2023 Bumper

[Zachx02]

It does when she will be receiving 7 pound from the geldings and hence her RPR gets adjusted up 7 pounds.

But she achieved that in an all mares race so I don't see why it should be adjusted 7 pounds, doesnt make sense to me

[Exar Essay]

The Racing Post rating for that particular bumper often gets the highest rating. Not certain why.
But a couple have gone close or won off the back of it.

I also wonder if the presence of the Elliott horse in third made them rate this higher? Achieved 131 over hurdles, beaten nearly 10 lengths, and receiving 7lbs. Certainly seemed to run his race too.

[Rooster Booster]

I find bumpers in general rather dull. Ive never really warmed to them. Whether they detract from or add to the following seasons novice hurdle landscape is difficult to say. Would I prefer the good bumper horses to enter the novice hurdle arena with less data points concerning their engine...yes I think I would but that’s just a personal view.

I feel like I want to be converted. I am reading peoples diaries and the bumper, if not dominating, is at a minimum taking a front row seat in peoples bets and updates. It almost feels like an obsession as folks move from one horse to the next hoping to find the holy grail. Please that’s not a judgement at all ...on the contrary, I feel like everyone is having fun around me but I can’t find the motivation to join in... please could someone/s try to convert me.

[Dandrew99]

But she achieved that in an all mares race so I don't see why it should be adjusted 7 pounds, doesnt make sense to me

It won't be adjusted 7 pounds.

If she runs to 118 again, then the boys will have to run to 125 to beat her, as they'll be giving her 7 pounds. So for the RPR purposes, you may aswell add 7 on to keep it simple.

[Quevega]

I find bumpers in general rather dull. Ive never really warmed to them. Whether they detract from or add to the following seasons novice hurdle landscape is difficult to say. Would I prefer the good bumper horses to enter the novice hurdle arena with less data points concerning their engine...yes I think I would but that’s just a personal view.

I feel like I want to be converted. I am reading peoples diaries and the bumper, if not dominating, is at a minimum taking a front row seat in peoples bets and updates. It almost feels like an obsession as folks move from one horse to the next hoping to find the holy grail. Please that’s not a judgement at all ...on the contrary, I feel like everyone is having fun around me but I can’t find the motivation to join in... please could someone/s try to convert me.

It's a race where the winner and main contenders have been highlighted on here very early on in the season for the last 4 years.
I think that's why this forum has more interest in the race than it deserves historically.

However, I think some have got in a mess this year as it's not panning out as simple as it's been in those "Glory" years shall we say.
I think people may be on the winner already, but most will have pissed money away doing so.
Myself included.

[Exar Essay]

I find bumpers in general rather dull. Ive never really warmed to them. Whether they detract from or add to the following seasons novice hurdle landscape is difficult to say. Would I prefer the good bumper horses to enter the novice hurdle arena with less data points concerning their engine...yes I think I would but that’s just a personal view.

I feel like I want to be converted. I am reading peoples diaries and the bumper, if not dominating, is at a minimum taking a front row seat in peoples bets and updates. It almost feels like an obsession as folks move from one horse to the next hoping to find the holy grail. Please that’s not a judgement at all ...on the contrary, I feel like everyone is having fun around me but I can’t find the motivation to join in... please could someone/s try to convert me.

I entirely agree that it would be better if horses were sent straight over hurdles. However, many aren’t. And I think that’s why I enjoy researching the bumper so much, because that is where you’ll find the unraced/P2P youngsters coming through. That’s where (I think) you have a potential edge. For me, I’ve always enjoyed unearthing the next big thing, be it cycling, football, any sport really.

In response to Q, I am definitely one who’s been lulled in by the recent trend of Mullins and Elliott having one or maybe two superstars - and if you’re on all of them at 25-1 you’ll be making a smashing profit.

My position is reasonable (for reasons of being on early so that when the price is pushed it’s only pushed back to the price I got on at or just over) but I’d still have been better off ignoring the market until today.

[Rooster Booster]

It's a race where the winner and main contenders have been highlighted on here very early on in the season for the last 4 years.
I think that's why this forum has more interest in the race than it deserves historically.

However, I think some have got in a mess this year as it's not panning out as simple as it's been in those "Glory" years shall we say.
I think people may be on the winner already, but most will have pissed money away doing so.
Myself included.

Yeah interesting points, so perhaps the fascination has been driven more by commercial reasons than say any sort of ultimate badge of honour for finding the winner.

Ironically I did but a bumper horse up as my dark horse in the members section so I guess I have made some sort of attempt to join in (though nobody responded which is consistent with my lack of credibility in this field).

[Rooster Booster]

I entirely agree that it would be better if horses were sent straight over hurdles. However, many aren’t. And I think that’s why I enjoy researching the bumper so much, because that is where you’ll find the unraced/P2P youngsters coming through. That’s where (I think) you have a potential edge. For me, I’ve always enjoyed unearthing the next big thing, be it cycling, football, any sport really.

In response to Q, I am definitely one who’s been lulled in by the recent trend of Mullins and Elliott having one or maybe two superstars - and if you’re on all of them at 25-1 you’ll be making a smashing profit.

My position is reasonable (for reasons of being on early so that when the price is pushed it’s only pushed back to the price I got on at or just over) but I’d still have been better off ignoring the market until today.

So mix of commercial and badge of honour for you ...I’ll give it a go next year and see if I can get into it

[JackieMoon33]

JackieMoon33 was banging the drum all along, fair play sir

I was not expecting that rating to be fair. Strong pace at Cheltenham should help and I still don’t believe he’s a slow horse either. I think it may have been a touch of greeness that took him a while to find his stride. You’d expect some improvement on that run though.

[Sprinter Sacre]

Just caught up on some racing over Christmas and watched DIAYT. I saw some comments on here before watching the race so I was pleasantly surprised how good he looked actually. Clearly loads of ability and a big run next time out wouldn’t be a shock.

[DenmanSacre]

Not one for this race being a Paul Nicholls horse but Wrappedupinmay entered for a bumper on 1st January. Bought by the De La Hays and could be a smart hurdler but will be a nice 3m chaser I'd imagine.

Might be his Challow horse next year if he's as good as he was thought of before his P2P win.

[Sprinter Sacre]

What are the thoughts here on Chrisco running tomorrow?

[Lbur4288]

What are the thoughts here on Chrisco running tomorrow?

Could be anything really, looks like a cheap syndicate horse with no prior racing experience at a glance so one I'd prefer to watch, especially given Willie's bumper crop this year seem to come with a lot of internet hype only to fail to produce.

[JackieMoon33]

Could be anything really, looks like a cheap syndicate horse with no prior racing experience at a glance so one I'd prefer to watch, especially given Willie's bumper crop this year seem to come with a lot of internet hype only to fail to produce.

75k as a store is not to be sniffed at and the page is reasonable. It’s also a bumper Willie has won with horses that were decent and one of which went on to the Champion bumper.

Still not one I’d back though.

[Lbur4288]

75k as a store is not to be sniffed at and the page is reasonable. It’s also a bumper Willie has won with horses that were decent and one of which went on to the Champion bumper.

Still not one I’d back though.

Oh I can see a few arguments to back him although I hadn't really looked at the race history. I think with the amount of let downs I don't want to back every Mullins/Gordon horse that runs in a bumper. I've been caught out by a couple already.