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Four weeks ago , I backed Native River to win this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup .
Hopefully Richard Johnson can utilise the horse’s stamina and good jumping ability .
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1.30 Defi Du Seuil
2.10 North Hill Harvey & Air Horse One
2.50 Death Duty ( nap )
3.30 Native River
4.10 On The Fringe
4.50 Dadsintrouble
5.30 Theinval
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1.30 Top Notch
2.10 EL Bandit & To be fair
2.50 Empire Of Dirt
3.30 Unowhatimeanharry ( nap )
4.10 Starchitect
4.50 Language Bague Au Roi
5.30 Squouater
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1.30 Neon Wolf (nap )
2.10 Whisper
2.50 Tombstone & Tin Soldier
3.30 Douvan
4.10 Cantlow
4.50 Domperignon Du Lys
5.30 Carter McKay
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1.30 Melon
2.10 Altior
2.50 Ibis Du Rheu
Pilgrim’s Bay3.30 Yanworth ( nap )
4.10 Limini
4.50 Edwulf
5.30 Killiney Court
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Yanworth . I desperately want him to prove the doubters wrong – Luke Harvey , Matt Chapman et al . A horse who is as brave as a lion and tenacious as they come . He will battle up that Cheltenham hill and fight all the way to the line . I will be cheering him home.
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Mares Novice Hurdle .
A race which doesn’t even begin to interest me , let alone excite me .
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stilvi , Lester has changed his mind on the subject so many times over the years to the point of tedium . I remember distictly after Nijinsky won the King George , Lester was asked how the horse ranked with the other greats he’d ridden . He answered ,” He ( Nijinsk y ) is the best I’ve ever ridden , without doubt . ”
It was only years later that he would tell some journalists Sir IVor was the best , while with others he would maintain , that ” on his day ” , Nijinsky was number one .
You must bear in mind that Piggott came in for severe criticism following Nijinsky’s Arc defeat , from journalists and punters alike . Many , including myself , felt that he was at fault that day and that his later stated preference for Sir IVor was born out of pettiness and belligerence on his part . Even quite recently , Lester said Nijinsky is only held in such great regard mainly due to his exotic sounding name .
It is , as you say , all about opinions . A couple years ago Lester himself stated that the great French champion , Sea Bird , was the best he had ever seen . I must say that I do agree with the Longfellow on that . Now , there’s a horse of any century , if ever there was one .
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Just before the great Russian ballet dancer , Vaslav Nijinsky , died , he said that he would return as a horse .
What a great horse he was . Had he won the Arc , which he should have done , he would have most definitely won the title , ” Horse Of The Century “.
For those of us around in 1970 , the imposing son of Northern Dancer quickly captured the public’s imagination , soon becoming a household name throughout Britain and Ireland .
His best performance was undoubtedly in the King George & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot , beating five older opponents with contemptuous ease . His jockey, Lester Piggott , said that Nijinsky , on this day , was the equal of any horse he had ever seen or ridden , and would have beaten most of them .
When Julian Wilson tried to under play Nijinsky’s achievements , casting doubt on the form of the great horse’s opponents , his BBC colleague , Peter O’Sullevan , rallied to the horse’s defence , whilst tearing a strip from Wilson . O’Sullevan was adamant that even those other two giants of the turf , Mill Reef and Brigadier Gerard , would both have been put firmly to sword had either met Vincent O’Brien’s champion .
A great champion who deserves all the plaudits he receives .
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Such a shame , as this year’s Gold Cup promised to be a fascinating renewal .
I cannot help but think that Colin Tizzard’s disappointment will be lessened by the fact that in Native River ( more so than Cue Card ) he still has his preferred Gold Cup entrant fit , healthy and ready to win .
Native River will take all the beating .
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I have the DVD – Xmas present from Mrs Himself . Dull and uninteresting just about covers it .
I found his biography less dull and uninteresting , but again , apart from his honest assessment of his dreadful treatment of Chanelle during their courtship , it amounted to the usual fare and tales of the turf .
How Chanelle ended up marrying him is even more of a mystery given his nasty
treatment and surly attitude towards her .I suppose some women , even the classy ones , are attracted to the treat them mean , keep them keen type .
McCoy is an intriguing character . I don’t think there has ever been a more driven , hard working sports person . For all his success and enjoyment he has brought to many , I still find it hard to like the man .
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One of my prerequisites for choosing a horse as potential winner of any race , is that said animal has a comfortable cruising speed and responds readily if and when he comes off the bridle .
The Stayers’ Hurdle is one such race where this is particularly important .
UKWIMH ticks those boxes . I have followed this improving horse all season and I see no reason to oppose him now . Will take the World of beating .
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As I alluded to on another thread the other day , why would Nicky Henderson jeopardize what is potentially easy first place winnings in the Arkle by taking on Douvan in the Champion Chase ?
Henderson is a shrewd operator and he will do what is best for his horse , and at this stage of Altior’s chasing career , I’m sure it doesn’t include taking on Douvan sooner than he would ideally like .
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Sorry to trudge out that old cliche , but it is all about opinions . I am a huge fan of both horses . I had already backed Altior for the Arkle prior to Min’s Cheltenham withdrawal . He would have beat that horse decisively anyway .
Douvan , is another kettle of fish entirely , and for me , he is by far the biggest ” certainty ” of the upcoming festival .
For obvious selfish reasons , I do hope Nicky Henderson decides to stick with the more easily achievable Arkle route – and for the horse’s sake as well .
Why ?
Because I think Douvan is a monster , and arguably the best horse in National Hunt racing today . I fear he would break Altior’s heart if they were to meet at Cheltenham . Ruby Walsh would simply crank up the gears fence after fence until such a point Altior’s finishing speed would be nullified . Anyhow , you get the picture …
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I think it was Yogi Berra ( the great American baseball player whose name inspired the creation of the even greater Yogi Bear ) who said :
” that is too coincidental to be a coincidence . ”
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My opinion , for what it’s worth , is that Thistlecrack lost the race mainly because of Tom Scudamore’s lack of good tactical nous and indecision , allied to Thistlecrack’s stamina , or lack thereof – a point later mentioned by Ruby Walsh , who suggested the clues were there for all to see in the latter stages of the King George .
Whilst of the opinion that Tom Scudamore is a jockey of average ability rather than outstanding ability , I thoroughly believe that Davy Russell , Noel Fehily , Dicky Johnson , Ruby Walsh , Paul Townend or Barry Gerraghty would have steered Thistlecrack past the winning post in first place , I did get the impression beforehand that Colin Tizzard was being very mindful of the big race in the third of week of March , and therefore was not overly concerned whether Thistlecrack won or not , but rather that he didn’t leave his Gold Cup aspirations behind on the back of winning lesser prize at the same course a month and a half before.
I think Thistlecrack is still the one they all have to beat , but I do worry that rather than horse’s undoubted ability , that like that other equine star of yesteryear , Pendil , his Gold Cup hopes may be scuppered by his less able jockey and a slight lack of stamina at the business end of the gruelling three and a quarter miles round Prestbury Park .
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Haha . No, Nathan , I think you’re confusing me with Fish ( he of Marillion ) , Irvine Welsh , and Craig and Charlie Reid .
Nah , I am keen supporter ( and shareholder ) of Hibernian’s richer and much more successful, albeit younger , green and white Hoop wearing cousins from the West .
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