It is but I think he'd 8 last year, and his team looks even stronger than ever. I'd say he's looking to at LEAST match 8 and I'd say there's every chance the great man will rewrite the history books again!
Nicholls will no doubt have a Fred Winter 2-3 horses go close and some other handicaps i would imagine. Given how poor his horses were running Nov/December it is likely he has a few on a nice handicap mark.
It seems like that Nicholls buys actual talent what I mean is he always seems to buy a horse that has won a p2p or horse that has cruised up in a French race and Mullins buys hidden potential he buys the horse who finished 2nd/3rd to the horse that Nichols has just bought. Brings them over and they just seem like a different horse - like MIN on his French form what the hell did they see in him apart from him being Douvans half brother ! The man is really genius!
Just looking at the trainers championship and Nicholls is comfortably ahead of Hobbs but look who is there in 4th - Colin Tizaaaaaaaard enjoying a remarkable season thanks to Cue Card and Thistlecrack, also a great training performance to get Golden Chieftain winning the Somerset National yesterday - jumped like a stag.
Not crabbing the mans "genius" but do you actually think he goes out inspecting and selecting all these horses?
Harold Kirk appears to be the talent spotter http://www.not606.com/threads/riccis-racing-revolution.320723/
There seems to be a common denominator in this Nicholls Mullins debate, ruby . Nicholls dominated the festival for a decade when ruby was his retained jockey, now he's with Mullins its a different story. Everyone seems to be jumping on the French bred band wagon. But I expect another home bred will win the gold cup this year.
I meant that fact the way he eeks out the potential in to actual! I bet he doesn't even go out to any of the sales him self! As oddy says its Harold Kirk that seems to be the spotter and Patrick goes out to a lot of the sales too!
In paddy Brennan he has a jockey who knows how to get him home. And he stayed on gamely in the King George.
People, people, people. Trainers, especially those at the top end, don’t buy the horses (they may in some instances have some, marginal, input but little more) it’s the owners who do that! Certainly with the McManus animals they get little more than a phone call to say they are being sent such and such an individual after it has been purchased by the man from either the sales, France or the pointing field. Owners don’t employ a plethora of racing managers, bloodstock advisers and bloodstock agents for nothing!
Beefy, I’ve been saying pretty much the same thing for a while (with the exception of the final paragraph). I think NH racing is in terminal decline helped in no small way by the fact that a huge number of the leading horses are all with 2 or 3 leading owners. There is no competition, in the main throughout the season (look at that stat that no Grade 1 since the JNWine has attracted a double digit field), and all these ‘new’ races at the Festival simply add to this by horses running in pointless races rather than against each other than in the top ones. Races like the ‘Mares Hurdle’ and ‘Ryanair’ simply dilute the quality noting else. Don’t fret about Mr Henderson though, old boy. He’s still got the arrows to challenge anyone. But mostly certainly English opposition is, in the main, very, very weak these days.
Two different tracks two different distances! If he does win I will be the first to say I'm wrong and would actually love to see him win it but I just can't see him staying to win the gold cup you need a dour stayer, which Cue Card is not
Mullins to have 10 winners at 7/4 is a ridiculous bet a full 2 months beforehand. I reckon he'll have 7: 2 championship races, 3 novice hurdles, a novice chase and the mares. The handicaps come down to skulduggery and whilst Willie proved he can get down and dirty as well as anyone last year with 2 handicap victories I'd not necessarily expect him to follow that up again. 7 would still be a fantastic though. To get all his big guns to the festival sound will be some achievement before worrying about double figure wins.
Very true Chan. Ridiculous quotes when you think if the Irish side delivered 10 in a given year it would be a good year for Irish trained animals there, let alone one man, he does have the ammo, but it's still a tall task. Think your spot on, if he gets in and around the 8 bracket again that would be excellent.
7/4 Mullins to get 10 or more is the definition of insanity alright. There's 9/4 available guys In all seriousness no one expected him to get 8 last year, I remember banter on here with someone who clearly thought that. Again this year, it looks even better for him, he's got ELEVEN favourites this year and arguably a stronger team. I wouldn't underestimate him anyway. The thing with him is even when a favourite of his is beaten, he quite often he still wins wins anyway, think Annie Power for example. Ten is definition possible, let's hope we see records broken and the bookies take a pounding. I think everyone likes to see that
Have you got the new holiday home in the Bahamas and new car ordered and ready to go for April Beefy? Any word on Limini? Backed Augusta Kate for the bumper last week there too, what do ya reckon yourself?
There was something about her I saw a week or so ago. Some race in England mentioned, didn't say what or where. Kind of knew the injury rumours were bollix. She's been plenty well backed anyway, into 5/2 now I see Loved Augusta Kate's 2 wins but didn't they mention Aintree mares bumper for her early season? If I knew she was travelling I'd be going in, put it like that. The owners might like a good day out!
