Forum Replies Created
- Posts
This race rarely fails to produce a decent horse and could definitely see the winner jumping to the head of the Supreme Novices market.
Interesting to see both Cousin Vinny and Hurricane Fly entered. Hopefully we’ll be seeing one if not two of them out soon enough so.
Noel looks to have some nice young hurdlers as usual. Fisher Bridge and Donnas Palm have both caught the eye, and Corskeagh Royale would have most likely won at Galway the other day if he hadn’t fallen at the last.
American Trilogy is another interesting entry. Nicholls certainly seems intent on giving the trainers championship a good rattle.
Would imagine Clopf will be running in the better 2 mile chases over here. He wouldn’t be up to taking on the likes of Sizing Europe over hurdles and our 2 mile chasing division is quite weak, especially after Nickname’s retirement.
He was a horse with a massive reputation in his novice days and I remember him trouncing Aitmatov twice. He looked to me like he could have had some sort of physical problem last year as he just didn’t seem to be finishing out his races.
Had a pipe opener on the flat on Sunday in the November Handicap at Leopardstown so I imagine he’ll be running again soon enough.
Probably not as strong an entry as in recent years. Both Aitmatov and Sweet Kiln will both be hard to beat again after last years thrilling finish.
Muirhead had a big reputation heading into Cheltenham last year but things didn’t go to plan for him in the lead up to the race. It was interesting to hear Noel say on ATR today that he regrets running him.
Seems they intend to keep Kazal over hurdles now following his short lived chasing career. Definitely the right call in my opinion. Doesn’t have an awful lot to find with Kasbah Bliss and Inglis Drever on Cheltenham form last year.
Looks an fascinating race on paper if the principles turn up. Should get some idea where the Irish novices stand in relation to the English horses if either Breedsbreeze or Kicks For Free run. Would also be interesting to see if Ruby will ride for Nicholls or whether he’ll stick with Cooldine.
Could see this cutting up into a very small but select field. Cuan Na Graí and Won In The Dark are both in the Greatwood, Harchi will probably go to Newcastle and I would imagine that Noel will keep Aitmatov for the Hattons Grace rather than running against Jered.
Gaz, would be surprised if Cork All Star and Jered were to clash again. Jessie said this week that he’s going to be schooled over fences and that novice chasing is very much on the cards. Hope he jumps fences better than he jumps hurdles.
Jered has the benefit of a run but Sizing Europe will be mighty hard to beat if he reproduces his AIG form.
Hardly think my namesake will run in the Paddy Power at the ripe old age of 19. He’s no Spotthedifference. Would be a good thing off 10st3 against this lot if the race was twelve years ago though.
Great to see War Of Attrition continue on the comeback trail with an easy success in a rather facile contest at Thurles today. He’s some jumper of a fence in full flight.
Would be nice if he could develop into a realistic alternative in the Gold Cup. Would imagine either the Durkan or the Lexus will be next on the agenda if the leg is 100% in the morning.
It’s a shame really about the Curragh. The place is in dire need of a major facelift. The plans as they were though did seem to be a bit over the top. E100million for a place thats only properly full for one day a year is a bit ridiculous given the poor standard of facilities at some of the other tracks around Ireland.
Would imagine all the fixtures will be reinstated. No point in having the place lying idle all summer.
http://www.goracing.ie/Content/HRI/hriracecourses.aspx?id=580#ATRFrame
If you scroll down the left hand side of the page there’s an option to watch a video flyover of the track. Looks an absolute nightmare to ride around. Undulating, very narrow in several places and almost constantly on the turn.
Would be willing to chance Arazan again on a sounder surface myself. Didn’t seem to act on the ground at all in the National Stakes against Mastercraftsman after being backed like defeat was out of the question.
John Oxx has some very nice colts to go to war with next year. Arazan, Mourayan, Rayeni and Sea The Stars should pick up a few decent races between them.
Mullins was quoted in the RP stable tour on 20 October that Fiveforthree is proving a bit slow to come to hand. He said that the aim is to go chasing, but he is unlikely to be seen this side of Christmas. If he feels they cannot get enough chasing experience into him before Cheltenham they’ll revert to hurdles and go novice chasing next year.
Might pay to hold fire antepost on this one.
Nicholls was quoted after the Exeter race that Natal will most likely go to Punchestown for the John Durkan Memorial next so I would assume it would be unlikely to be Noland’s next port of call. The Peterborough would seem to be the most logical next race in my opinion.
Jered’s progression since the Royal Bond last year has been quite taking but I reckon he’ll need quick ground to be in the shake up. I know it was soft ground at Down Royal but if it turned into a bit of a slog up the hill, I just think he’d struggle to get to a Sizing Europe or a Katchit.
Have a small antepost interest in the horse at a decent price and while Noel’s record at the festival wouldn’t be an encouraging factor, I feel its sometimes a bit overplayed by punters and the media.
The man has had some rotten luck at Cheltenham down the years. How the judge managed to split Hill Society and Champleve in the Arkle I’ll never know. Native Dara was all over winner after the last in the Coral Cup until Whats Up Boys came from another parish to grab him. Harchi the old rogue refusing to go by Hardy in the Champion.
Its somewhat ironic that both Sausalito Bay and Nicanor both beat future Gold Cup winners in their festival wins.
Vinnie Roe always looked a rather small horse, not egsactly some of these national hunt breeders cup of tea
He wouldn’t have been a giant imposing type alright but he wouldn’t have been the smallest. He certainly took his racing well throughout his career and seemed to improve with age.
Coolmore certainly look to have some very nice NH stallion prospects on their roster. Maybe Aidan might be persuaded to take out the jumps license again to try and stop the Ditcheat domination!
Alchemist wrote:
I’d be surprised personally if MWDS wins another race.
I wouldn’t be surprised either to be honest. He really looked to have fallen out of love with the game last year. Never really been a great fan of the horse since he beat Golden Cross in the Stayers Hurdle.
He never showed the same enthusiasm for jumping last year, like he did in his fabulous Arkle performance, when he looked destined for great things over fences. Happens a lot with French breds as they get older.
Hardy’s performance in his second champion could hardly be described as useless. He was never going to let Harchibald go past and lets not forget Harchibald’s performance at Newcastle last year when he laughed at the current champion.
Hardy had a whole host of class performers in behind him that day:
Harchibald has won two Fighting Fifths, a Bula and a Christmas Hurdle.
Brave Inca won the Supreme and was a future champion. Accordion Etoile won a Greatwood and a grade one as a novice chaser. Macs Joy was a multiple grade one winner. Al Eile has won three Aintree Hurdles. Rooster Booster was a former champion. Back In Front won a Supreme Novices and a Bula. Essex won a Pierse Hurdle and a Tote Gold Trophy off 11st6. 2005 could hardly be classed as a weak renewal in my opinion.He may not have been Istabraq but it takes a bloody good horse to win at three consecutive festivals and to be placed in the next two.
