BOS.....I was talking to a few people at Ascot today, and the vibes are very good about Long Run. He's been impressing at home, and they think he is ready to do himself justice
Im tempted to lay Long Run tomorrow, His seasonal reappearance last year doesn't exactly brim Me with confidence he jumped poorly and looked to be outstayed by Little Josh at Cheltenham, He clearly needed the run and after hearing Nicky's comments '' He's fit but not Gold Cup fit, I haven't got him fully wound up because that wouldn't be sensible '' Im thinking there maybe an upset tomorrow. On his bare form he should win this doing handstands but it is proberbly more of a stepping stone than anything and with a few of the horses in the race having already had a run he may be beaten but Im confident he will proberbly go on to win the King George and Gold Cup. All I want tomorrow is for Kauto to put a good round of jumping in and sneak a place, Paul Nicholls is quoted to have said he's got him to '' Gold Cup '' fitness for this race and if he runs anything like he did at Cheltenham he may he even sneak a win if Long Run doesn't perform. Believe Me when I say ' may '...
You can write off his run in the Paddy Power last year because he was outpaced pretty much the whole way. He was always out of his comfort zone and consequently could never find a jumping rhythm. He was just one paced up the hill, rather than not staying. He fairly stormed up it in March so there is no issues with stamina as far as I'm concerned. I think he's a good bet at 11/10. I will be 'investing' if that price is around in the morning.
I'm of the same view as you Zenyatta. Long Run isn't the greatest jumper, and in the Paddy Power he was outpaced, and hitting the fences, because the pace was so strong. On an easier jumping track, and over a longer trip, I believe he will win on seasonal debut
I do quite a bit of eventing and had the chance to speak to the jumping guru Yogi Breisner about Long Run at Blenheim. He was of the same opinion and if he thinks that, then that will do for me.
Good reading all the comments and interesting to see not everyone agrees 100% about Long Run. I've written Long Run in my notebook but slightly reluctantly. Partly I think because he beat two much older champs in the Gold Cup and my eye in that race was taken off how he jumps himself. Also he's still only six and I've seen him run and win just two races in one season, albeit major races, but I'm not sure I can predict him like I was sure when I first saw Kauto win in the KG. I'm very excited about the race in any case, to see if Long Run can prove consistent, to see how Kauto does (may he get home ok), and whether I can write a place against Diamond Harry, which I picked on faith really against the others but I see is now 2nd in the betting. Oddschecker has Long Run drifting but I think by the figures haven't changed by much as yet. I reckon I'll take my headphones to work, what with masterminded running as well. G'luck all.
They tend to go quick enough on the newish inner jumps course at Haydock.The fences are portable and significantly easier to negotiate than the famous drop fences that populated the outer ring of the course. These less testing obstacles may mitigate LR'S perceived suspect fencing at pace. Ginger McCain was rightly horrified at the destruction of this great 'chase course.
You keep telling yourself that!! I think the 'jumping guru' comes from his ability to solve the problem rather than just identify it. Have you piled in on Long Run yet?
How difficult was it to solve, step him up in trip, to give him more time at his fences. Hence why I tipped him up in the KG and GC
I think there might have been some training involved. If you can tell me what they did then i will crown you as the 2nd jumping guru. You dodged my question too! Have you piled on Long Run yet?
You will find out, in my shoo in article tommorow morning. You just give the horse plenty of schooling, he was only 5 in last years PP, how many perfect 5yo jumpers do you know?
"You just give the horse plenty of schooling" - A bit general I'm afraid. No 'jumping guru' crown awarded! Mon Parrain slightly let himself down in the Paddy Power but he was quite brilliant last season. I seem to recall Master Minded putting in a pretty decent round as a 5yo in the Champion Chase . . . I don't think age is really an issue. Some find it easy and some don't, however old they are. Obviously as a horses ages it does mean the trainer has more time to train the horse to jump correctly though. I suppose you would therefore expect them to improve with age. I think a good jumper is a good jumper however old they are.
What if there is a marked lack of pace early on? There is a chance that this race could develop into something that will suit the more nimble of them. If the tempo is not genuine, who gets the best of it, and who suffers? If it is a dawdle, would it be a good idea for Ruby to take the great horse to the front, and then play the game to suit himself?
I doubt there will be no pace to be honest Cyc. I would expect Diamond Harry and Time For Rupert to be prominent. Long Run, Kauto Star and Weird Al tend to race handily and Pure Faith has been ridden up with the pace in the past too. I don't think anyone wants a dawdle, and whilst there might be no confirmed 'front runner' as such, I don't think the race will lack for pace.
What an horse Kauto as been. The king still reins... His jumping today was supreme, Long Run doesn't like being under pressure still abit to work on I feel plenty of years to get it right! You was saying Shergar??
He was saying Kauto Star can't win I'm delighted he was wrong, and even though I lost dosh on TFR I still enjoyed seeing that
I know he did, It was only a friendly dig. What a day for Clive Smith and Paul Nicholls... Can't beat an old favourite putting a performance like that in, Long Run is clearly not fully wound up but when hes under pressure his jumping falls to pieces. Made My day that as King Kauto jumping like a stag and winning...
