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This is rarely my race, much though I love it. So here's my three selections, to subsequently put a line through... The Midnight Club - very lightly raced but a horse I've always liked since he was novice hurdling a couple of seasons ago. Becauseicouldntsee - I was following him earlier in...

I've been working my way towards visiting all of the UK NH courses and the ones left on my list are Ludlow, Taunton and Fontwell. I'd like to revisit those I haven't been to since I was a kid, like Plumpton and Wincanton. Away from the bigger courses, I have a certain fondness for Hexham and...

No way could I be writing off MdH after that, when I'd taken so much encouragement from Fairyhouse. Perhaps he just needed more time to get over that first run? I wouldn't mind seeing him in a beginners chase somewhere. Is he likely to go for another Grade 1 next?

Likely inspection tomorrow. The covers are bonded to the course just now. Need temperatures to rise.

Farewell, Twist. I loved watching him at his best, especially at Sandown. I'll miss him. Condolences to his connections.

Maybe I'm too 'old school', then, but I can't help feel some trainers are a little precious when it comes to the way they campaign some of their horses. Okay, I just back horses, I don't train them, but I'm starting to grow a bit weary of the various excuses trotted out: no suitable races, we...

Re Punchestowns, what was wrong with races like the Old Roan and the Peterborough?

Perhaps I'm in the minority but I think KS would stay the trip at Sandown. It's not the race it used to be either these days. Unless other top notchers turned up to take him on, pretty much everything else would be considerably out of the handicap. I do agree, though, that the Racing Post Chase...

He was taken out of the Long Walk. I'm looking forward to seeing him again as well. On another note, Midnight Chase looks as though he won't run again before having a crack at the GC. I'm surprised, as I thought the Cotswold Chase would have been a prize worth going for and very possibly...

Petit Robin is probably best going left handed, too. I don't know what MM's best is, to be honest. His 2008 win was spectacular to watch but I doubt he'd have to repeat that anyway. I, too, thought he looked in better shape on Saturday than he did in March. At the very least, I would expect...

But it doesn't matter what I think. I'm just a punter, and not an especially good one. My original point was that I don't think other connections will be afraid to take the front three on. Look at last year. Even on this forum, it was mostly KS v Denman arguments, then IC went and spoiled the...

I haven't 'put them up' as such. But Diamond Harry won very well indeed at Newbury, and I don't think he has that big a jump to make. This is clearly a circular argument, as most often are, and if the top three run to or somewhere near their best, then yes, there's a very good chance they'll...

Okay. You can't. I perhaps can. I haven't said that any of 'the three' can't win it, just that I believe something besides those three could. I'm not sure how wide the gap actually is, for reasons I've mentioned.

Diamond Harry has already beaten Denman. I'm not one who thinks Denman will automatically turn things around on level weights. It doesn't always work that way. We don't know how much further improvement is in DH, and also, I wouldn't be putting my money on Denman running to the rating some seem...

I'd hope that others aren't afraid to take on the 'big names'. Admittedly, this year's GC ended up being a two horse race once KS had knocked the stuffing out of himself. Everything else was well beaten. But others will know that KS, dual Gold Cup winner though he is, is not invulnerable at...

Shame. Ah well. I was with KS for Kempton anyway, more so now.

I'll offer myself for ridicule by suggesting that I don't think Imperial Commander is completely unsuited to Kempton. Last year's race, put a line through it. He made a mistake at the second, banked one a few fences later, and was never in the race. He stayed on in a very distant fifth. But the...

Thank you. :)

Interesting to see Grands Crus has been entered for the Long Walk Hurdle, along with Big Buck's and Celestial Halo. Restless Harry is there, too. So at the very least, BB should face some new opposition. Punchestowns has also been given an entry. Anyone know what the plans are for him this season?

Not sure I agree that Diamond Harry has no chance in the Gold Cup. He was receiving a lot of weight, but he won well and he may have further improvement in him. If he had been beaten, then I would say different story. I just have a feeling that this year's GC winner might not have to run to as...