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It`s the easiest job in the world to be snide and critical about those who are actually doing something. What has Neesom ever done to pontificate from his ivory tower?
Yes, thanks for putting this one up. The RP race comment ‘pulled up…. dead’ is all I`ve seen on this.Seems sadly underplayed for a mare who has done so well.
Without carping at what Istabraq achieved I thought the quality of opposition in his era was very thin indeed. At least we`ve had plenty of Irish strength in depth in the last few years. ( I`m sure all of them would have beaten Theatreworld a long way for starters)
Other jumpers for HTJ? A few spring to mind.
Sweet Joe won the Sun Alliance chase for him by the length of a street on soft going. Sadly his career was cut short by injury.
Jolly`s Clump won a couple of four milers (New Years day at Cheltenham and Brooke Bond Oxo National at Warwick). He broke dowin in the Grand National when well fancied. Don`t think he ran again.
There was a modest quirky chaser called The Sundance Kid who seemed to win his fair share.
John Cherry started off OK over hurdles but was a disappointment having been a big talking horse and not really delivering.
Ian Watkinson and Smith-Eccles were main jockeys used mid to late 70`s if memory serves.
I was pleased to see him win too. Seem to remember him running creditably in a couple of novice chases that Barton contested some years back
Don’t miss Bill Smith and Jimmy Lindley, though
Not sure I`m in complete agreement PPG.
I don`t think BBC have managed to improve on these with subsequent ex-professionals ( Probably says it all about BBC or is it Sunset and Vine coverage)
‘Anything he does over hurdles is a bonus’ – trainer pitching a tale implying a big chasing type who`ll need time, fences … and proving useless at that too.
This posting seems to have unrealistic expectations of the size and quality of these early conditions chases given the dry and warm spell we`re having. Some trainers have reservations about the ground. I remember Looks Like Trouble`s tendon problems arising from the Down Royal race. As for the Charlie Hall – there may have been better renewals but on the other hand I remember Armagret winning it for Jumbo Wilkinson.
A few I`ve liked –
Flyingbolt, Lippy Louise (sublime to the ridiculous or what) and … The Pilgarlic.
Among my least favourite
Ideal Du Bois Beury and Lunch Was My Idea
All his top owners seem to have won nice enough prizes to keep them on side. Andy Stewart seemed unhappy about riding arrangements for Le Roi Miguel in the King George a few years back but haven`t heard of dissent since.
Nicholls is certainly the default choice for top class chasing types as it stands.Although he seems very straight and helpful in discussing his runners, there`s a suspicion that he may not be the most likeable of blokes though it`d be churlish to knock kim for that
A modest or unlucky season or two might change things round a bit and a lot hinges on Walsh`s continued availability.
Dr Prichard picking up a couple of hundred quid with hopelessly outclassed horses and landing the odd prize with a veteran at tasy odds
I`m a bit hazy on the memory but I`d love to see Grand Canyon (NZ) galloping a good field of chasers into the ground at Ascot in the late `70s ( might have been the SGB chase). Approaching threatened to make a race of it from about Swinley Bottom but Grand Canyon pulled majestically clear again.As usual with these things I think he finished lame.
That said there`s so many – I`d love another look at I`m a Driver and I found the Haydock victories of Twin Oaks in his GW Richards trained revival very stirring too.
Sorry to hear of the loss of this old stager. Seemed to crop up now and again at remarkable odds, SPs for his eight wins were 50s,40s,14s,6s,10s, 14s,12s,25s.
I love the variety of breeding sources in NH. I recall seeing horses from Chile, Argentina, Spain, Poland and Sweden amongst others.
I`d agree that French breds seem to have held sway for some time and as many have said they tend to peak at younger ages especially as we used to expect Irish and GB chasers to peak at about nine.Surely something`s got to give whith the spiralling prices though
I recall David Morley( 6 and 7 yr olds in handicap chases seemed odd then) and Alan Jarvis having success up to a point with quite a few French breds in the seventies. Fred Winter had Observe( certainly a horse who peaked young) and a few others but Pipe`s inspired exploitation seems to have been the catalyst.
There seems to be a burgeoning demand demand for German breds following a bit of success
Most of the trends seem to have involved the search for better value for money – I remember Mick Fitzgerald saying there was no money in Ireland in the eighties – practically everything was being sold to Britain. That`s all changed and the prices being charged look prohibitive
NZ breds don`t seem popular now although Stan Mellor ,Derek Kent, David Barons did enjoy a fair bit of success with them.Don`t suppose Guesty`s experience will signal much of a revival sadly
It wasn`t my intention to belittle Doncaster when I said I doubted its attraction as a premier venue for a ‘Classic’ 10f race.
It`s just that it`s maintained a fairly important status mainly from a traditional standing of opening and closing the season and just the odd fair quality card.
True, there`s the veneer of the new stand to give it some impetus, but if we were starting from scratch on allocation of classics to tracks I don`t think Doncaster would be in the first few.
That apart – I hope the new stand is a success and as I like the Leger, hope it gets better support
I can`t imagine that Doncaster would be seen as a premier venue to hold a top class 10f contest.If your suggestion was taken up and tradition stripped away, why not change the venue too. We`ve come this far without any classic races at 10f but class horses at this distance have plenty of opportunity in high value events.
The Leger looks poor this year but it can go in cycles – leave well alone I`d have thought.
