• REGISTER NOW!! Why? Because you can't do much without having been registered!

    At the moment you have limited access to view all discussions - and most importantly, you haven't joined our community. What are you waiting for? Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join Join Talking Horses here!

2025 Morebattle (Handicap) Hurdle

Ian_Davies

Ian_Davies

Apprentice
Joined
May 7, 2023
Messages
1,191
Location
Hampshire
I hesitated about starting a thread on this as it's not until a week on Saturday, but it's an early closer, I think someone (Maurice?) said the weights are out today and I am sure I'm not alone in liking a competitive 2m handicap hurdle to get stuck into.

I find it a bit sad so many once big midweek races are on a Saturday nowadays, but I think this is a contest which has benefitted from the switch.

I perceive Kelso to be a course on the up, they offer decent prize money and are rightly getting the terrestrial TV gig more often nowadays.

The Morebattle now gets mentioned in the same breath as races like the Greatwood, the "Schweppes," the Imperial Cup and the County and deservedly so.

Anyway, this year's race.

What Newbury reminded me of yet again is that a plot will beat a form book anorak choice nearly every time.

My anorak bet - Navajo Indy - plodded on for third but got nowhere near the two plots in the race who finished first and second.

So by all means do your numbers, work out who's best in, will be suited by the ground, hails from a yard in form, yadda, yadda, yadda.

But you're most likely going to be placed at best behind some almighty plot, so the name of the game is: "Spot the plot!"

Good luck!

Ante-post betting: https://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing/ante-post-racing/national-hunt/morebattle-hurdle/winner
 
Last edited:
I agree but I would suggest this is a different kind of plot from the likes of Langer Dan / John Constable, etc.

Joyeuse was a brilliant example of a trainer getting a good handle on a horse's level at home and then making sure it ran in appropriately low level races to make sure it started on an extremely lenient mark once it did progress to better races.

This approach was mirrored by McLaurey in the valuable Leopardstown hcap hurdle the previous weekend for the same owner and it doesn't take an over-fertile imagination to think some people were on the double.

I'll be honest, I like this kind of plotting. I don't like the other kind.
 
I agree with Maurice - my basic rule of thumb is that if I can use logic to second-guess the plot because it's hiding in plain sight it's fine, but if it's a case of "only he knows what he's doing" it's not. 😂
 
So, I've been trying to get to grips with this contest tonight.

Joyeuse is the plot that's already been and gone and I have to smile at her being shorter odds for this than at Newbury where she was off a 17lb lower mark,

McLaurey and Vischio want watching for obvious reasons and Joyeux Machin hasn't exactly been given a hard time in recent races.

But my inner anorak keeps whispering "Wise Eagle" in my ear.

A beast with an OR of 103 on the Flat really ought to be better than OR 127 over timber and he's lightly raced in that sphere so far.

The fact he flashed his tail in the closing stages over course and distance when beat off OR 123 last time out has to be a concern, there is a chance he just doesn't like the winter game too much, but he's on my not very short shortlist nonetheless.

I haven't had a bet on this race yet, but I've got a feeling I will be doing.
 
Wise Eagle is just a grump. The other horses at the stable stand by their gates asking for carrots. He stands in a corner glaring at you. But I love him to bits and won’t be watching the race because I’ll lock myself in the bathroom which is what I’ve done ever since he started running over hurdles again. My big concern is that he has to be held up till the last minute and I don’t think he’s ever ran in a field with so many other horses. Racing radio said his jumping wasn’t too good, but he looked ok to me apart from one error. I’m a nervous wreck already.
 
Back
Top