2024 Stayers Hurdle

[Lobos]

Step forward the nice guy

SG wouldn't get 3 miles at Cheltenham in a horse box

Only problem is due to his injury record the nice guy can only be backed NRNB or with free bets

Just read this FF. Completely disagree re Sir G.

He tanked all the way through the Ballymore and outstayed them all in what was atrocious conditions. He certainly wasn't stopping at the line, far from it.

IMO his poor run in the BANC was simply down to his inability to jump. His poor old jockey had to correct him at every fence, either fiddling it or spending far too much time in the air, losing ground at every obstacle as a result and then having to sit quiet on him for a bit , get him balanced before having to push him out to get him involved in the race again as he looked several times like he was going to get detached. He had no chance. All his energy was sapped out of him just having to jump.

Credit to him at Fairyhouse as he stayed on really well after once again fighting against the fences and nearly got up. All his very best races have been on testing ground which screams Stayer to me.

He simply can't jump a fence and imo that'll always be the case.

Over hurdles he is brilliant. His jumping in that Ballymore was exceptional, quick and accurate and wasting no energy at all which is exactly what you want in a long distance hurdle race.

I'd be flabbergasted (love that word) if he were not switched back to Hurdling this season. The Stayers looks made for him. It really is the only race at the festival he could run in and have a chance of winning. He certainly has the class and ability and of course he has the all important festival form. With both GW and FP seemingly out of the equation now, the race is up for grabs. Step forward Sir G.

[Istabraq]

I just wonder whether there's a strategy to Gaelic Warrior with yesterdays news.
As a hurdler he would now have to race in open company so there would be no easy races, he'd be running against graded horses or lumping top weight in handicaps, perhaps Mullins' thinking is let him have a couple of gentle hacks in beginners/novice chase events before deciding whether to take on the best staying novice chasers or return to hurdles for late season G1s having not given the horse a tough time in the Autumn/Winter,
I haven't read the full article but I'm sure there was comment about returning to hurdles if fences don't work out so he's planted the seed and given himself a few months to make a decision.
I'm not convinced all Stayers vouchers are dead yet.

Your sincerely
Mr Strawclutcher

[Lobos]

Big Bucks all over again.

[Odin]

I just wonder whether there's a strategy to Gaelic Warrior with yesterdays news.
As a hurdler he would now have to race in open company so there would be no easy races, he'd be running against graded horses or lumping top weight in handicaps, perhaps Mullins' thinking is let him have a couple of gentle hacks in beginners/novice chase events before deciding whether to take on the best staying novice chasers or return to hurdles for late season G1s having not given the horse a tough time in the Autumn/Winter,
I haven't read the full article but I'm sure there was comment about returning to hurdles if fences don't work out so he's planted the seed and given himself a few months to make a decision.
I'm not convinced all Stayers vouchers are dead yet.

Your sincerely
Mr Strawclutcher

Think the easy race thing is clutching as you've suggested given he's had two novice hurdle campaigns (as limited as they both were in different ways), but someone on here mentioned he had back issues before Cheltenham? Perhaps that's the reason for them to intimate he might move back over hurdles? I have him in one any race requestabet only so hopefully that is a non-strawclutching reason for you?

I can only assume something was said to someone on here for there to be so much confidence that he was staying hurdling because it never seemed clear cut to me that he would?

[opatcho]

I was a strong believer Gaelic would go chasing but thought they’d target the turners. Especially when news broke of IEP staying hurdling

I’m not a huge fan of Gaelic, placed in the boodles (not a great race to generate top grade 2 horses) and then placed on the ballymore (again, I have strong opinions about Ballymore horses - the race usually has one very good horse (normally the winner), a Nicholls horse that does well over fences and then…. Meh, very hit and miss). Despite him scoring high RPR’s

could they switch him back, sure, he wasn’t the best over hurdles during his early days

would in back him AP, no thanks. Think Gaelic will help retain some value in the market which is a bonus

[Irish Rugby]

I just wonder whether there's a strategy to Gaelic Warrior with yesterdays news.
As a hurdler he would now have to race in open company so there would be no easy races, he'd be running against graded horses or lumping top weight in handicaps, perhaps Mullins' thinking is let him have a couple of gentle hacks in beginners/novice chase events before deciding whether to take on the best staying novice chasers or return to hurdles for late season G1s having not given the horse a tough time in the Autumn/Winter,
I haven't read the full article but I'm sure there was comment about returning to hurdles if fences don't work out so he's planted the seed and given himself a few months to make a decision.
I'm not convinced all Stayers vouchers are dead yet.

Your sincerely
Mr Strawclutcher

Or it's Fairyhouse, Sandown, Punchestown, Kempton at Christmas even. If you've got an army of stars, why not have horses that are lbs better going the other way round, but try out the Stayers at the Festival, just for the lols please.

Signing up to the Strawclutcher club big time.

[Spectre]

I was a strong believer Gaelic would go chasing but thought they’d target the turners. Especially when news broke of IEP staying hurdling

I’m not a huge fan of Gaelic, placed in the boodles (not a great race to generate top grade 2 horses) and then placed on the ballymore (again, I have strong opinions about Ballymore horses - the race usually has one very good horse (normally the winner), a Nicholls horse that does well over fences and then…. Meh, very hit and miss). Despite him scoring high RPR’s

could they switch him back, sure, he wasn’t the best over hurdles during his early days

would in back him AP, no thanks. Think Gaelic will help retain some value in the market which is a bonus

I agree with this. From a book perspective I obviously had him onside for the Stayers, but at 10/1 and 7/1. Even 7/1 I thought was tight. Fortunately, because of my opinion on him, I only put him in a small number of multis. He's jumps right, he's been to HQ twice, and he's been beaten twice. He was never a long range 5/1 shot for the Stayers. Only Lossiemouth for the Mares Hurdle is worse value in my mind.

I wouldn't be going overboard over fences either. In addition to the above, Willie has also said they have to manage a back issue. I took an acceptable hit on him for the Stayers, and that actually might still be in play when we get to March anyway. Other than reluctantly taking a quick price for my book on the news, he won't appear in any multis unless he proves he can jumps fences straight as a die when going left handed, and he also picks up some decent scalps doing so.

Horses that continue to jump right like he does always find one too good at the top level. They have to cover too much ground at the wrong time. And if anyone hasn't seen the excellent video Ruby Walsh did about how to ride the course and the problem jumping right causes it well worth a watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i596M4wsHkQ

[IstabraqBarRegular]

I like WEST BALBOA for Dan Skelton.
Progressive last season, 3m looks her trip, Dan has Kateira for the Mares Hurdle and that 7lb mare allowance will help.
I think her ultimate target will be 3m grade 1 at Aintree but I've backed her at 33/1 for the Stayers which I think is fair.

[Native River]

Based on Willie's comments of Champ Kiely staying over hurdles likely this year, I wonder if he was back in new year like expected he could be sent down this route perhaps!

[FinalFurlong91]

Based on Willie's comments of Champ Kiely staying over hurdles likely this year, I wonder if he was back in new year like expected he could be sent down this route perhaps!

Very possible but you'd want positive news before getting involved

Out for the first half of the season often ends up being the whole season

[Irish Rugby]

Based on Willie's comments of Champ Kiely staying over hurdles likely this year, I wonder if he was back in new year like expected he could be sent down this route perhaps!

Possible, but the warning sign would be when in the New Year, and is Cheltenham too soon for what could be an interrupted training schedule. Like with horses that have missed a previous year, all these, he/she will be back in the New Year, is a pass for me when it comes to the Festival.

[Nwfb89]

Listening to Joe Chambers on rp show, doesn't sound like a done deal that gaelic warrior is going chasing

[Lobos]

Listening to Joe Chambers on rp show, doesn't sound like a done deal that gaelic warrior is going chasing

Yep. He could be one for the Stayers.

[BookieBasher]

Listening to Joe Chambers on rp show, doesn't sound like a done deal that gaelic warrior is going chasing

25/1 Bet365 if anyone thinks he’ll jump like Bob Olinger and get rerouted to the Stayers

[TigerRolllllll]

Has back issues I think he said ?