Morning Chaps, After a really excellent week (as always) I'd like to offer my thoughts on the main races of the day. Please excuse my ramblings, and I hope you all enjoy the read. Tuesday Firstly, Cinders and Ashes ran an excellent race. Quickened smartly away from some very decent horses (I was on Trifolium) and held on well. I have to say I thought Maguire gave him a great ride, delivering him perfectly. I think the three horses in behind him will also be smart, and I can see Montbazon being a very, very good chaser should he go down that route. Sprinter Sacre was awesome. A very, very classy performance and basically had jumped his way to the front 4 out. From there, there was only one winner, and hopefully were looking at a top class individual who will be around for many years. I had a play on the Paddy Power offer, and was happy to see the £100 back in my account. Hurricane Fly was disappointing no doubt about that. I decided to back him very close to the off, on the basis that I thought the fast pace, and slight cut in the ground would suit him. Wasn't to be, and have no qualms about the winner, who for me was comfortable in front having idled. Don't think were looking at a superstar in Rock On Ruby, and I actually think he looks a nice chasing type. Be interesting to see what the owners and Paul decide to do with him. Finally, Quevega. WOW she is good. It looked like the race was run horribly slow for a big field, and certainly didn't suit her. But still travelling very impressively, she quickened smartly and put the race to bed in a matter of strides. The one to take from the race was the horse I backed, Kentford Grey Lady. She raced very wide, would have loved a better pace, but still ran on very eye-catchingly to take second spot. Had she been better positioned during the race I think we could have seen an exciting finish between the two. Wednesday Simonsig was the winner of the Neptune. I'm sure Zen will be over the moon, and he won as he liked in a very taking performance. I had backed Monksland, and was a little disappointed he didn't get closer, but we could be looking at a monster chaser in Simonsig, and is a little bit exciting. The next race, was a trends race. I know a lot of you LOVE trends, cough cough, but it paid dividends here. I backed Bobs Worth, and was delighted to see a battling win. He's got heart that lad, and loves Cheltenham. The wind-op obviously worked out well too. Was disappointed with Grands Crus on watching it back, and to me looked like a non-stayer?? Thoughts please. The Champion Chase was an eventful race. I had backed Big Zeb but after effectively running the finish out of the others Sizing Europe and Finian's Rainbow were left out in front. I heard a lot of moaning about Sizing Europe being hampered more than Finian's with the final fence debacle - but if good enough Sizing would have won. However, the stewards at the course handled it awfully and a little bloke waving a bloody flag nowhere near the fence is not good enough - they had a whole circuit to sort it out for goodness sake. I was pretty angry about that. That said, Finian's won well, but if Sprinter Sacre heads for the race next year in that form, you fear for Finian's chances to be honest. Hate the bumper. Thursday Sir Des Champs. Looks smart doesn't he? Travelled confidently, and brushed aside a good course performer in Champion Court. Talk of the Gold Cup is a little premature for me at this stage, but certainly won as he liked and looks a big, strong lad who won't be fazed by the extra in the GC. Glad to hear Peddlers has returned hurdling, as he ran a reggie blinker. I was adamant that Riverside Theatre could run a big race at Cheltenham. However, after changing my mind decided to back Noble Prince, who I thought would appreciate the ground and was a CD winner. Bad choice, and it was probably the most exciting finish of the festival. Hats off to Albertas Run, really loves the track and a great training performance from Jonjo. Then the World. I seriously cannot believe people think this horse will be beaten. Drifts every year to about 4/5 and larger. I backed him with £50 of my hard earned, and was made to sweat I must admit. I think Ruby got there too soon, but after a big challenge from Voler La Vadette held on well after again being lazy on his own in front. Super, super horse and a great champion. Oscar Whiskey didn't stay as expected but I was disappointed with Thousand Stars, who was bang there coming round the final bend. Maybe the hill found him out. Friday The Gold Cup. I don't want to talk about any of the other races, as quite frankly, I don't really like them. I had Dodging Bullets in the Triumph on Betfair and he ran well, disappointed with Baby Mix. So LONG RUN!! Firstly, was upset to see Kauto pulled up but Ruby did the right thing by him and glad to hear he came out the race OK. Clive should retire him now and savour the great memories he has given us. But LONG RUN!! This horse has not trained on, simple as. I reckon he ran to a mark in the mid 160's. The proximity to him of The Giant Bolster and Time For Rupert means he is not the same horse. Take nothing away from Synchronised but surely he is not classy enough to win a Gold Cup, or so I thought. I still think it was a poor renewal, one of the poorest in fact, and I think it casts a shadow over Kauto's "improvement". I reckon they should be rated Kauto 168 and Long Run 166. Hunt Ball might have won the race, that's how poor it was. I backed Long Run by the way...... On the subject of Hunt Ball, what a great story and I think his owner is great, clearly loves the horse and lining his pockets at the same time. Good on the fella. Nam
Great write up Nam, and yes, over the moon was about right. This is a serious animal and I cannot wait to see him tackle a fence next year. I can't believe that Henderson will waste a year going for the Champion Hurdle for all that he has the ability to get involved. Interesting that he has received a rating of 157. Apparently the race average is 151, but his time figure/comparison warranted 161. A compromise was the result but I think we can be quite sure that Henderson now has the Grey Areoplane to sit alongside the Black Aeroplane he unleashed on the first day. Assuming that he jumps well enough, and I think he will (monster in Points), it will take a goodun to lower his colours over the bigguns next season. What a prospect!
Simonsig is a talented horse, but I feel some are getting carried away abit, particularly the bookies, who have him at all sorts of single figure prices for various races at next years festival. First of all I think he was flattered by how far he won in the Neptune, because of the horse that chucked Denis O'Regan off at the 2nd last, that horse interfered with a few in behind, mainly Monksland who was probably the biggest threat to the winner. Monksland was being ridden along but he was responding, and he was brough almost to a stop by the loose horse. I'm not saying the result would have been different, I'm just saying the winning margin wouldn't have been as impressive. Secondly I'm not convinced by his hurdling, and if they were to go down the Champion Hurdle route I'd be against him, unless I seen significant improvement. Horses can get away with poor hurdling over longer distances, but poor hurdlers don't beat the very best over 2 miles. And finally if he's struggling with hurdles, then he's more than likely going to struggle over fences, and a horse needs to jump well to win the Arkle. I'm not saying his jumping can't be sorted out by next season, afterall Henderson did miracles with Bobs Worth, I'm just saying he is far to short for next years races
good write up I think we now have 3 superstars in NH racing which should all go the festival next year as favourites again - Sprinter Sacre Quevega Big Bucks I wonder what odds you can get on that treble right now? the Gold Cup picture is probably the weakest it has been in a decade right now. I see that Sir des Champs is the antepost favourite for next year! I am definitely thinking of going next year though, Cheltenham is just about the only major racing festival I havent visited as I usually just focus on the flat for a day out racing. Is there a bus service put on from Cheltenham racecourse and if so does anyone know how long it takes to the racecourse and back to the station after racing?
I like Quevega, but calling her a superstar is abit of a joke realy. Superstars don't run in grade 2s
Couldn't agree more - I'm a huge fan of Simonsig and did back him accordingly, but 4-1 for next years Arkle after a) he hasn't jumped a fence and b) we don't even know for certain that he will be chasing next year (although I hope so) is ridiculous. I'm not more excited about Simonsig than I was about either Sprinter Sacre or Peddlers Cross and they were much longer.
Jewson?! Are you kidding?! I will cry if Henderson even enters him for the race. On a more serious note, I suppose it's possible but I think (much like with Peddlers Cross) something would have to go wrong for him to be there. He's a Grade 1 animal with loads of pace so am quite certain that the Arkle will be the aim.
Nothing went wrong with Peddlers Cross, they just didn't want to take another thrashing from Sprinter Sacre
Ron, can we please get this WUM banned?! You know as well as I do that Peddlers Cross wasn't right at Kempton Shergs.
There was nothing wrong with him, it was all sour grapes. Sprinter Sacre would hammer him 15 lenghs in 2nd gear everytime
