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I can’t speak for "owners" generally, but will say that the most important thing to consider is the long term wellfare of the horse and so making sure they come home safe is important…
Beyond that, the only time you want them to be given a hard time by the jockey is when they are in danger of winning and need encouragement!
If they’re not going to win, why flog em
last time he ran in a big field with a true pace (Triumph Hurdle) he found improvement of 15+lb on his previous best…
if he did that this year…?.
he loves big fields, wants a true test and loves Cheltenham – what’s not to fancy?
OK… I’m back from Wincanton and not at all surprised to see the mixed views on today… but didn’t the boy do well?!
tough race on a track better suited to a speed horse like Blythe Knight but Katchit is back to his best and we’re going to Cheltenham with a real chance! He’s as fit as a fiddle, jumped brilliantly again and despite having to go early to keep the pace up found more than BK could muster
I’ve said it before (although never with this much booze inside me) the others (Harchibald excluded) have only run to a better mark than us once! We’re regularly running to 159+ not 135 then a 170… I think they have to run to their best – if they do they’ll beat us.. not on their best form or have a bad run and they’ll be behind us – first 3 calls
yes I am a little drunk
Regarding tomorrow, the horse is on a hiding to nothing – if he doesn’t win impressively then he will be written off and if he does then he will have done no more than is to be expected IF he has genuine Champion Hurdle pretensions.
That’s exactly what we think – at least with Straw Bear in we might have been able to prove or disprove credentials to some extent
Also agree with your comments regarding Alan King – he hasn’t offered any excuses other than he’s running well against bigger stronger horses.
I might be clutching at straws with comment about not feeling he’s been as fit as he was last year and I’ve often wondered whether the slight lack of fluency over hurdles compared to last year is a result of being put under pressure by the bigger horses where that really didn’t happen last year – who knows?
I continue to feel it harsh though that he’s so easily written off as not being able to cope with the bigger horses when he’s beaten Sublimity, Afsoun, Straw Bear, Blythe Knight. It seems OK for them to have excuses but we’re not open to improvement nor will anyone accept that previous races weren’t quite to his best
I’ve thought more about it Charlie, and yep, Katchit still easily and comprehensively beat Afsoun – and Straw Bear (who I believe was your selection for the CH – am I right?)
Mike
Ok Mikky and no your not right – I think i stated Afsoun is a good horse and has the ability of placing in CH when he don’t throw it away before race . Just like he showed in last years CH, just like he showed in Contenders Hurdle, just like he showed in Ascot Hurdle, just like he showed in Fighting Fifth
Er – Afsoun didn’t run in the fighting fifth and never has…
they won’t all run to their best because they don’t always run to their best
No they don’t, but to think they won’t run near their best in a race they have as their main target is clutching at straws imo
clutching at Straws like Straw Bear or Detroit City last year?
Are you sure Franchoek will run in the Triumph? I’m not………The Sun Alliance is cutting up badly and if Binocular shows he has improved from his first run I think AP could order the switch and try and take both races…..Incidentally I also think Binocular is the more likely to be a star in future 2 mile hurdle races than Franchoek. I could see him becoming a World Hurdle horse or very good chaser in the future.
Sorry to get off the subject
There are lots of rumours about the Triumph not being the target but Alan King still maintains that’s where he’s going (until instructed otherwise)
I think that both Binocular and Group Captain look like the most exciting two milers to emerge this season – Celestial Halo could be good too
Much depend on how Good is Franchoek in comparison to Katchit at his best………would he be 20 lengths better than Katchit?
I think this years front 2 could be exceptional horses but Katchit is a year older and hopefully is nearing peak fitness……..I can’t even begin to imagine this horse getting within striking distance of Katchit……we’ll see tomorrow…….
of course they’re both from the same stable and all we can get Alan to do answer the question by saying they’re very different – Katchit is quicker but Franchoek is an out and out stayer
Of course Katchit is the top 2m hurdler in the yard but when Franchoek is a year older it might be different – Lemon Silk would have to find improvement that would make him a sure thing for the Triumph to beat Katchit right now.
Let’s hope I don’t live to regret that last point
How close we’ll go will depend on how well each of SE, Harchibald, Osana and Sublimity run and I don’t believe that they’ll all run to their best which I think they need to do
Don’t know what makes you think those horses won’t run to their best. Also why are you not including last years CH third Afsoun in the list or the other horse that finished ahead of Katchit at Newcastle
Katchit has ALL these horses and possibly a couple more to beat
the other horse that you refer to was Al Eile who you’re right about us fearing – however won’t be running in the Champion but will instead be going to Aintree
they won’t all run to their best because they don’t always run to their best – I don’t think Harchibald could be regarded as consistent despite brilliance when on form; Sublimity is fragile and has only shown top class capability once.
Both Osana and Sizing Europe have proven that they have top class ability, but like Sublimity have to prove repeatability – ORs for the two are 148 and 143 respectively and in terms of RPR only the last run for either of these two puts them anywhere near CH quality (albeit that last run has them miles ahead of us). I’m not saying that we’re better so please don’t use that argument against me – my point is that there are plenty of horses (including us) that have got to run their race to be in the frame and we are consistently competitiveI can’t see anyway on earth that he can win the case in the way he hopes to.
I’m not familiar with the laws / rules placed upon the betting industry but would expect that there will be some ruling that gives the business a fine for failings in their management controls
the points made previously about precedent being set and implications for other industries (alcohol, fast food etc) mean that it’s hard to believe that the legal system could allow him to abdicate responsibility for his own habit to others
the compensation culture in the UK hasn’t really been allowed to take off in the way the press claims it has, or the way it has in the US where people sue for almost anything to great effect in poorest areas (insurance companies don’t fight claims in certain areas because they get hammered every time they go to court – its seen as a way to get people off state dependency)
let’s hope that when they try to get him to go to rehab he doesn’t say NO NO NO!
We’ll be close!
How close we’ll go will depend on how well each of SE, Harchibald, Osana and Sublimity run and I don’t believe that they’ll all run to their best which I think they need to do
Katchit,
On this season’s evidence, being able to work with My Way De Solzen doesn’t sound like a recommendation!
Reminds me of Jim Old preparing Mole Board for the Champion Hurdle and telling the press that he’d worked well with a stable companion called Cradle Of Jazz in a racecourse gallop. Cradle Of Jazz was a lowly rated hurdler with a losing run as long as Quixall Crosset, so nobody was that impressed.
AP
can’t disagree with the sentiment of your point – but MWDS hasn’t suddenly become a bad horse and all I’m trying to say is that when it comes to the quality of Ks work at home, it’s improved again
this is my favourite thread ever!!! (and I’m now inclined to include MickMo and FOF as my new best friends)
I’ve said repeatedly that Alan has been taking his time with Katchit this year, whether he’s run to his mark in his races this year is neither here nor there when it comes to his fitness and him demonstrating his best
Tomorrow there can be no excuses
The most telling thing for me (and this comment is bound to attract knockers), is Katchit’s training at home.
Last season as he progressed he worked his way through the pecking order until he was working with My Way (apparently the fastest horse in the yard)… when we went to Newcastle he was no longer working with My Way because he was struggling… he’s back working with MW again and Alan thinks we’re ready with him – ergo he’s up to a level now that should see him looking well, travelling well and with plenty left in the tank at the end
The only possible fly in the ointment is Ameretto Rose as far as I can see, she may well have improved since last year but by how much
everything else should be a distance away
As for the CH, we still think we have a live contender, genuinely believe that we can reverse the form on Osana, and will have to see whether Sublimity, Sizing Europe and Harchibald can get up the hill quicker than us!
BY the way – if we get beaten tomorrow I’ll gonna have to join another forum
Looks like a pretty standard entry for it to me. Can’t think the last time anything great ran it, guessing Hors La Loi was last horse to go on and win the Champion. Bit surprise Straw Bear is running seeing as his trainer said on Boxing Day he might go straight to Cheltenham yet that will be his second run since. Maybe they just pot collecting as he has no chance in the Champion.
Straw Bear isn’t running – announced today… obviously realised that they couldn’t win the race and don’t want to break the horses heart so close to Cheltenham!
Too many to pick only a favourite but…
Champion Hurdle
Fred Winter
Arkle
World Hurdle
Triumph Hurdle
Gold Cup…oh sod it… all of em! What a great week and it’s only a month away!
