Morning, team.
Firstly a bit of housekeeping. I’ve been droning on (and on and on and on I’m sure some will say) about how, in my opinion, Mr Charlton has quite a lot of once raced individuals who could, next term, develop into useful 3YOs and you can now add to that list Great Bear. A beautifully bred colt (by Dansili out of a mare who won the Lancashire and Irish Oaks) he won on debut on Friday eve and potentially could be quite good, methinks. Great Bear received a quote of 40/1 re the 2019 Derby after his victory. Let’s hope the old boy winters well.
Now onto Cheltenham’s 3 days. A few thoughts. What a wonderful start for us all as the forum’s favourite Corinthian romped home in the first. That was probably my highlight. Pym ran a most solid race stepped into Graded hurdling company for the first time. To my eye he’s now got ‘Coral Cup’, providing he’s not clobbered by the old boy handicapper, written all over him. Rather Be’s ‘skittling’ over in the ‘BetVictor’ was a blow as was Queen’s Illusion getting beaten in the concluding Mares Bumper (that’ll teach me backing animals when I’ve never heard of their trainer. Barney Chuckles hang your head in shame). Sunday was a strange day with just 16 runners in the 3 Graded races over obstacles and the final 2 hurdle events barely having any hurdles to jump! As Jim Royle, I think, once said, ‘Natural amphitheatre my posterior’. Lowpoint for me was the brutal ride Jamie Moore gave Baron Alco from the final fence to the line. Got 2 days but should have been more. I did however like Richard Hoiles’ view on how to deal with riders like Moore and his ilk (in contrast to McCoy and Fitzgerald who both merely stammered incoherently for 30 seconds when asked for their solution). If they commit whip abuse on a showpiece raceday make their bans apply only on subsequent showpiece racedays,. That, in my view, would be a worthy penance for them to serve.
Good luck all.
