Running in the Hennessy off 179 would be an impossible task for him. They'd be much better going for the Betfair Chase
I think that the bradstocks are more than capable of placing their horses-you'd have had them shot remember ;-)
They would be looking at Coneygree doing a Denman then, as I imagine that the handicapper would have reassessed him for his Gold Cup win.
Denman won it off 161 and 174, and was 3rd off 182. So Coneygree has an impossible task to win it off 179, as it's difficult to rate Coneygree anywhere near as good as Denman. As you'd also have to rate the likes of Djakadam and Road To Riches within a couple of pounds of Denman aswell. Times do support that Coneygrees Gold Cup was up there with the best of them, but times as we know are just one of a number of tools we can use to rate a race. They are not gospel, as so many other factors come into play. The fact Djakadam and Road To Riches got so close is enough to make you wonder wether the form is actually as strong as the times suggest
But then you can say that them 3 were miles clear of the 4th Shergar. What's to say both Djakadam and Road to Riches ain't future stars also?!
Coneygree is improving with each run -if he continues on his trajectory then it's not impossible -difficult yes, they know what's required after all.
He did gallop and jump them into submission-to my eyes he was going away at the line -some performance whatever you look at it -and to think his first run over fences was a few months ago -it was no fluke!
One more thing, people say the rain helped him...as I quoted Ruby Walsh the first day of the festival and will do so again "it's a Winter sport, it's supposed to be played on Winter ground"
True STH, however neither Djakadam or Road To Riches form going into the Gold Cup looked anywhere near the high 170s. It was high 160s at best. For Coneygree to win a Hennessy off 179 he would have to have the ability of a horse in the mid 180s, as you have to be well handicapped to win a Hennessy with all the 2nd season chasers lining up. Denman won it off 174 because he was able to run in the 180s. Do you really think Coneygree is that good? Only time will tell, but i have my reservations.
Road To Riches was certainly heading the right way pre race though and he was my only ante post bet for that race as stated in the ante post thread. Djakadam did suprise me I will admit but I'd say Mullins knew where he was with that fella all the time and was just bringing him along gradually for that day. Only time will tell, we could debate back and forth all day and night, I guess we must wait and see how the form stacks up in future. I do believe it was a good race and hopefully they can prove it in time.
It will be his fifth start over fences if he lines up, I'm sure that he will only do so if the connections deem it suitable.
Well Road to Riches won a Galway Plate in the height of midsummer on summer ground so you can be sure he'd have preferred the deluge didn't come!
Ran a cracker still and won at Leopardstown at Christmas. Great performance that day too. He's also won on heavy, yielding, good and good to soft. Fair to say the ground is decent for him either way. I think your taking the point out of context. Basically all its saying is that if the ground is soft it is supposed to be soft!
Very true but I think he won that day despite the ground, rather than because of. They always said he wanted decent ground, I think if the rain hadn't have fallen to the extent it did Coneygree may very well not have won the race. In fact he may not even have run. That connections decided to wait for the rain and chance the GC rather than take on the easier RSA gives a broad indication as to how vital they feel ground is. Take nothing away from him though it was a savage performance. I do agree with your general point about the ground. That ground on Wednesday & Thursday was as quick as you want to see horses jump (and more critically land on should they fall). It seems the general consensus is that Gary Moore came across as a bad loser/moaning git after Sire's defeat but you do want some cushion in the ground for jumpers. Safety must come first.
I think Gary Moore is abit of a tool tbh. A sore loser, after he was so brash in the build up, claiming SDGs Champion Chase victory was better form than Sprinter Sacres Champion Chase
