2022 Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle

[PresentingPercy]

We've been getting plenty of rain the last few days in Dublin and it looks like its not going to stop anytime soon. Never been so happy to wake up to miserable weather each day!

Latest update from this morning.
The ground @LeopardstownRC (Sat & Sun) remains yielding (watering continues). Mild & overcast through Tuesday & Wednesday. Light showers on Thursday, brighter day on Friday & overcast over the weekend with chance of showers overnight into Sunday.

[ToniC]

No idea how he’d see GJ get outstayed by Ginto in the lawlors and think Bartlett horse. Maybe he just wants to put the best horse in the weakest looking race. Not seen the interview

[Dandrew99]

Obviously partly my pocket talking here but I really don't see the logic in JWM Ballymore and Grand Jury AB at all. Grand Jury finished 2nd in the best Ballymore trial there is, clearly got outstayed by Ginto and was never getting to him. Stepping up in trip is going to make that gap even bigger IMO.

On the flip side you have JWM who even HDB says doesn't have the pace that Bob Olinger had. Even Minella Crooner made him look slow at the finish last time out. I really would not be interested in him in the Ballymore, but he could gallop them into submission in the Bartlett. It just seriously looks the wrong way round. Gerri Colombe looks like he could slot in as second string to either of them.

Can anyone actually make sense of it?

Just praying he sends them both to the DRF and lets them show who should go where, I'd be confident that JWM would have the beating of Grand Jury over the longer trip though.

[Ice]

I've backed ginto and jwm for any race but think both have a better chance in this, can't say i particularly fancy either in the ballymore.

[Lobos]

I'd definitely fancy JWM if he ended up in the Ballymore. It still looks likely to end up the weakest of the 3 Novice races and JWM's last run has been franked by the 2nd and 3rd winning next time. He's very likely to go off favourite if he runs on the Wednesday as long as he keeps his unbeaten run going in his final prep race.

[Istabraq]

I've backed ginto and jwm for any race but think both have a better chance in this, can't say i particularly fancy either in the ballymore.

I always assumed it was obvious that JWM would come here and the fact they now, or appear to be, give consideration to the Ballymore suggests they think he has a serious chance and it’s only 12 months since they won the race so it’s fresh in the memory of what’s needed.
It would take out a chunk of my bets but maybe it is time to believe he has the pace for a Ballymore…

[Ice]

I always assumed it was obvious that JWM would come here and the fact they now, or appear to be, give consideration to the Ballymore suggests they think he has a serious chance and it’s only 12 months since they won the race so it’s fresh in the memory of what’s needed.
It would take out a chunk of my bets but maybe it is time to believe he has the pace for a Ballymore…

You may be right ista, he could well have the pace for the ballymore but after watching him i thought he looked tailor made for this. I have been wrong on the odd occasion though !

[Exar Essay]

There was a piece on Racing TV earlier with Henry (one of those sit down interviews like they did with Willie) where he suggested Grand Jury was the AB horse. PP/Betfair reaction on oddschecker tallies with about the sort of time it aired.

I’ve just watched the interview. Hadn’t appreciated just how open Henry is about their respective targets. He literally name checks the AB for Grand Jury and the Bally for JWM. His only caveat is that it’s the way he is thinking at the moment, implying nothing is set in stone, but he seems fairly set.

He also suggests Naas more likely for JWM than Dublin.

The only way I could see it changing is if Grand Jury looks good 2f from on Saturday but fades badly.

Sorry if already reported but can’t see it anywhere and seems a game changer.

[Lobos]

If GJ ran at the DRF and failed to stay I don't see how that would affect JWM target IF that has been decided as the Ballymore.

[Exar Essay]

If GJ ran at the DRF and failed to stay I don't see how that would affect JWM target IF that has been decided as the Ballymore.

JWM’s target is the Ballymore presently. Henry states that in the interview.

Henry seems to want to split them up, thus if GJ doesn’t stay he might swap them.

[Lobos]

JWM’s target is the Ballymore presently. Henry states that in the interview.

Henry seems to want to split them up, thus if GJ doesn’t stay he might swap them.

Possibly but maybe not if it detriments JWM's chances of his best chance of winning a race at the festival.

Lots can happen yet as they both have to run and perform so best to just sit back and let it unfold. We unfortunately can't have any impact.

[ToniC]

Possibly but maybe not if it detriments JWM's chances of his best chance of winning a race at the festival.

Lots can happen yet as they both have to run and perform so best to just sit back and let it unfold. We unfortunately can't have any impact.

Agree with you here lobos, I’d not seen the interview so hadn’t realised how candid he actually had been about where he sees them.

I’ve covered for both thankfully, but he’s worth the most to me in the Bartlett, however I’ve got to say that these trainers know how hard it is to win a race at the festival. And henry doesn’t have the strength in depth that Willie or even Gordon has with his novice hurdlers. Just because GJ might look to have little chance in the Bartlett after next weekend I think it could be erroneous to assume that Henry will switch from the path he’s chosen given that one seems above the other, both in terms of reputation and what they’ve shown on track so far

[Stormez]

Well at least all the negative vibes the last 24 hours have been caused by an interview about targets & not an injury!

[Birds Nest]

This could change again if the ballymore becomes ,which i suspect it will, a lot more harder to win. We could see the likes of DD or Sir G ..or even mighty potter too going there...the albert might end up being the easiest or at least the less competitive race of the 2...

[DeeBee]

Re JWM As others have mentioned I think a lot depends on how he runs at the weekend (but more importantly IF he runs)

if he doesn’t turn up I can’t see him lining up for the AB and he’s Ballymore bound

however if he wins 2mile 6 well and is full of running at the finish then it would seem that the AB is the more obvious fit