Jaysus, I don't think Ireland could have got a harder group all the sides are far superior technically, they will have greater ball retention and just pass the legs of Ireland. Will take a great deal of luck to get through. We needed a Romania or Hungary and maybe the Swiss!
He reminded me a lot of Grandouet today- really pacey, super keen, and a bit suspect up the hill! But he deserves another chance before we go OTT.
Yeah cause Henderson the man with more festival winners than any other trainer struggles for winners at Cheltenham
You're living in a dream world if you think Peace & Co could run up to a high 160 mark in March. That would probably only be good enough to place third anyway. Basically, the horse is a very decent animal who would have been forgotten about by now had he run in last years Supreme. Anyone backing him in any quality race is daft. The step up in class is phenomenal between the Triumph hurdle and all those failed flat horses and proper NH bred animals who have stamina and speed.
I don't think anyone has said that Peace and Co will win the CH this year, and the prices before today where even to short. He'll be a CH contender at some point in his career, Aslong as they can keep him fit and well
Depends on what constitutes 'contender' Shergs. He'll definitely run in it a couple of times but equally there's no way he'll ever win it.
My Tent, Darlan (RIP), Sprit Son, Granduoet, Hargam and you can now add Peace and Co to the bottlers club. Amazing how good they look till push comes to shove. Peace and Co will be looking round for the gas mask when the pressures applied 3 out in the Champion, that's if he gets that far. Mark my words, we've been here before boys. Stop kidding yourselves
I have never said he will win the CH this year, as I could never fancy a 5 year old for that race. I just think he is a high class horse and will be a big contender in Champion Hurdles in the future. I didn't bet on him today as I wouldn't bet odds on first time up, but I wont be put off backing him if the price is right NTO. I just don't understand everyone jumping on the I told you so bandwagon when his run was so bad there is no way it could have been his true form. He beat Hargam comfortably last time they met, and he was 20 lentghs behind him today. All I'm saying is that he's a lot better than that form suggests, and I think it's naive to write him off based on that run
I think you know by now I'm rarely reactionary. It needs a body of work to write something off. How can anyone look at his body of work, the form of his races and the general profile of Triumph horses and think anything other than there's no way he'll win a Champion Hurdle.
Nope, backed Old Guard today, but that wasn't Peace And Co on his game. It was too bad to be true and he should be given another chance.
Also he didn't look fit to me in the parade ring, was real negative for me. Another great day out at Cheltenham!
And last point - was Our Connor a better horse than Peace and Co? For me it's not really worth discussing. No matter how good Our Connor was, he was repeatedly beaten by the best established horses. Just based on that I'd hold out zero hope for Peace & Co.
I could make a similar list for Mullins and his flops in the festivals premier race the Gold Cup. Atleast Henderson has actually won the CH, more CHs than Willie Mullins aswell. Harsh to use Darlan and Spirit Son when neither actually got the chance to run in the CH. I think there's every chance either of those 2 could have won it
