Shergar, when he is off the bridle early, its not the real Master Minded, as Fulkes says, he has become an inconsistent horse, when he is on his game, he quickens when Walsh goes for him, as he did at Aintree last season. A bridle horse does not quicken up and power clear of good fields, a bridle horse cannot win a Champion Chase by 20 lengths. Master Minded is not a battler obviously, he travels and he quickens, thats how he wins his races, thats is not the definition of a bridle horse, that is the definition of a good horse. A bridle horse travels then finds absolutely nothing.
Master Minded doesnt find alot when off the bridle, when he won the Champion Chase by 20 lenghs he never came off the bridle, Ruby just gave him some rein, and he quickened up. Ruby was not pushing along, and whipping the arse off him. Once MM is off the bridle his jumping becomes sloppy and he doesn't battle. Master Minded has not become incosistant, he has just lost some of his pace, and has been crying out for a step up in trip, but has been held back because Clive Smith already had Kauto Star running in races like the KG. Yesterday he just couldn't conceed 10 pounds to a very good horse. I doubt wether he will have enough to stop Long Run, but my opinion on MMs KG chances have not been affected by yesterday's defeat
Im not so sure, I just dont think he is the same horse he was, or at least, he cannot produce that level consistently, he got away with it a couple of times against inferior horses and that run yesterday was very poor, a million miles away from winning a King George and the race is in two months. I dont think he is crying out for a trip, 2 and a hlaf is probably his best trip now, he should get away with 3 miles in the King George but I cant see him staying in a Gold Cup. What do you think?
I actually feel he will stay the trip in the KG, that doesn't concern me. The Gold Cup is further, over a more testing track, though it wouldnt suprise me if he did stay. If he runs well in the KG then I'm sure the temptation will be to great for Clive Smith, afterall when youve won what Clive Smith has, what is a Ryaniar? I believe Long Run will become one of the all time greats of our sport, so I doubt wether MM can topple him, Master Minded's only chance is if the ground is good or better, or they go a slow gallop, as Long Run is like Denman, in that he stays all day, but doesn't have a good turn of foot, like a Kauto Star or a Master Minded
Have to agree - Long Run will stay all day, over whatever distance you like. Which makes beating him for the Gold Cup very tricky indeed - I can't see any of the established lot taking him on. At Kempton for the King Georges 3m, I think a quicker horse could do it. Not convinced that Master Minded is the one for the job though.
Eh? You cant just make a comment saying MM beat AR by only 9 length in April but if he was condeding the 10lbs like he was yesterday MM would have been behind AR. MM won with more that 10lbs in hand when they raced in April, your point is just not valid with regards the weight and Aprils race. As for yesterdays race i'll reserve judgement until he races again but at face value it was poor
Three runner races can always throw up a strange result. To me the proximity of Pure Faith from 22lbs out of the handicap is confirmation that both of the principles were below par. Nicholls was never planning on running Mast Minded here. Instead he wanted to take in the Amlin Chase on Betfair Chase weekend. However, i believe that Clive Smith was very keen for Ruby to ride both him and Kauto Star, so he was therefore rerouted to Aintree. He must therefore have been a little short of where Nicholls had wanted him to be. I'm sure he will improve for the run but he will need to. I have never had him down as a potential 3 miler and i just cannot see him staying. I would think that 2m4/5f is his trip nowadays and the Ryanair would be the obvious Festival target. I will be very happy to be proved wrong though because he is one of my favourites. His jumping when he is on song is a joy to behold.
