He's run the last twice with the butt-plug in to make everyone think he doesn't get 3 miles and will storm home in the Gold Cup?
No, we all know he isn't going to stay 3 miles 2 furlongs up the hill butt plug or not. I've just been wondering if anybody knows what planet his connections live on?
Gold Cup when he doesn't stay. QMCC against the best horse in training. Trying to outstay SDC at the end of 3 miles on Irish soft. I hope they sell him to someone who knows what they're doing.
I think thats pretty harsh. I say fair play for having a go. At least Sprinter Sacre will face a horse who stays 2 and a half miles strongly, jumps superbly, and doesn't go off like a scalded cat and gets beaten by Kumbeshwar. I look forward to it, finally a challenger who is not afraid of denting their own reputation.
Being pedantic that's 3 points not one. Agree with 2 of them but I say fair play to them for taking on Sprinter. As was said on another thread yesterday Sprinter needs some proper opposition. Flemenstar will at the very least make him work for it IMHO. The softer it is the closer it will be. Sprinter did make half a mistake at the last lto and that was with plenty of daylight between him and the 2nd.
Totally disagree. I wouldn't take him to Cheltenham but if I did it would be the Ryanair because it's the only race he can win. I just can't agree with running a horse over the wrong trip at Cheltenham. You've asked the questions throughout the season. Got your answers. Decide to totally ignore those answers.
Flemenstar was a very good 2 miler last season, he has jumped just as well this season. Sizing Europe took a similar path- he was a superb jumper and proven over 2m, but he was experimented with up in trip. Flemenstar would relish 2m around a stiff track like Cheltenham and I think it would be a great spectacle. Only one way of finding out!
and another thing I've got tickets for Tuesday and Wednesday and I want to see Flemenstar run. There is of course the whole bad traveller question to answer as well.
I see what you're getting at Toppy and agree the spectacle appeals and if Flemenstar was as good over 2 and 2.5 I'd not be bothered about the decision but he's better over 2.5 and has a much better chance of winning at that trip. Even at his best it's going to take SS to fall for him to win in the QMCC. Would he beat Sizing over 2 miles? He might. He might not. So he could possibly finish third or fourth in the QMCC but not first. He could finish third or fourth in the Ryanair but could win. I don't see why there's even a debate.
The point you make is a fair one, that he's got more chance of winning the Ryannair cos Sprinter is in it. But connections want him to go for a championship race so fair play to them. The trainer has never had one as good and almost certainly will never have another one so he's punting for the stars. Good luck to him.
Flemenstar and Sizing Europe are probably the 2 horses that worry me most in that they'd give Cue Card a bloody good race. Hopefully they'll both go over 2, I hope they do as it'll give us a great yardstick with which to measure Sprinter Sacre by. Then it's Cue Card v Nicky Henderson in the RyanAir.
I think it's Stephen Curran who seems to have his head in the sand regarding Flemenstar's stamina. To be fair to Peter Casey, his first reaction after the Lexus was "Champion Chase because he won't get the Gold Cup trip and the Ryanair is a Micky-Mouse-race". It was, I believe, Curran who decided they would go for the Hennessy and even after he was beaten fair and square by SDC (IMHO) Curran is again looking for excuses and saying the horse was potentially "not right". I'm still sat on an e/w voucher on Flemenstar for the GC so out of personal interest I would like to get a run for my money but I think the race would have to cut up badly and a few of the principals have a real off day for him to place. From a sporting perspective he belongs in the Ryanair or save him for the Aintree Bowl which is usually a pretty soft Grade 1.
Though he was beaten fair and square yesterday Oddy I don't understand the tactics in trying to out stay a proven stayer. When he made a move 2 out why did he virtually pull him up again. In interviews after races I often here jockeys talking about not wanting to disappoint the horse when they make their move. Well I reckon if Flemenstar could talk he'd tell you he's right pissed off with Mr Lynch.
Maybe they can get Barry Geraghty to ride him in the Gold Cup? Seriously though, I'm still fuming at Lynch for getting Sizing Europe beat in the Champion Chase last season. OK the last fence fiasco didn't help but he should have kicked on from the top of the hill, he already had Finian's Rainbow on the stretch a bit and could have really powered away from him down the hill. Instead Lynch reins him in, he jumps the next 2 a bit dodgy and let FR right back into. FR should have been dead and buried coming off the final bend. I honestly don't know what tactics he was using yesterday? First he holds him up and then comes to take the race at the 2nd last and takes a MASSIVE pull after that fence, allowing SDC to go on again. When I did the "Under The Sportlight" on Flemenstar I talked about his ability to quicken up smartly at the crucial stage of a race and put it to bed. I'm sure the horse was wanting to do this after the 2nd last but Lynch just stopped his momentum by taking such a pull. You could still actually debate whether he stays or not - it's not as if SDC pulled 7 ot 8 lengths clear of him, he was beaten less than 2 lengths. I just wonder what would have happened if Lynch had allowed him to stride on 2 out?
