You have got to love Jockey logic. Richard Johnson says, regarding Lalor in the Arkle:- "I don't think the ground will affect his chances as it was pretty soft at Aintree last year when he won the Top Novices' Hurdle," he said. Wasn't that exactly what he said before Lalor's last run and then sat as the horse got tanked at odds-on in the mud?
I thought exactly the same thing Grendel. I was at Aintree that day and it was very soggy. Some of the lasses in their Matalano finest had their outfits ruined within the first hour.
he goes well fresh , that ascot race was in glue pot conditions , didn’t get in a rhythm and was the first one off the bridle , not excuses , but i’m sure he’ll put in a different display than that on tuesday
It was Sandown I was there it was a mud bath. The trainer has stated its a spring horse although we are unlikely to get spring conditions this week I really fancy lalor this week. I’ve been watching all the replays from Cheltenham this season and lalor stands out head and shoulders.
My mistake florida, Sandown, but agree with you , standout performance at Cheltenham, anything like that will win the race
Lalor's drifted out to 15/2 at one stage and it seemed a consensus that he would not go on the ground. Richard Johnson reported to the Stewards that the horse was never travelling. That is the same two words almost every jockey gives to the Stewards after a bad run. It doesn't help us much and makes a mockery of the Stewards bothering to ask the jockey in the first place. Vets checked Lalor after the race and reported no abnormalities. That leaves the question being "If it wasn't the ground conditions, then why did he run so terribly?" Maybe he will bounce back but I suspect he will need good ground. Looking back to Aintree last year, Lalor went into that race rated just 133 but emerged with a new mark of 149. Winning on his Chase debut earned him a Rating of 151 for the bigger obstacles but he was very disappointing next time up and I reckon the Racing Post were havering giving him 149 for that race because in my mind he ran a lot lower than his official rating of 151 than just 2 lbs. If we take Lalor's best hurdle run and best chase run away, the rest of his form looks more modest to the tune of a stone in my eyes at least.
Looks like the forum failed to land any big ante post punts, best I had was two placed efforts which was disappointing.Will probably narrow it down to one or two selections next year if I'm arsed at the time.
Might recommence my Cheltenham Gold Cup scattergun: Topofthegame - 10/1 Santini - 14/1 Delta Work - 25/1 All the above prices seem reasonable offers for the first three in the 2019 RSA Chase when considering the participants in this year's Gold Cup. At the moment they would all three seem to have the Gold Cup as their only Festival target.
I had Frodon at 16/1 in the Ryanair but Battleoverdoyen and Native River were awful and slightly disappointing respectively. Buveur D'air fell while Aramon and Lalor had their chances washed away in the rain. Torpillo flopped in the Triumph Hurdle trial and the bizzarely ran in the Boodles under a ridiculously high weight. His 141 rating for the old Fred Winter was already 4 lbs less than the OR of 145 he once held. I expect his rating to be trimmed by at least 5 lbs this week. When discarding my slips I found one I had forgotten about on Coeur Sublime in the Triumph Hurdle but he was second and I was win only. Santini was second as was Lostintranslation but it was generally a poor year for me. I had places at 12/1, 25/1 and 28/1 for a few crumbs but I needed Buveur D'air and Native River to make money this year and no joy there. I am on Klassical Dream for the Champion Hurdle at 10/1 next year. He is in a few markets but the Champion is surely there to be tilted at and Mullins made some encouraging comments about the horse after the Supreme.
I thought Delta Work looked better over shorter than three miles. He travelled well in the RSA but I felt others stayed better. I felt he might be worth a pop at the Ryanair. Topofthegame looked the strongest stayer in the RSA and Nicholls said earlier in the season that he might be a Gold Cup horse in time.
I had made up my mind after 2018 that enough was enough; still enjoyed the Festival on the box without any financial interests. I just thought that the prices were fare however it is unlikely I will be tempted back into the fray. Anyway, soon off to Auteuil for the Grand Steeplechase de Paris!
He was staying on again up the run in. Don’t think he got the optimal ride from Davy. I’d have him for the Gold Cup over the other two at this point.
Agree, Russell was trying to be clever when going best, walked through the second last and got sandwiched at the last by 2 horses he should have took a couple of lengths out of turning in. Was the best RSA for a while and one of the few races at the meeting that wasnt trash.
