True mate, true. There was a short interview with Graham Wylie on Sporting Life yesterday (see here) and he's got 3 new horses: "I've got two new horses with Paul Nicholls, one called For Two, who is a nice young horse we bought from France, the other horse has a great name for a racehorse - Sound Investment!" said Wylie. "I've also got a new horse with Willie called Briar Hill. He's related to Boston Bob and won his point-to-point very nicely, so we snapped him up. I've got a nice little squad for the coming season. I think I've got 19 horses in total now, so we'll see how they go."
Hinterland, who appears to be Paul Nicholls' number 1 Arkle hope, is entered for a novice chase at Stratford on Friday. No idea whether he is an intended runner but a sign that some big names may be about to start appearing again. If Simonsig stays over hurdles, as now seems likely (see hurdlers thread), then the Arkle suddenly takes on a much more open look. I'd have Hinterland pretty darn near the top of my list at the moment. The only disappointment is that he will not get the opportunity to exploit what looks a lenient handicap mark over hurdles. I'd slightly been hoping a crack at something like the Greatwood might have been his first target before he went chasing. However, if he is Nicholls' best Arkle candidate then forgoing that opportunity is entirely understandable.
Agreed Zen was a huge fan of Hinterland last season, was abit of the shame that he rocketed up with the handicapper last year, but a very talented horse and can see him taking a very big liking to the big fences! Just hope he doesnt fall the same way that Al ferof did who I can see going back to hurdles for abit this year!
I'd be amazed if a decent handicap hurdle was not within his grasp off of 141. But it appears that chasing it is, right from the off.
I know Nicholls liked Hinterland but I can't see him progressing to the levels that are talked about here. I thought Baby Mix looked every inch a future chaser (a young Nacarat!)- rhythmical, talented, and a big engine. Certainly like the idea of Baby Mix going up in trip at some point too. Simonsig as a Champion Hurdle prospect really does get me interested. When does the jumps season officially start?
I can't be thinking about a horse for the Arkle until I've seen it jump a fence in public. Wasn't it this time last year that Peddler's Cross was about 4/1 Arkle fav and you could still get about 8/1 for Sprinter Sacre?
Quotes of around the 11/4 mark at this stage of the season (for Simonsig or indeed even the reincarnation of Pegasus) are quite frankly Bonkers with a capital ‘B’. Haven’t punters learned the lessons of Peddlers Cross and the like from the past few seasons??? In fact in my lifetime the only early Arkle fave that I can remember ever delivering was the mighty Azertyioup. The one that I’m really interesting in re this terms Arkle is ‘the hope of the county’ Montbazon (look to the right and you can see his picture). I know that I’ve droned on and on and on and on about this horse even prior to his racecourse debut but I really think him the real deal and potentially an amazing individual. However, old boy Alan King seems very noncommittal about what sphere he will be competing in this season and has said recently some rather conflicting things re him. Is currently around the 40/1 mark for the Champion Hurdle and 14/1 for the Arkle and I guess we won’t know for sure until entries are made. Perhaps he will be one of those animals who will be given a run over the smaller obstacles and then a decision will be made. Personally I’d love to see him over the big ‘uns and if a nod is given in that direction think current quotes are huge. Furthermore, the yard have an excellent record in the race with 2 wins in the past 7 years and several near misses. Meanwhile, in the novice heat at the festival for the old sloggers, or RSA as its more commonly known, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again I’d love to see Mr Henderson aim Barbers Shop’s little sister Heather Royal at this rather than go down the more easier ‘Mares Only’ route. If Mr Henderson does play his hand conservatively another top novice crown could be coming to the county courtesy of Smad Place. Less than 10 lengths off Big Bucks in the Stayers Championship, in March, he would be an ultra classy recruit to fences (rated in the 160’s over hurdles).
Good horse that Hidden Cyclone. I was very disappointed when he lost to SDC that form doesn't look too bad now and he got close
Interesting, I know the long term target has always been the Gold Cup, they were never interested in going to Cheltenham last season, the Shark thinks the world of him and has looked after him. He wasnt right when Sir Des Champs beat him, there was a virus in the yard and they just put him away after that, he looked to have the race in the bag turning in but he couldnt go past a horse he beat 15 lengths on the bridle over hurdles. He done really well over hurdles for a staying chaser, he dosent want firm ground though but the ground at Cheltenham is always safe, I dont know if he could cope with Sir Des Champs there but if its 3 miles in heavy ground in Ireland I know who im on.
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evening all long time no see. i've missed the summer jumps this year in favour of dealing with lifey things. but the new season starts soon it looks like it starts end of november at cheltenham but i'm sure there's a couple of festivals before that in october. i've not got the calendar for this year yet. good to read all your predictions on here. one horse i'm puzzled about that lots of you mentioned is sir des champs. i watched probably every race until the summer and i don't remember seeing him run/win so he hasn't made a big impression on me despite winning the jewson. so i looked up his record and it seems he was below average on the flat but then won everything over hurdles and fences. i suppose my doubts are because i looked at what he beat and wonder what would happen if he was put in a race with much higher rated horses? and what's he aimed at this season? i'm prepared to be proved flat wrong anyway! my memory isn't that long. looking forward to the season. i'm already suffering from my old trick of having my reserve horses win instead of my first choice. it keeps happening and i don't know what i'm doing different with picking the reserves thanks for the vids topclass. hope we're all well and/or bearing up.
Looking at the cards for this coming Saturday and Fingal Bay is entered in the novices chase at Chepstow (3.00)
Was just about to say the same thing! In the same race Poungach is currently entered- might make a very nice chaser- and also Harry Fry could saddle King Of The Night- a facile winner of a good handicap hurdle early last season when still classed as under the Paul Nicholls banner.
Just had a look at that Chepstow card, and at the entries stage, it looks a Corker with a capital ‘C’. The one who would interest me most would be HANDAZAN in the card commencer for Alan King. I’ve spoken about him before and he’s set to make his hurdling bow following a decent career on the level, for old boy John Oxx, where he was a winner and achieved a rating in the 90’s. Alan King has gone down the Zaynar / Mr Henderson route and sought out a bit of ex-Aga Khan stock for a juvenile hurdler. But will he be as good...possibly! VILLAGE VIC, who was Listed placed as a Bumper performer, looks a quality hurdling recruit for dear old Pip Hobbs, in the 20 furlong novice event. Meanwhile, in the high class novice chase FINGAL BAY, as detailed, should be hard to beat but only a fool would dismiss Don McCain’s SUPER DUTY from giving him a serious race. A multiple winner last term this one was 2nd up at Aintree in the Grade 2 behind Simonsig and would have been a lot closer but for a serious error 2 out.
