Am up with the little one so thought I would put my time in to good use With only 32 days to go to the greatest show on turf, the last few days have been a bitter (excuse the pun) disappointment, no jump racing what so ever. Saturday doesnt look great either @ newbury, which will be **it because it it is mouth watering card but the racing in Ireland looks so far to be ok on sunday which will satisfy most peoples hunger at the moment. With the weather as it is and the festival so close, many trainers are sweating round the collar to get thier top stars one more run before it, One of them being good old Nicky Henderson who has even put Oscar Whiskey in a bumper race tomorrow, to get a racecourse gallop in the only (imo) fairly decent card we have had for a few days at kempton, which looks to be off. (back to the drawing board hey nicky) (Inspection @ 8am) but according to reports it wont be on. Tomorrow will be a no bet day (probably unless anyone has something tasty to get in to), but am bit fed up of the sand, and havnt even bothered to look at the cards. Just cant wait for the weather to turn sunny with no snow, so we can get back to business. So please will it all disappear lol! So any way GL to all having a bet and stay lucky!
Glad to see Nicky Henderson using Kempton today to get a run into some of his festival horses, and one I will be watching very closely is TETLAMI who I really like as a Supreme Novices horse. He is not one of those horses that sets the pulse racing, his wins having been solid rather than spectacular, but I don't believe a horse has to win 20 lengths on the bridle to get a Supreme Novices entry. One of the things I like about him for the festival is his bumper victory at Cheltenham in January 2010. He really appeared to relish the hill and came readily away on the run-in. I'm at a loss to explain his poor subsequent showing at Aintree but maybe the fact he missed the festival means he had a problem? He also had plenty of trouble in running that day and was eased once his chance had gone. This season he has run in 2 novice hurdle races. The first was at Sandown where he readily accounted for the likes of Black Thunder, Knight Pass and Tante Sissi with a devastating turn of foot up the home straight. Whilst the form on paper is not that strong (he was getting 7lbs from Knight Pass) the manner of his victory, especially given he'd been off the track for 18 months, was impressive. Tetlami then went to Kempton on Boxing Day for what turned out to be effectively a match race with Charlie Longsdon's Vulcanite. Both horses travelled strongly throughout before Barry Geraghty asked Tetlami to go on in the home straight and he put the race to bed nicely. The form of that is difficult to assess, Vulcanite having subsequently hacked up at Southwell against a weak field, but Tetlami looks to be on an upward curve and I am looking forward to him confirming his well-being today. Unlikely to be an attractive betting proposition though so I will just be looking for a nice workout.
Kempton survives.... Has to be something wrong about a horse of Oscar Whiskys quality hacking his way round Kenptons sand for two and a half grand....
I get that Oddy I just think if these 'jumpers bumpers' cards can be arranged and attract the quality they do, can sponsorship not be found to ensure they compete for a reasonable prize ? This opportunity for 'cheat ups' is unbelievable - you could have half the Henderson yard laying this at 5s on today...
Anyone who punts in these races is off their trolley imo. Nothing more than public schooling sessions. Good idea but not betting heats for me.
Agreed - but if that's the case the horses could have tougher/more beneficial work at home on the gallops...
I guess its also about getting them prepped at a track, go through all the prelims and get them fully tuned at the track. The news of the weekend leaves a big question, how are they going to get the all important runs into Zarkandar and Long Run pre festival? Time will soon start to run out!! Will the BHA reschedule the races I wonder?
Morning, people. Nothing for me today but the racing certainly look to have that ‘unique quality’ about it with that old ‘jumpers for bumpers’ meet at Kempton Park. Mr Henderson could end up with 4, 5 or even 6 winners but the one that I’m most interested in Trozulon in the ‘card commencer’. My regular readers will know how much I like this one and he has the potential to be very good. Newbury looking at the option of holding a rescheduled fixture ‘sometime next week’. They did the same last year but don’t forget that such scenarios almost always result in the races being devalued by lower prize money and subsequently less runners.
Why are all the jumpers bumpers over 2 miles btw? Surely a 3 mile event would suit Oscar Whiskey's purposes much better?
I guess that's important for some and less so for others. I heard through a contact at Mullins yard (after the event of course) that Quevega was ready weeks before Cheltenham last year but Willie said she'd get fitter working with his other horses than having a canter at 1/12 around Clonmel in a bog. That's why there was such a plunge on So Young for the Neptune, word had it that he was picking Quevega up and going past her on the gallops...
and what happened to So Young you are right, its all about how you view things. The stats about recent runs prior to the festival is important to some and others couldn't give two hoots. Any word of where So Young goes? Not really been following reports on the Mullins horses, is he World Hurdle bound?
Good job i backed newbury to be off last night to get back my stake on Zarkander. Wonder whether the bookies do better collectiing all the AP bets or would rather have had the volume from the race being on? Anyone who backs the races at Kempton with any conviction i think needs their head examining.... useful as Nass says to get the horse used to the travel, new stable, saddling area, parade ring etc but as punters no idea whether any of them will like the track conditions.
There was talk of a World hurdle bid for So Young, been beating trees all this season which doesn't make sense because he could have got in lightly for one of the handicaps if they wanted. AP bets for Newbury will be refunded unless the race is re-run - even then you may have the option of cancelling your bet if you want, check with whoever you placed bet with
Oh, thats good then. I assumed as it was an ante post without NRNB that the bookies would sweep up the bets. Nice extra free money to put on if its re-scheduled then!
Don - no-one has a very good opinion of bookies but imagine the press they'd get if they kept all the ante post wagers on abandoned meetings ? All they'd need to do is employ the best weatherman on the planet, make sure the snow/frost comes at the right time and go half a dozen points bigger on every horse than their rivals and hey presto, clean up ! They'll take your money soon enough but the very least you deserve is to watch yours run like a pig...
