2024 Novice Hurdlers

[Exar Essay]

I think recognising Apples finished last and was ridiculously green it’s a huge stretch to claim that as a positive for Ballyburn imo

I didn’t say it was. But being beaten less than a length by those two horses isn’t a negative either in my view.

[Rooster Booster]

I didn’t say it was. But being beaten less than a length by those two horses isn’t a negative either in my view.

Yes I know i inferred because of your description mixed bag. If your comment re Apples is not a positive then there’s only slade steel on the positive side and an overwhelming body of evidence on the negative which on balance doesn’t feel like a mixed bag. Anyhow I just thought it might be useful to some to highlight the body of follow up runs from horses he has beaten.

[Exar Essay]

Yes I know i inferred because of your description mixed bag. If your comment re Apples is not a positive then there’s only slade steel on the positive side and an overwhelming body of evidence on the negative which on balance doesn’t feel like a mixed bag. Anyhow I just thought it might be useful to some to highlight the body of follow up runs from horses he has beaten.

It’s a fair point and I’d not be putting the form of the race in as a positive, but it wasn’t a Champion bumper so it’s hard to be too critical at the same time. The DML bumper aside, how many others from last year are producing a series of winners? I’d suggest not many. Irish Panther, Slade Steel, Apples have all ran with credit since. Worth noting Slade Steel got 7lb that day too.

[Rooster Booster]

It’s a fair point and I’d not be putting the form of the race in as a positive, but it wasn’t a Champion bumper so it’s hard to be too critical at the same time. The DML bumper aside, how many others from last year are producing a series of winners? I’d suggest not many. Irish Panther, Slade Steel, Apples have all ran with credit since. Worth noting Slade Steel got 7lb that day too.

Id say the Firefox, ile altantique, Loughlynn related bumper firm is looking way stronger

[Exar Essay]

Id say the Firefox, ile altantique, Loughlynn related bumper firm is looking way stronger

Yes, probably. Worth noting that Ballyburn did win convincingly at Punchestown. Anyhow, I’m neutral on the form so this isn’t the hill I’ll be dying on.

[DenmanSacre]

Form for me is irrelevant when looking at bumper horses transitioning to hurdles. Not every bumper horse is going to take to hurdles and it doesn't diminish the bumper performance.

For Ballyburn, he was ultra impressive in his PTP, impressive in his bumpers and the Mullins team think he's the top novice at the moment. We just need to see him over hurdles now.

[Rooster Booster]

Form for me is irrelevant when looking at bumper horses transitioning to hurdles. Not every bumper horse is going to take to hurdles and it doesn't diminish the bumper performance.

For Ballyburn, he was ultra impressive in his PTP, impressive in his bumpers and the Mullins team think he's the top novice at the moment. We just need to see him over hurdles now.

Fair enough it’s just the forum is littered with comments every time bumper form is upheld with subsequent positive hurdle performances so perhaps the standard thing is to take it as a positive if the form is upheld and ignore it if it’s not.

[Lobos]

From what's been said, they still think he's got a bit of maturing to do and they don't want to overface him this year.

After the race they mentioned the Lawlors of Naas but also said they don't want to go to the well too much this year.

It's all about chasing for him (he's huge) and I don't think he will turn up for the Albert Bartlett. If he did, he wouldn't disgrace himself.

I really like the horse. Any graded race success he has is a bonus this year though.

He did hold an entry over 2m 7f+ this Thursday so that must be a clue as to what type they think he is.

[Kevloaf]

Fair enough it’s just the forum is littered with comments every time bumper form is upheld with subsequent positive hurdle performances so perhaps the standard thing is to take it as a positive if the form is upheld and ignore it if it’s not.

The forum is littered with comments no matter what happens.

Sifting through for the gold is where the fun lies


Or of course you have Twitter / X

[Rooster Booster]

The forum is littered with comments no matter what happens.

Sifting through for the gold is where the fun lies


Or of course you have Twitter / X

Absolutely 100% agree and it serves its purpose incredibly well imo.

i am taking a stand on Ballyburn. That stand may change as new data points emerge but as it stands I will not be investing in him for either race. If I was a book builder he would be impossible for me to ignore but as im
not I will be taking the risk. Sooner or later this will (bally)burn me badly and perhaps this will be the year.

[Kevloaf]

Sooner or later this will (bally)burn me badly and perhaps this will be the year.

Excellent. Love a pun.




Yes, Ballyburn to me seems a bit over hyped so far, but I am on the book building side so I get no points for saying that when I'm on, as that's easy to do.



A Dream To Share I'm not on, and I'm saying he's the worst priced novice currently there though.....


If Cue Card and Dunguib can't do the double, this yoke can't

[Rooster Booster]

Excellent. Love a pun.




Yes, Ballyburn to me seems a bit over hyped so far, but I am on the book building side so I get no points for saying that when I'm on, as that's easy to do.



A Dream To Share I'm not on, and I'm saying he's the worst priced novice currently there though.....


If Cue Card and Dunguib can't do the double, this yoke can't

So a dream to share ballyburn double it is then

[Kevloaf]

So a dream to share ballyburn double it is then

48/1 never looked so good

[Benjy23]

Agree, Dream to Share always been an awful price.

Captain Teague has badly let the champion bumper form down in my opinion like. He was a close third at the festival, despite being the least experienced and running a bit green. More than happy to ignore them all for now.

[Istabraq]

Captain Teague has badly let the champion bumper form down in my opinion like. He was a close third at the festival, despite being the least experienced and running a bit green. More than happy to ignore them all for now.

I wouldn't be too hard on Captain Teague, they went no pace and the winner nipped up the inside and hit the front before either the 2nd or 3rd respond, stayers don't have those gears and in a truer run race the winner might not have been able to accelerate the way he did.
He looked a Potato horse to me and could be a leading candidate....