Himself and Kirby have the Monopoly at Lingfield today bar Rob Hornby getting one up in between the lads' wins.
Recall Sublimity and Alderbrook also winning black type on the flat before timber topping. I'm sure there are more.
Didn't see race but there was a reason that was smashed up from 20s into 6s...Pauling the cheeky blighter supposedly was stunned by this gamble.... Yeah ok Fair play to those that followed, and anyone else heading to the payout window.
Thats the thing though, what top jump horses could have run 5th in an Arc as a 3yo? average handicappers(70s 80s) on the flat are more likely to improve for the jumps, the listed/group horses on the flat at 3yo and 4yo rarely match their flat form never mind improve for the jumps. Hurricane Fly is the only one I can think of but even he wouldnt have been good enough to run in the Arc as a 3yo. Jump horses should still be babys at 5yo and peak at 7/8, they shouldnt be starting at 5yo with a full high level flat career behind them.
Ben Pauling has no idea where the money has come from. "It's not ours as we don’t punt as a yard and it's absolutely bonkers,” the trainer said. “He's done some nice work - I'm not going to deny that - and he’s a nice horse but he’s been off for two years and it’s a competitive race. "He’s got a bright future if we can keep him sound and the main aim is for him to come out of the race okay.” Yea right
At least it didn't win. Martin couldn't get this lad to win an egg and spoon race when he was punted off the boards so wasn't having him at that price today but then again no better man than Tony to get a little extra out of one when needed is there.
Just catching up on the racing- how did More Of That look o his return? Looked a chaser? Bet of the day for me up next- a well handicapped Super Duty is now away from McCain and with Ian Williams, who does well with these types.
Looked very good TC. Quick at most fences and just stalked the leaders all the way before being produced near the last and easing away up the hill. Further he went the further he would have won. Given the issues he's had you could only be immensely impressed by today's effort.
My ultimate cliff horse next ..................... Ericht. He has to win one of these soon and off 130 he must have his best chance for ages.
Forgotten Voice is one of the rare success stories of a decent level flat horse doing well over jumps and even he was nothing special over jumps, nowhere near as good as you would expect considering what some 70 rated 2 milers can do. Obviously its a very different skill set, if you can run respectably in Group 1s as a 3yo on the flat the chances of you being suited to 2m5 at Cheltenham are slim to none, if you can run 1m6/2m on the flat off 80 you might do ok in jump races.
Agreed, I think NH hunt racing takes a different type of horse- you cant just cruise round and win the good/top level jumps races, thats why Fergusons mop up **** maidens and then struggle as they go up in class. Thats why Hurricane Fly was such a star- what a tough old boot he was to win all those Grade 1s with his frame and flat pedigree.
