2023 Novice Chasers

[charlie]

Just wondering if anyone whose talking about future targets actually cares what happened to the horses in that race??

A needlessly provocative, pointless question. I hope you're widely ignored.

[riccirich]

Aye, criticism of a horses jumping that's (potentially) just lost his life wasn't a good look for me.

Discussing targets of other horses is absolutely fine like.

There was nothing wrong with what you said either, you simply stated a fact that tsl didn’t jump well enough throughout the race, you weren’t in any way derogatory about the horse or making a laugh of him, I think some posters on here just want to really enforce that they care more about horses than the rest of us, which is probably wide of the mark.

[RoadToCheltenham]

Ignoring the attention seeking comment in this thread and sharing quotes from WPM on Gaillard du Mesnil here:

“He had the experience, he had the rating, he was still a maiden but we had kept him to good class company all the time and he got his experience against that type of company,” said Mullins.

“Paul said he just flew fences down the back for him. They went very fast and he was even taken off it a bit early on but the pace up front took it's toll and they paid the penalty.

“He just glided into the race down the outside, kept out of trouble and kept away from the loose horse the best he could. He just kept jumping and landed in front.

“He deserved a crack at that trip (last time) though it was a little bit short for him. He probably learned a lot going that pace over two-miles-three.

“All that experience counts for a day like today.”

[Carnage at Taunton]

A needlessly provocative, pointless question. I hope you're widely ignored.

If I’m ignored so be it, matters not.
I just felt it was in bad taste, and felt it right to say something.

[charlie]

Ignoring the attention seeking comment in this thread and sharing quotes from WPM on Gaillard du Mesnil here:

“He had the experience, he had the rating, he was still a maiden but we had kept him to good class company all the time and he got his experience against that type of company,” said Mullins.

“Paul said he just flew fences down the back for him. They went very fast and he was even taken off it a bit early on but the pace up front took it's toll and they paid the penalty.

“He just glided into the race down the outside, kept out of trouble and kept away from the loose horse the best he could. He just kept jumping and landed in front.

“He deserved a crack at that trip (last time) though it was a little bit short for him. He probably learned a lot going that pace over two-miles-three.

“All that experience counts for a day like today.”

Hard to make out what that means with a view to the future, proper head scratcher.

[Benjy23]

If the pace early on was too much for him today then that would be a concern in BANC as well. I'd be very confident of the NHC being the target if the BANC didn't look as weak as it current does.

[charlie]

If the pace early on was too much for him today then that would be a concern in BANC as well. I'd be very confident of the NHC being the target if the BANC didn't look as weak as it current does.

Yeh the commentator said he jumped really well but I was slightly less convinced. All of that would lend itself to the NHC, but the elephant in the room is Willie said he'll stick to Grade 1's and he's just won (an albeit weak) Grade 1, so post race sporting life comments will be interesting. The debate will go on and on until he says something definitive....

[robith]

I understand it happens as part of the game but it still hasn't got any easier with fatalities. Proper puts me on a downer for the day. Has anyone been desensitised by it over time? Not sure I can.

I am always only ever 1 really really bad incident away from jacking the game tbh, it really rattles me

[Exar Essay]

I understand it happens as part of the game but it still hasn't got any easier with fatalities. Proper puts me on a downer for the day. Has anyone been desensitised by it over time? Not sure I can.

Yup. Ruins the day. It really shouldn’t, but always feels worse for me with a top horse as you really feel you’ve got to know them as we’ve probably been discussing them everyday.

[Lobos]

Depends on what other horses Willie has for the BANC . The DRF will be the decider.

[giantcauseway]

I can see why people are looking to the NHC but Mullins keeps mentioning Grade 1 throughout when talking about GDM. The stable tours and buildup to this race was consistently the same message. I can see why the NHC is logical but for me, Mullins will stick to the plan unless something steps up convincingly. Classic Getaway or Minella Cocooner could still be the ones but Minella Cocooner already was spoken of for the Turners. Given the owners also have Ramillies and Mullins isn't afraid to go for Graded glory with the Donnellys horses, just can't see him deviating from the BANC.

[Rooster Booster]

There was nothing wrong with what you said either, you simply stated a fact that tsl didn’t jump well enough throughout the race, you weren’t in any way derogatory about the horse or making a laugh of him, I think some posters on here just want to really enforce that they care more about horses than the rest of us, which is probably wide of the mark.

I can’t talk for anyone else but you couldn’t be more wrong in terms of judging my motive. I was genuinely trying to avoid two tribes kicking off (unsuccessfully as it turns out) by letting folks know something that they may not have been aware of.

Twice in two days I have tried to be helpful and had it thrown back in my face. I fully understand there are different ways of coping with the occasional brutality of our loved sport. I get very emotional and upset others are a little more pragmatic…there is no right or wrong just different and I absolutely do not believe I care more … I just react differently. This is the kast time I try and justify my motives for posts that are designed to be helpful. I cannot control if others want to assume negative intent.

[Benjy23]

Yeh the commentator said he jumped really well but I was slightly less convinced. All of that would lend itself to the NHC, but the elephant in the room is Willie said he'll stick to Grade 1's and he's just won (an albeit weak) Grade 1, so post race sporting life comments will be interesting. The debate will go on and on until he says something definitive....

Aye, or one of Willie's others appears as a proper BANC horse! Of course wouldn't be definitive but would help you'd think.

Recall you being keen on JDB who hopefully takes up the Fairyhouse entry on NYD

Ramillies is a bit of a potential issue to that theory mind.

[That Horse]

Yeh the commentator said he jumped really well but I was slightly less convinced. All of that would lend itself to the NHC, but the elephant in the room is Willie said he'll stick to Grade 1's and he's just won (an albeit weak) Grade 1, so post race sporting life comments will be interesting. The debate will go on and on until he says something definitive....

To my untrained eyes, it didn't look like he jumped particularly well, just better than the rest. He hung out the back and the race kind of fell into his lap imo. Under normal circumstances, you'd think a more sedate pace in the NHC would suit better but the current BANC contenders probably don't scare Willie off giving that a go either.

All in all, fuck knows

[Carnage at Taunton]

Yep, but what can we do? It's not like they read the forum and anyone who follows this sport has already chosen to have if not a blind spot for this particular elephant in the room, then certainly an acceptance when faced with that or walking away from the sport. Sorry if that sounds heartless, but it's true isn't it? I found what happened with Unexpected Depth worse than some of the heavy falls you see where they never get back up. Seeing him stood up and looking relatively calm, but knowing what his fate will be, is heartbreaking. Can only be hoped that one day there is some enormous advance in what can be done for such injuries. The future of the sport will probably rest on it at some point, but that's another thread altogether...

Yes I agree with all that, and it’s good to get a reasoned response rather than the defensive accusing type responses I have received for daring to look to put the horses welfare top of my thought after watching that race.
Anyway I see there have been some decent posts talking about the poor horses that have lost their life whilst providing us with the pleasure of watching them perform.