Given the season came to a close yesterday perhaps it’s time to review? So in this thread can we get peoples views on Top NH horse Your favourite race Your favourite story of the season And three horses that you are looking forward to next season
Top Horse for me is a simple one, Altior is the superstar of the generation and his form over the minimum trip has been awesome. Yesterday we saw an amazing round of jumping and he looks set to deliver more intrigue next season over further. The QMCC was a fascinating race and when he was joined and passed at the last it took a true champion to fight back and outstay his opposition. Honourable mentions to Tiger Roll and Paisley Park, but when you look at pure performance then Altior sits pretty alone at the top table. My favourite race was the RSA at the festival, three top quality novices fighting out a finish on decent ground. I think Delta Work is a very smart horse and he was outgunned by Santini (biggest UK hype horse?) and Topofthegame. They all jumped well and came to the last in a line, and that form suggests to me that we have an amazing NH season to look forward to next year, especially over staying trips over fences. The King George looks to be an absolutely amazing race next season with Altior being mooted alongside horses such as Lostintranslation (my pick) joining the current and RSA crops of staying chasers. The favourite story was the golden hour of NH racing, the Frodon and Briony win kick started the Thursday of the festival and then Paisley Park rounded it off. Racing can pull the emotional strings, often for the worst (see Friday of the festival) but when it goes well, the stories are epic. The season hasn’t been vintage in my book, but we’ve had some amazing stories, with Tiger Roll, Altior et al making it a year that hasn’t disappointed. So when does it all start again? See you at the Hunters evening on Friday!!
Excellent thread Nass I've combined my thoughts on all 3 questions into 2 answers as I think you have already nailed the obvious ones. I've gone for my top novice hurdler and top novice chaser as they won 2 of my favourite races and am looking massively forward to both next season. Top Novice Hurdler: City Island. A triumph for one of the smaller trainers at the Cheltenham Festival as Martin Brassil's City Island capped an unbeaten season by taking the Ballymore Novices Hurdle from Champ. City Island started the season under a bit of a cloud, being disqualified after running away with a 19 runner maiden at the Galway festival but testing positive for arsenic (thought to be from a seaweed supplement, the trainer absolved of all blame). After winning a maiden at Leopardstown's big Boxing Day meeting and a Naas Novice Hurdle at 1/5 in February, he went to Cheltenham quietly fancied but not considered a hotpot. Going off at 8/1 he travelled well throughout the race and was lying handy coming down the hill. Suddenly Valdieu and Sams Profile sandwiched City Island coming to the 2nd last but Mark Walsh was having none of it and the horse was a willing partner, accelerating to force his way between them. After pinging the second last he drew clear with Champ and the two of them set to battle up the hill. City Island jumped the last better than his rival and powered clear up the run-in. Whether he goes novice chasing or is aimed at the Champion Hurdle next season he is one I am really looking forward to. Top Novice Chaser: A Plus Tard. A gob-smacking demolition job in one of the most competitive novices handicap chases of the season surely marks Henry de Bromhead's exciting novice a future Grade 1 winner. Superbly ridden by the magnificent Rachael Blackmore (whose achievements as a female jockey are right up there with the best of them) A Plus Tard took it up coming round the final bend and sprinted clear to put 16 lengths of daylight between himself and his field. The form has yet to be tested but A Plus Tard will be stepping up in trip at the Punchestown Festival, running in the Champion Novice Chase over 3 miles on Tuesday. Possible rivals include Delta Work and Getabird.
I really like A Plus Tard, he finished his race with great aplomb and the big race at Punchestown should be set up perfectly to see how they race him next season. I’ve backed him antepost for the Ryanair, with the view that he has loads of pace and also time on his side.
You pretty much summed it up for me Nass. Tiger Roll and Altior the star horses. Frodon and Bryony the stand out moment. RSA great race and those 3 could be very good next year. The novice chasers looked strong to me.
Interesting to see that the bookies have Delta Work shorter than A Plus Tard for the novice champion chase at Punchestown.
Handicap form versus Grade 1 form, doesn’t surprise me at all and I think the market is about right. Step up in trip too, will be a fascinating race.
Top NH (I’m taking that NH stands for National Hunt, in this instance, rather than Nick Henderson) horse – has to be Tiger Roll. To win 2 GN’s on the bounce is enough to win him this title. Favourite Race – not just from a punting perspective but vindication for the horse was seeing Coole Cody’s epic performance to finish runner-up in Sandown’s £100k handicap hurdle in early Feb. Also from the same barn Iniesta wining over both hurdles and fences in the same term. Favourite story – the wonderful scenes on the victory podium following Altior’s 2nd win in the Champion Chase. Warmed the old heart and brought a tear to the eye. 3 horses to follow for 2019/20 – Santini, Dickie Diver, the forum’s 3rd favourite Dickie, and O Connell Street.
Top NH - Tiger Roll Favourite Race - Favourite story - Ruby Walsh and Benie Des Dieux 3 horses to follow for 2019/20 - Tout Est Permis, Tout Est Permis and Tout Est Permis.
Yeah. Tiger Roll over Altior. The way Tiger destroyed the field at Cheltenham by about 20 lengths and then followed that up just over 3 weeks later by coasting to victory for his 2nd national in a row, it really was a special time. I can't wait to see Altior in the King George.
Top NH = Altior ..best horse in training. Favourite race(s)- Tiger Roll winning back to back Nationals and becoming the first horse to do so since Red Rum and his demolition job at Cheltenham.. Favourite story- Paisley Park taking all before him in the stayers hurdle division and thrashing the Irish at the festival. Lovely for his owner who is a real nice fella.. good for small yard and add to all that horse almost died in his early years. Great story! 3 horses to follow next season apart from the one I have a small interest in : Altior stepping up to 3 miles..very exciting! Bags Groove - really love how this horse jumps and cant wait to see him next season. Al Dancer- flopped in the supreme but prior to that looked very impressive. I am looking forward to seeing what he has to offer...over fences he could be a beast. Whether they go over fences next year not sure but hugely exciting horse for me.
Just prior to The Supreme the 11th richest man in Wales had said that Al Dancer would win the 2020 Champion Hurdle. Whether that is still the plan after his Festival reversal though I don’t know…
Not totally beyond the realms of possibility ...it was strange they took the hood off at the festival when they applied it in previous runs which he won. He looked half asleep in the supreme. I heard though they might go for the bigger obstacles next season. Will be interesting to see....
