2022 Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle

[ComplyOrDie]

Yet again the Bartlett earmarked, thanks for the info Madmoose

[Cheltenham Novice Chase]

Thanks Madmoose. We also have to assume some of the winter fixtures are likely to be abandoned due to Frost/snow. Its going to be really tough for both Henry and particularly Willie getting runs into their Novices and it's sure to mess things up re their Spring targets especially Cheltenham. It might mean several missing Cheltenham altogether as they won't be ready and potentially waiting for Punchestown or even 2023 to fulfil their Novice campaigns. If they do get to the Fez then we could see a fair few fall short due to inexperience imo. Gordon and a few of the English trainers may well end up benefiting from this dry spell as theyve been lucky in getting early runs into theirs. Tough times for us punters I fear.

I don’t think they, Gordon and the English trainers, have been lucky getting runs into their horses. The weather is the same for everyone. You make your own luck. Willie just tends to bring his out later, that’s all. And the later you leave it, the more exposed you will be to external events. I’m sure the weather will come. It might mean they have to be a bit more creative with their campaigns and interestingly it might mean they have to throw multiple horses into the same races which will no bad thing.

[Winging The Last]

I don’t think they, Gordon and the English trainers, have been lucky getting runs into their horses. The weather is the same for everyone. You make your own luck. Willie just tends to bring his out later, that’s all. And the later you leave it, the more exposed you will be to external events. I’m sure the weather will come. It might mean they have to be a bit more creative with their campaigns and interestingly it might mean they have to throw multiple horses into the same races which will no bad thing.

A cynical way you could also look at it is that Willie cares more for his horses and won’t send them out till it is really soft, which is safer to jump and run on. Whereas Gordon will just send his out for the winning and the prize money at the risk of the horses

[Istabraq]

Declan Phelan, racing advisor for Robcor

Thanks, v useful update…

[Saxon Warrior]

I don’t think they, Gordon and the English trainers, have been lucky getting runs into their horses. The weather is the same for everyone. You make your own luck. Willie just tends to bring his out later, that’s all. And the later you leave it, the more exposed you will be to external events. I’m sure the weather will come. It might mean they have to be a bit more creative with their campaigns and interestingly it might mean they have to throw multiple horses into the same races which will no bad thing.

Yes it’s not that unfortunate for many, Willie starts late and then finishes late at Punchestown.

Most don’t, as UK trainers, for example, don’t plan to go on until Punchestown.

There is still around four months until the Festival, to get two or three runs in.

It could just be maybe
mid-December
mid-January
mid-February runs, or something like that.

Some race meetings will benefit more, when better horses come to their races.

[Odin]

Minella Indo pathway to Albert Bartlett:

29th December 2m 4f Maiden Hurdle Limerick (3rd)
14th February 3m Grade 3 Novice Hurdle Clonmel (2nd)
15th March 3m Grade 1 Novice Hurdle Cheltenham (1st)

Wonder if JWM will be forced down the same path?

[Saxon Warrior]

Minella Indo pathway to Albert Bartlett:

29th December 2m 4f Maiden Hurdle Limerick (3rd)
14th February 3m Grade 3 Novice Hurdle Clonmel (2nd)
15th March 3m Grade 1 Novice Hurdle Cheltenham (1st)

Wonder if JWM will be forced down the same path?

I like that.

Proves it’s possible if you’ve got a quality horse.

Also Gordon is well set with a lot of his horses having run once or twice early.

[Lobos]

Yes it’s not that unfortunate for many, Willie starts late and then finishes late at Punchestown.

Most don’t, as UK trainers, for example, don’t plan to go on until Punchestown.

There is still around four months until the Festival, to get two or three runs in.

It could just be maybe
mid-December
mid-January
mid-February runs, or something like that.

Some race meetings will benefit more, when better horses come to their races.

I was thinking that some of the Irish may also need to travel over to England for races prior to the festival to get runs in.

[ToniC]

If Gordon can run his okay then why can’t other trainers? Perfectly acceptable ground in gowran tomorrow for example. 3 weeks ago there was heavy in the description at some courses. Who knows what the weather will be doing in a weeks time. Worrying about the weather for a few weeks in November with respect to an event in the middle March would be so far down my list of priorities it would barely register, tbh, these are world class trainers, I’m sure they won’t let something as tedious as the weather derail their seasons

[OscarWhisky]

Declan Phelan, racing advisor for Robcor

That is incredibly useful info. As it all but confirms the plan is AB with JFM

[Craigy14]

A cynical way you could also look at it is that Willie cares more for his horses and won’t send them out till it is really soft, which is safer to jump and run on. Whereas Gordon will just send his out for the winning and the prize money at the risk of the horses

I’d say mentioning that is just a bit wide of the mark however you want to look at it. He’s there to win prize money for his owners and himself to function.

Gordon has his horses out the same time every year and this year is no different.

What he did last year was stupid and distasteful but I think trying to pin anything on the guy for doing his job, cynically or not, isn’t very fair.

[Quevega]

I’d say mentioning that is just a bit wide of the mark however you want to look at it. He’s there to win prize money for his owners and himself to function.

Gordon has his horses out the same time every year and this year is no different.

What he did last year was stupid and distasteful but I think trying to pin anything on the guy for doing his job, cynically or not, isn’t very fair.

Agreed.

And Willie will have runners in the next few days, they probably just won't be the most valuable, and/or they will be horses he knows are sound enough to handle conditions.

[Rooster Booster]

Agreed.

And Willie will have runners in the next few days, they probably just won't be the most valuable, and/or they will be horses he knows are sound enough to handle conditions.

Hopefully the latter right as the former implies less valuable horses are ok to take the risk with? Which I presume was not your point?

[Quevega]

Hopefully the latter right as the former implies less valuable horses are ok to take the risk with? Which I presume was not your point?

I meant a bit of both. But like to think it's more the second.
It;s a tough one.

I think Willie back tracked himself when he talked about it. And justified running other horses because of breeding. I beleive he's running horses that probably are unlikely to be grade 1 spring festival winners and so if they get sore or hurt then it's not as much of an issue.

It's about knowledge and lack of knowledge also of a horses ability not to just run fast on the ground, cos I don't think that's the concern, but not get hurt or sore, especially when you have other mid and long term targets for some.

But the more valuable an asset the more likely you are to protect it when you can, until you need to maximise it's value. Like running on good ground in Spring.
It's the opposite of not wearing your best shoes when you know you've got to walk over a muddy field.

[Rooster Booster]

I meant a bit of both. But like to think it's more the second.
It;s a tough one.

I think Willie back tracked himself when he talked about it. And justified running other horses because of breeding. I beleive he's running horses that probably are unlikely to be grade 1 spring festival winners and so if they get sore or hurt then it's not as much of an issue.

It's about knowledge and lack of knowledge also of a horses ability not to just run fast on the ground, cos I don't think that's the concern, but not get hurt or sore, especially when you have other mid and long term targets for some.

But the more valuable an asset the more likely you are to protect it when you can, until you need to maximise it's value. Like running on good ground in Spring.
It's the opposite of not wearing your best shoes when you know you've got to walk over a muddy field.

Yes it’s a tough one. It’s easy to overreact to current weather conditions however it’s not unreasonable imo to think this may become more commonplace moving forward and the connections of horses and the industry as a whole needs to figure out its stance and trainers need to start thinking carefully about how they articulate their reasoning for running / not running horses as without a clear well thought out strategy this could easily go tits up....eg a high profile trainer accidentally implying that low rated horses do not deserve the same care and protection as higher ratedhorses. There are many just waiting to pounce and seize an opportunity.