General Chat

[Lobos]

Pendulum swing back in the direction of conflated going for the XC? The best schooler he’s ever seen..

Need him to run poorly in Savilles Chase for him to go XCC. Quite likely though.

[Carnage at Taunton]

See no reason why he should not run another big race in the Savills.
Then I think they should have another go at the Ryanair, GC just beyond him on last season evidence

[Bonjers]

It's laughable that multiple G1 winning horses can even run it, let alone off level weights

There is absolutely no prospect whatsoever that horses of that calibre would be running in that race if it was still a handicap in March.

When the X-Country is more desirable than other graded races, in the calender ust because of the Cheltenham factor, the game is in big trouble.

Your G1 horse isn't quite up to that standard anymore? There's no shame in that, but can I introduce you to G2 races?

Its entirely conceivable that Gordon rocks up in 2025 with Gerri, Galvin, Conflated and Delta Work in the bloody X-Country.

[Lobos]

Thank you Mick.

[HesTheOne]

Yea it’s a shitty option but I don’t hate the idea of it either. The likes of Conflated and Minella Indo turning out in this adds something to it rather then just DW thumping spuds 40L. They aren’t improving horses and they aren’t winning gold cups either of them. It’s not a bad path for the tail end of their careers.

Two cents. It’s like deciding to go for bingo with the elders on a sat night instead of heading down to scrap the young fellas in the local.

[Kautostar]

I actually quite like it tbh. It’s like a veterans chase for gold cup horses that aren’t good enough to win a gold cup anymore. I’d be less interested if it was a hcap. It’s a good grand national trial too, let the old boys have their race.

[riccirich]

Yea it’s a shitty option but I don’t hate the idea of it either. The likes of Conflated and Minella Indo turning out in this adds something to it rather then just DW thumping spuds 40L. They aren’t improving horses and they aren’t winning gold cups either of them. It’s not a bad path for the tail end of their careers.

Two cents. It’s like deciding to go for bingo with the elders on a sat night instead of heading down to scrap the young fellas in the local.

Nobody cares who wins the bingo though, it's just a social event and an excuse to get out of the house. At least if you go down to the local and get battered people will have some respect for you, like he's out of his depth but at least he's giving it a go. And if you die you go down swinging with a smile on your face, a good death.

[RoadToCheltenham]

Anyone on here with a paid The Irish Field subscription? If yes, can you drop me a private message please. Thanks, RTC

[Captain Chris]

I actually quite like it tbh. It’s like a veterans chase for gold cup horses that aren’t good enough to win a gold cup anymore. I’d be less interested if it was a hcap. It’s a good grand national trial too, let the old boys have their race.

I guess it depends on what one defines as not good enough. 3rd in the race last year, won a grade 1 less than 12 months ago and just beaten 1 length in another despite it being the wrong way round. If Conflated is ducking it, then we may as well just have Galopin running round on his own. Grade 1 horses should run in grade 1 races imo. The XC has been ruined since being converted from a handicap. I didn't find today's race overly enthralling, but at least there could be a reasonable discussion on who wins it. In March, Elliott will and it'll be his horses 30 lengths clear of the rest

[Brooksie]

I actually quite like it tbh. It’s like a veterans chase for gold cup horses that aren’t good enough to win a gold cup anymore. I’d be less interested if it was a hcap. It’s a good grand national trial too, let the old boys have their race.

I'm with you on this, there's so much hate for the cross country chase...I really don't get it. The whole game began racing church to church jumping banks, ditches, brooks, streams and god knows what else. Zero problem with ex gold cup horses like delta work, galvin and minella indo taking these types of races in, especially if they're enjoying the change of pace. Realistically the alternative is getting detached in a gold cup and being pulled up down the back, or worse coming down and bringing something down that had a genuine chance. Completely agree, let them have their race.

[Carnage at Taunton]

I guess it depends on what one defines as not good enough. 3rd in the race last year, won a grade 1 less than 12 months ago and just beaten 1 length in another despite it being the wrong way round. If Conflated is ducking it, then we may as well just have Galopin running round on his own. Grade 1 horses should run in grade 1 races imo. The XC has been ruined since being converted from a handicap. I didn't find today's race overly enthralling, but at least there could be a reasonable discussion on who wins it. In March, Elliott will and it'll be his horses 30 lengths clear of the rest

Yep, a yawn fest for me now.
At least with the time it takes, can go sit in the garden and light up a Cuban…….hopefully it won’t be raining!!
Then back indoors for a proper race.

[Kautostar]

I guess it depends on what one defines as not good enough. 3rd in the race last year, won a grade 1 less than 12 months ago and just beaten 1 length in another despite it being the wrong way round. If Conflated is ducking it, then we may as well just have Galopin running round on his own. Grade 1 horses should run in grade 1 races imo. The XC has been ruined since being converted from a handicap. I didn't find today's race overly enthralling, but at least there could be a reasonable discussion on who wins it. In March, Elliott will and it'll be his horses 30 lengths clear of the rest

Conflated isn’t going to win the gold cup though is he? I don’t see anything wrong in giving these horses a realistic race they can win. I know conflated isn’t really a back number but a year older he’s unlikely to better his gold cup third. There’s plenty of novices that come through the ranks each season to fill the void of the older generation running in the xc. I’d rather watch Galvin, delta work, minella indo and conflated run against each other than just be in the gold cup to make up the numbers.

[Carnage at Taunton]

I'm with you on this, there's so much hate for the cross country chase...I really don't get it. The whole game began racing church to church jumping banks, ditches, brooks, streams and god knows what else. Zero problem with ex gold cup horses like delta work, galvin and minella indo taking these types of races in, especially if they're enjoying the change of pace. Realistically the alternative is getting detached in a gold cup and being pulled up down the back, or worse coming down and bringing something down that had a genuine chance. Completely agree, let them have their race.

When they get old enough that it kind of equals out, maybe, but Conflated has just ran the Gold Cup much fancied 2nd fav to a length.

Should be in the Ryanair imo

[HesTheOne]

Nobody cares who wins the bingo though, it's just a social event and an excuse to get out of the house. At least if you go down to the local and get battered people will have some respect for you, like he's out of his depth but at least he's giving it a go. And if you die you go down swinging with a smile on your face, a good death.

[Bonjers]

These horses have a multitude of races they can run in and win. Conflated won a bloody Savills 11 months ago!

If they're going to keep allowing these types to drop, at least introduce a qualification limitation like the Foxhunters so anything with a G1 win in the preceeding season is excluded.

The 'problem' is that those races aren't in that four day period in March. When the prospect of a place in the Gold Cup is less attractive than winning the X-Country, you're in bother.

When does it stop? If Conflated takes the route, Gordon will have sent 4/6 of his highest rated horses he's ever trained down the X-Country route. That's insane.