2021 Ballymore Novices Hurdle

[Saxon Warrior]

Over the moon with that today.

The reason I found this forum was in the summer searching for news on Bob Olinger on google and this forum came up - I absolutely loved him from day 1, and this would be my first real year antepost betting to a bit of a decent stake - so Bob is currently a 200 point winner for me in the Ballymore, great when you think you've seen a real good one and it turns out to be true. I think my first post on here was about him probably (can Kev find that?!)

Like a chesire cat here, the dream lives on!

Bob Olinger looks like he would motor up the Cheltenham Hill.

[charlie]

Not sure about that. The top two in the Supreme (148p and 147p) are both rated well above the top two in the Ballymore (141p and 136p) by Timeform for example (will probably still be true after Bob Olinger's 136p is reassessed). You have your Brit v Irish clash for those that like it, and you have the likes of Third Time Lucki, Boothill and possibly My Drogo in the wings too. Not to mention the possibility of Ballyadam bouncing back.

Bravemansgame is +7 to 150

[charlie]

Over the moon with that today.

The reason I found this forum was in the summer searching for news on Bob Olinger on google and this forum came up - I absolutely loved him from day 1, and this would be my first real year antepost betting to a bit of a decent stake - so Bob is currently a 200 point winner for me in the Ballymore, great when you think you've seen a real good one and it turns out to be true. I think my first post on here was about him probably (can Kev find that?!)

Like a chesire cat here, the dream lives on!

Lovely story OverTheLast, that's an excellent position to be in. Have you covered Bravemansgame? He's a proper horse and by far the biggest danger at the moment to your win

[Ray]

Yeh i get that on ratings the supreme looks like itll be an ok race, but lets have it right it looks like appreciate it should run away with it!

[charlie]

Yeh i get that on ratings the supreme looks like itll be an ok race, but lets have it right it looks like appreciate it should run away with it!

At the moment that's the way it looks. Never straight forward with Willie though. AI has sort of fallen into the Supreme, I don't think it was every the main plan, so if something emerges that looks seriously decent which is always a possibility with WPM, they could go back up in trip. Bravemansgame vs Bob Olinger vs Appreciate It would be such a good race to watch, but Willie knows they are waiting in the wings so why complicate it. Stick to 2m and probably win the supreme

[Ray]

It really has been slow to catch fire this year..it started off a bit paifully in november when mullins had his novices running poorly and not much else had happened, but as it all starts to take shape now its more exciting..i just hope we get a chance to see it happen! Im looking forward to the DRF thats for sure

[ComplyOrDie]

Can't see Appreciate It going anywhere but Supreme now. He'll probably run in the Chanelle Pharma at the DRF. He's been nothing short of a weapon at that track in his 3 runs to date, and I'd expect it to be business as usual for him there in that race.

[Moby123]

Bravemansgame is +7 to 150

That's the horse's Official Rating not the Timeform figure Charlie.

Ray.......Metier can certainly put it up to Appreciate It - no more a one horse race than the Ballymore for me.

[Ray]

Surely the official is more accurate then the timeform and what most people go on? Im certainly not arguing with you, i hope its a good race by all means! But the ballymore looks a more classy affair thats for sure

[Moby123]

Surely the official is more accurate then the timeform and what most people go on? Im certainly not arguing with you, i hope its a good race by all means! But the ballymore looks a more classy affair thats for sure

Agreed. I only used Timeform simply because I could access a figure for all 4 horses. It will be interesting to see in a few years which race proves to have been the classiest.

[Kevloaf]

Over the moon with that today.

The reason I found this forum was in the summer searching for news on Bob Olinger on google and this forum came up - I absolutely loved him from day 1, and this would be my first real year antepost betting to a bit of a decent stake - so Bob is currently a 200 point winner for me in the Ballymore, great when you think you've seen a real good one and it turns out to be true. I think my first post on here was about him probably (can Kev find that?!)

Like a chesire cat here, the dream lives on!

Haha, since the upgrade it's harder to find original posts.... but I do remember you telling me that's why you'd found the place.

I could do with you spreading that all over twitter - when he wins of course.

[Appreciate It]

Bob Olinger is my main play in the Ballymore, and I have some of the fancier prices that were available in the Summer, so I'm certainly a fan. However, I'm surprised that yesterday's performance has won such universal acclaim on here. Obviously winning a grade 1 so emphatically has to be encouraging, but to my eye, this was hardly a breathtaking performance.

On all known form, Blue Lord is nowhere near G1 class. He was pulling Townend's arms out the whole way round, and yet he's still finished second. In a grade 1. The form is just awful and in many respects I'm very disappointed that Bob Olinger didn't win easier than he did. His turn of foot was, to my eye, not electric, and once he got clear, he didn't really extend his advantage further. Whilst Rachel didn't give him the kitchen sink, she didn't really ease him down either.

I would absolutely love Bobby O to be a superstar. He may yet prove to be. But in my view, yesterday's race told us very little and I think the significant price cut is wholly unwarranted.

[Rhinestone_Cowboy]

Bob Olinger is my main play in the Ballymore, and I have some of the fancier prices that were available in the Summer, so I'm certainly a fan. However, I'm surprised that yesterday's performance has won such universal acclaim on here. Obviously winning a grade 1 so emphatically has to be encouraging, but to my eye, this was hardly a breathtaking performance.

On all known form, Blue Lord is nowhere near G1 class. He was pulling Townend's arms out the whole way round, and yet he's still finished second. In a grade 1. The form is just awful and in many respects I'm very disappointed that Bob Olinger didn't win easier than he did. His turn of foot was, to my eye, not electric, and once he got clear, he didn't really extend his advantage further. Whilst Rachel didn't give him the kitchen sink, she didn't really ease him down either.

I would absolutely love Bobby O to be a superstar. He may yet prove to be. But in my view, yesterday's race told us very little and I think the significant price cut is wholly unwarranted.

It was a shame Ashdale Bob crashed out early as I tend to agree I’m not sure you’d want to be hanging your coat on yesterday’s form. I also backed him in the summer and of course when you are on at a good price and they win a grade 1 in the run up to the Festival it’s hard not to get excited. But I agree with your words of caution, there’s still 9 long weeks to go and I’ll be surprised if this ends up just being the two horse shoot out many are predicting.

[ComplyOrDie]

Bob Olinger is my main play in the Ballymore, and I have some of the fancier prices that were available in the Summer, so I'm certainly a fan. However, I'm surprised that yesterday's performance has won such universal acclaim on here. Obviously winning a grade 1 so emphatically has to be encouraging, but to my eye, this was hardly a breathtaking performance.

On all known form, Blue Lord is nowhere near G1 class. He was pulling Townend's arms out the whole way round, and yet he's still finished second. In a grade 1. The form is just awful and in many respects I'm very disappointed that Bob Olinger didn't win easier than he did. His turn of foot was, to my eye, not electric, and once he got clear, he didn't really extend his advantage further. Whilst Rachel didn't give him the kitchen sink, she didn't really ease him down either.

I would absolutely love Bobby O to be a superstar. He may yet prove to be. But in my view, yesterday's race told us very little and I think the significant price cut is wholly unwarranted.

I don't wholly disagree, as I was dead against Blue Lord, but I'll hold my hands up and say I completely got him wrong, as he still finished ahead of some fair types.

On his turn of foot, I think we'll see this to best effect on better ground, anything other than Heavy, that is. The bonus with Bob Olinger, IMO, is that he has that turn of foot, if required, but he also stays very well, so could win whichever way the race is run, it will just depend on his overall ability and whether he ends up being good enough. I'd have little excuse, as long as it isn't a bog.

[DenmanSacre]

You may not think the form is worth much, but the time was pretty good.

Timing from the first hurdle of the handicap hurdle at 3.20 and the same hurdle in the BO race, they've gone roughly 10 seconds quicker (despite racing a furlong further).

Handicap was win by 12 lengths by a horse rated 114. 10 seconds is around 40 to 45 lengths so if we assume at the minimum that the winner of the handicap hurdler has run to her rating, you are looking at a mid to high 150 figure for BO.

Like Energumene, the time figure was much better than the comparative races.

Naas has a difficult finishing straight and people said the same last year about Envoi Allen not looking impressive in winning the same race.