Christmas racing thread

[Faugheen_Machine]

I'm keen on the chances of Chitbello. Yes, he has a lot to find if you look purely at his rating (only raised 1lb for his hurdle win at Haydock) but Skelton has said he's going to campaign him as if he's a champion hurdle horse. DS could easily have ran him off 145 in the Ladbroke, a race worth £87k, but instead opted to run here.

Ideally suited to decent ground, he beat MTOY easily despite the heavy going at Haydock. There's no doubt that MTOY under performed but even allowing for that Chtibello won impressively.

Dan Skelton has quite a few decent 2m hurdlers but I think Chtibello is the best of them all and seriously under rated.

[bitchy]

just had a thought. what if Thistlecrack gets put in his place by cue card will connections switch him back to hurdles ?

[loveracing]

Just an heads up guys I received for the Welsh...

http://www.fatjockey.com/forum/showthread.php?7083-Welsh-National-2017

[Old Vic]

Jacob booked for Josses Hill according to twitter. Sounds like Silvi runs.

[Istabraq]

just had a thought. what if Thistlecrack gets put in his place by cue card will connections switch him back to hurdles ?

I think it would be more of a disaster if Thistelcrack chins Cue Card, that would signal the novice as the yards #1 Gold Cup horse and probably end connections dream of blue ribband glory.
That said, it looks a weak renewal to me with only the two Tizzard horses capable of winning so it looks at cert 1-2....

[mayo]

^imperial commander

[Istabraq]

^imperial commander

Remember it well !
To be fair that was media hyping the Kauto/Denman battle and disrespecting a horse who had won the previous seasons Ryanair.

I read somewhere the Tizzard 1-2 either way was Evens....

[Istabraq]

With the eyes of the world on the main meetings at Kempton and Leopardstown it's worth looking at the lesser cards.
Wetherby stage a good meeting and I note The Nipper has been jocked up for the novice hurdle at 12.10.
This one won a hattrick of bumpers last season, the latest in a listed event on Imperial Cup day beating Colin's Sister who has racked up her own treble including a listed event herself and earned a 135 rating in the process.
The Nipper went over to Punchestown at their festival and somehow managed to run out whilst leading in the listed event eventually won by Augusta Kate.
I've no idea why Greatrex has chosen this £3k race as the horses introduction to timber but the 400+ mile round trip must have been planned with reason for a horse who has the ability to earn a rating well above his opponents for this.
Short price likely but one of the more likely winners over the holiday....

[MrMcGoldrick]

Without the expectations surrounding Thistlecrack, that he still has to live up to, I would have expected CC to be a long odds on shot for the KG, looks like the worst renewal to me for many years and I expect CC to hose up, wouldn't be surprised if T'crack didn't get round. Has anybody checked the times of his chase runs against the standard for the KG, seems to be a huge leap of faith, could live up to it I suppose, but I couldn't have him on my mind for this, not on what he's achieved.

[Istabraq]

I doubt anyone will disagree with those sentiments Mr M but connections really have one shot at the Gold Cup and it's this season, and if he is to take his chance in March he can't go there on the back of beating inferior fellow novices, he needs a G1 test against teh big boys and I think they got lucky with this renewal being a low quality small field.
Thistlecrack could easily get beat 10l and connections will still be positive about his Gold Cup chances as the defeat is all part of his education....

[loveracing]

I doubt anyone will disagree with those sentiments Mr M but connections really have one shot at the Gold Cup and it's this season, and if he is to take his chance in March he can't go there on the back of beating inferior fellow novices, he needs a G1 test against teh big boys and I think they got lucky with this renewal being a low quality small field.
Thistlecrack could easily get beat 10l and connections will still be positive about his Gold Cup chances as the defeat is all part of his education....

Are we suggesting TC will switch back to the World Hurdle route if he gets a beating on Monday?

[Istabraq]

LR - I doubt it but if he was chinned half a furlong and it was jumping errors that were to blame they may decide that jumping against championship calibre horses was his undoing and I've always felt that if he wasn't at least as good as those on the top table they'd go back over timber.
But, as we've said, take cue Car out the equation and it's a terrible King George....

[Faugheen_Machine]

Without the expectations surrounding Thistlecrack, that he still has to live up to, I would have expected CC to be a long odds on shot for the KG, looks like the worst renewal to me for many years and I expect CC to hose up, wouldn't be surprised if T'crack didn't get round. Has anybody checked the times of his chase runs against the standard for the KG, seems to be a huge leap of faith, could live up to it I suppose, but I couldn't have him on my mind for this, not on what he's achieved.

I expect T'crack to win, and win well. Cue Card is a very good horse but is not unbeatable, especially round Kempton. We haven't really seen T'crack come off the bridle in his recent races and it wouldn't surprise me if he won this cosily.

I'm considering having a maximum bet on him.

[MrMcGoldrick]

I expect T'crack to win, and win well. Cue Card is a very good horse but is not unbeatable, especially round Kempton. We haven't really seen T'crack come off the bridle in his recent races and it wouldn't surprise me if he won this cosily.

I'm considering having a maximum bet on him.

If you have a big bet on T'crack FM then I hope he wins well for you, I won't have a bet in the race so no axe to grind, it's always nice to hear of someone off the forum 'avin it large, so will keep my fingers crossed for you

[KingSprinterSacre]

took VVM 3/1 and Valseur Lido 2/1 double yesterday. Ruby said Faugheen looks great and will be out soon. He was left in for Leopardstown today but i'd be surprised if he runs in that to be honest.

I've been Mullinsed again