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People are always in a hurry to go chasing, and it doesn't look like any of the good novices are sticking around for a crack at this again. Just the juveniles and they always disappoint.
I'd have loved to have seen Ferny Hollow held back a season for this.
Completely agree (and yes - this is pocket talking!! )
He has a chase entry over the weekend but it only take a fall (god-forbid) or a lack of jumping ability for them to change their mind.
(Different owner/trainer combo, but it's been done with Buveur D'air fairly recently.)
People are always in a hurry to go chasing, and it doesn't look like any of the good novices are sticking around for a crack at this again. Just the juveniles and they always disappoint.
I'd have loved to have seen Ferny Hollow held back a season for this.
I did notice Ballyadam has an entry in the Matheson hurdle. Not for a minute saying that he'd give Honeysuckle anything to think about, but he was probably one of the better novices last season, and looks like the Novice Chase plan has gone down the toilet.
I did notice Ballyadam has an entry in the Matheson hurdle. Not for a minute saying that he'd give Honeysuckle anything to think about, but he was probably one of the better novices last season, and looks like the Novice Chase plan has gone down the toilet.
Can anyone realistically see him having it in him to even place here? Personally think he's more likely to be a handicapper.
Champion hurdle is obviously pretty weak in numbers, but i just think he's miles off it.
I did notice Ballyadam has an entry in the Matheson hurdle. Not for a minute saying that he'd give Honeysuckle anything to think about, but he was probably one of the better novices last season, and looks like the Novice Chase plan has gone down the toilet.
I'd say he won a couple of weak races early on and then made so many race ending mistakes after that that ultimately cost him any chance in any other race.
Firstly I don't think he's near good enough, and secondly he has to massively improve on his hurdling. Neither granted, given how disrespectful of a fence he was too. He clearly thinks he can jump through anything.
Obviously very early to speculate, but watching Jonbon the other day, he gave me a visual impression of a likely candidate for staying hurdling.
But that’s another season away, and that’s how desperate I am!!
Obviously very early to speculate, but watching Jonbon the other day, he gave me a visual impression of a likely candidate for staying hurdling.
But that’s another season away, and that’s how desperate I am!!
Well he wears the right colours for it that's for sure, JP loves a Champion Hurdle horse...
Can anyone realistically see him having it in him to even place here? Personally think he's more likely to be a handicapper.
Champion hurdle is obviously pretty weak in numbers, but i just think he's miles off it.
I don't disagree, he'd be of zero interest for me personally. I was just pointing out that he was one of the better novices last season, and it seems he is staying hurdling. Appreciate It aside, he wouldn't be far off the best of a bad bunch.
I think the Mares races plan/programme has worked and now everyone can see they are worth buying and racing, and with the allowance or even without in the handicaps they are very competitive if not better. So no need to segregate at the festival I reckon.
So all the mares races could now be scrapped at the festival IMO.
This would help us all stomach a mid trip Championship race for hurdlers.
especially with the limits on novices in handicaps I previously suggested.
I'd probably place a limit on the open handicaps too at about 155 (maybe 160), forcing horses rated higher to run in graded races. Where they should be.
In industries like this. They'll never rip it up and start again, but they should.
A man after my own heart! I was talking to a racing mad friend at the weekend and discussing what the festival should look like. I was struggling to fill 3 days...
I'd got rid of novice chases (other than their own handicaps), the bumper, the Ryanair, all Mare's races and hadn't even started to think about the Fred Winter
Can anyone realistically see him having it in him to even place here? Personally think he's more likely to be a handicapper.
Champion hurdle is obviously pretty weak in numbers, but i just think he's miles off it.
He's a difficult horse to weight up because before he even saw a racecourse he was hyped to to the hills from a very trustworthy judge so I think everyone is waiting for that 'wow' performance.
Handicaps are an option, probably more so in Ireland than here as you can't imagine the UK 'capper letting him near Cheltenham sub 150, he may well be one for a long term plan, hack around for a year working a mark for 2023, but I agree I can't see him winning an open G1...
A man after my own heart! I was talking to a racing mad friend at the weekend and discussing what the festival should look like. I was struggling to fill 3 days...
I'd got rid of novice chases (other than their own handicaps), the bumper, the Ryanair, all Mare's races and hadn't even started to think about the Fred Winter
What you’re describing doesn’t sound dissimilar to a certain event about 5 weeks prior, just the British trainers never bother showing up for it
I think I must be in the minority in that I find the 28 race festival about right… I must admit I’m not old enough to remember it being 3 days, but the thought wouldn’t appeal. Not enough time to enjoy it IMO. There are tweaks I’d make and one or two races I wouldn’t miss if they went but I wouldn’t do much personally with the current lineup if I had the option
What you’re describing doesn’t sound dissimilar to a certain event about 5 weeks prior, just the British trainers never bother showing up for it
I think I must be in the minority in that I find the 28 race festival about right… I must admit I’m not old enough to remember it being 3 days, but the thought wouldn’t appeal. Not enough time to enjoy it IMO. There are tweaks I’d make and one or two races I wouldn’t miss if they went but I wouldn’t do much personally with the current lineup if I had the option
It does sound very familiar
I'm only 30 so can't remember a 3 day festival either. The conversation I was having was about the jumps season as a whole being very poor. He was similar to you and wouldn't change the festival, but I don't think I could expect to tell smaller tracks that they're losing their main grade 3 race to improve the program while keeping a 4 day festival.
The one good thing about the current festival lineup is that there are plenty of races each day where I can drift off to the bar and enjoy my drink without having to down it...
The joy of life is that everyone is different. Some people think it is all about the grade 1 races and handicaps don't have a place. The novice handicap was one of my favourite races of the week and I was gutted when they got rid of it. I'd happily have got rid of the Marsh instead.
We could see Honeysuckle dominate this for another few years. Noticed on Twitter Peter Moloney replied to somebody that she will not go chasing ever now as his heart wouldn’t stand seeing her over a fence.
Monmiral picked up a nasty cut in Fighting Fifth. Won't be seen again until January at the earliest. Aintree Hurdle potential target then chasing next Autumn.
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