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Anyone know what happened to Douze Douze?
He had a number of spells off the track with leg problems, and is presumably now retired. A shame, as he could have achieved a great deal – I remember him annihilating Sleeping Night once in one of the most extraordinary performances I have seen on a racecourse. Unfortunately his jumping left a bit to be desired and he simply could not act right-handed, hence a series of disappointing performances here.
At this point I would rather back Armaturk than Far From Trouble though, I think he would get a bit further round the course.  Horses with just six starts over fences do not win Grand Nationals.
(Edited by Kifill at 11:27 pm on Feb. 16, 2007)
Yes, if he either does not stay the trip or is one of those strange beasts who dislikes the undulations at Cheltenham.
Quote: from Stormont on 7:25 pm on Feb. 10, 2007[br]Quicker ground would be a no no for me, quicker ground plus bigger field = Kauto Star making a few mistakes too many.
If he had made the mistakes he made in the KG and today at Cheltenham he would have been on the floor, those fences are very stiff, they won’t take much of that.
If he puts in a good round of jumping he should win, but i don’t think he will put in a good round especially with a quicker pace and more runners. Jumping has always seemed to be an issue for him and you can’t usually win a Gold Cup with an average jumper when the race is hotting up.<br>
It is, I think, a myth that the Gold Cup provides a particulary severe jumping test – the likes of Dawn Run, Imperial Call, Master Oats and Mr Mulligan went into their Gold Cups after demonstrating alarming jumping frailties, but managed to cope when it mattered. Some with a similar history do not cope, Barton Bank for instance, and I suspect much depends on how the horse is settled and is ridden on the day, and whether the race unfolds in a suitable way.
Anyone else bemused by Mordin’s ravings about Mid Dancer?
I have some difficulty with the idea he achieved some kind of remarkable time whilst contriving to have six of his seven opponents finish within 14 lengths on heavy ground.
For example:
"If Beef or Salmon is running on soft ground in a small field, back him, if not, don’t"
How do you qualify a horse for the Pardubicka? (just asking out of curiosity).
There is something about names in English for Czech horses that makes me laugh, I am not quite sure why, perhaps because they are unlikely names for a horse bred here, but Retriever is a fine example.
Can’t recall seeing footage of hordes of British muslims demanding justice for their fellow muslims in Iraq back then.
There were Iraqi exiles of my acquaintance who did just that, back in the 1980s. They were largely ignored by the media at the time, as it risked annoying an ally who was a very profitable source of weapons sales.
I think there was a period in the 80s/90s when the Gold Cup itself might have fallen into that category.
Cormack
A good idea for a minimum rating, though if memory serves Astonville was rated over 140 when running at the Festival last year.
Though they have deteriorated considerably, both horses would have made legitimate contenders in their youth – Astonville would probably have rated something over 150 whilst I remember seeing Turnium upsides First Gold when falling in a Group 2 a few years back.
Saw the Fall at the weekend, the current lineup does a fine live act and is surprisingly danceable, though they remain as incomprehensible as ever.
Quote: from Ian Davies on 10:06 pm on Nov. 18, 2004[br]I obeyed a lot of laws I disagreed with 1979-1997 and, given it’s taken this government seven years to come up with a law which really gets up your nose if you’re a rural Tory, I’d say on balance you’ve got off pretty lightly. :biggrin: (Edited by Ian Davies at 10:22 pm on Nov. 18, 2004)<br>
They were mildly annoyed by the lamb-burning nonsense a few years ago if memory serves.
I had a particular fondness for the old rogue, and it’s sad he didn’t have a longer retirement.
I’ll remember him for the picture the Racing Post took of him winning the Mackeson, blinkered and looking for all the world like one of the Horses of the Apocalypse.
