MARTIN PIPE Conditionals Handicap Hurdle 2021

[Carnage at Taunton]

Have added Power of Pause for this at 25/1 with bet365 and the cashout. A mark of 136 looks ideal. Connections already have Appreciate It so the Supreme would seem very unlikely... which leaves the Ballymore or this. From what we've seen, I'm not sure he's quite up to the Ballymore, but 136 should still underestimate his ability. The intermediate trip should suit him well.

Backed him for supreme, but like the idea of this race and managed to get a boost to 28 nrnb.
cheers catch.

[ComplyOrDie]

Decided to have a look at this market through this morning, and I have this nagging feeling that Column Of Fire could somehow make it back here.

Returning horses to the race have an OK record I believe and being top weighted would not be a negative, 3 out of the 12 winners of the race have carried top weight, with other winners carrying near top weight too.

Does anyone remember if Column Of Fire got an entry over here this season and if so what his rating was at the time? As I vaguely remember something but can't seem to find it.

He's 145 in Ireland, so assume he gets beat tomorrow, there is the potential of a 1lb or 2 off that, then it would be in the hands of the UK handicapper.

[Dandrew99]

Decided to have a look at this market through this morning, and I have this nagging feeling that Column Of Fire could somehow make it back here.

Returning horses to the race have an OK record I believe and being top weighted would not be a negative, 3 out of the 12 winners of the race have carried top weight, with other winners carrying near top weight too.

Does anyone remember if Column Of Fire got an entry over here this season and if so what his rating was at the time? As I vaguely remember something but can't seem to find it.

He's 145 in Ireland, so assume he gets beat tomorrow, there is the potential of a 1lb or 2 off that, then it would be in the hands of the UK handicapper.

Pretty sure he was entered in the Carlisle Pertemps qualifier and got a UK mark of 148

[ComplyOrDie]

Pretty sure he was entered in the Carlisle Pertemps qualifier and got a UK mark of 148

Perfect, cheers

[Kevloaf]

Yeah that's spot on, I don't think the handicapper would let him have 145 no matter how he runs next time... Anything below 150 is brilliant though IMO

[Istabraq]

Pretty sure he was entered in the Carlisle Pertemps qualifier and got a UK mark of 148

Had he stood up he would have won comfortably, been raised to 155 and been tackling top grade races this season, the handicapper knows his mark last year was way below his abilities and surely will force them into the unrestricted handicaps.
148 would be a ‘smash up’ mark for me whatever race he lands in...

[Dandrew99]

Had he stood up he would have won comfortably, been raised to 155 and been tackling top grade races this season, the handicapper knows his mark last year was way below his abilities and surely will force them into the unrestricted handicaps.
148 would be a ‘smash up’ mark for me whatever race he lands in...

Yep agreed. I think the Coral Cup is his most likely target, Pertemps is the alternative if he were to run in a qualifier which seems unlikely at the minute. He could get beat next time out by 100 lengths and still not be given 145.

[Istabraq]

Yep agreed. I think the Coral Cup is his most likely target, Pertemps is the alternative if he were to run in a qualifier which seems unlikely at the minute. He could get beat next time out by 100 lengths and still not be given 145.

He has one more qualifier opportunity, Puchestown in 3 weeks and having already backed him for that I hope he does take this route but I’d happily write that bet off for a Coral Cup mark of 148...

[Pendil]

Indefatigible was put up 6lbs for winning the MP and Pileon 5lb for shd 2nd. So having Column of Fire up 5lb from 143 to 148 seems fair as they cant assume he would have won.
So if he ran a poor race FTO in Ireland they wouldnt drop him, but would likely pounce if he improves on his Irish mark

[Kevloaf]

Indefatigible was put up 6lbs for winning the MP and Pileon 5lb for shd 2nd. So having Column of Fire up 5lb from 143 to 148 seems fair as they cant assume he would have won.
So if he ran a poor race FTO in Ireland they wouldnt drop him, but would likely pounce if he improves on his Irish mark

There does have to be a chance he'll run on merit in Ireland and win a big pot....

I'm just envisaging him not doing that and Gordon in the winners enclosure saying something like, it had been a plan since the last hurdle last year, thought he was a good thing etc...... creative licence on my part for sure but it's a horse we were all so invested in, I'd love the story to carry on!

[Pendil]

There does have to be a chance he'll run on merit in Ireland and win a big pot....

I'm just envisaging him not doing that and Gordon in the winners enclosure saying something like, it had been a plan since the last hurdle last year, thought he was a good thing etc...... creative licence on my part for sure but it's a horse we were all so invested in, I'd love the story to carry on!

I was on with most of the Forum last year. The problem I have this year is maybe he is now exposed. He is 13lb (132 to 145) higher than when 3rd in 50k William Fry at DRF when 5/1 fav and trying

[Kevloaf]

I was on with most of the Forum last year. The problem I have this year is maybe he is now exposed. He is 13lb (132 to 145) higher than when 3rd in 50k William Fry at DRF when 5/1 fav and trying

Trying at the DRF and then getting the Gordon Handicap Boost for the festival is a different level of "trying" in my opinion.

I'm quite happy that he had more than 3lbs in hand in the Martin Pipe.... so 148 compared to that 145 I'd be happy with.

I'll back him wherever he runs next though in case they want to 'cash in'.

[Quevega]

Trying at the DRF and then getting the Gordon Handicap Boost for the festival is a different level of "trying" in my opinion.

I'm quite happy that he had more than 3lbs in hand in the Martin Pipe.... so 148 compared to that 145 I'd be happy with.

I'll back him wherever he runs next though in case they want to 'cash in'.

Like tomorrow

[Kevloaf]

Like tomorrow

Exactly.

[Istabraq]

So having Column of Fire up 5lb from 143 to 148 seems fair as they cant assume he would have won.
So if he ran a poor race FTO in Ireland they wouldnt drop him, but would likely pounce if he improves on his Irish mark

For Cheltenham it’s all about the UK ‘capper though, he probably would have been left embarrassed last year had COF stood up and, for me, there’s no way he will take a sympathetic view of any poor run(s) between now and March.
What would help him is a sterner approach by Irish stewards but that won’t happen any time soon...