t do too badly at subsequent festivals.

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