Aintree 2016

Ricko said:
Ubak (Aintree 1.45) - The ground should be spot on for him and they have him in great order by all accounts, the only unknown is the trip but the feeling is he will stay. There would certainly be worse 20/1 shots today.
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Great shout, Ricko. I had him top-rated after Eshtiaal came out but just fancied If In Doubt to improve past him. It's unlike me not to have a saver on his type.
 
Grasshopper said:
I might just shoot you later anyway - even if yer right. ;)

:lol:
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:) What about the injured Killultagh Vic wouldn't he have a chance of going for the Gold Cup next season.

He was lucky to beat Thistlecrack after Sandra Hughes did a chopping job on Scu her late father would have been proud of.

That aside the 3rd horse that day was Shansehill beaten about the same distance as he was by Thistlecrack yesterday so the form is up there.

A lot to learn but time off and a another year on his back WPM might have another Gold Cup challenger on his hands
 
This is the problem with connections swerving the Gold Cup with Vautour - some now seem to think he is a second-rater in the yard. It is a crying bleedin' shame for a horse who has now won unchallenged in three Festival races.
 
Think I'll start trying to predict which WPM horse will go where at about 9am on14th March 2017 and not a minute sooner!


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Grasshopper said:
This is the problem with connections swerving the Gold Cup with Vautour - some now seem to think he is a second-rater in the yard. It is a crying bleedin' shame for a horse who has now won unchallenged in three Festival races.
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nobody with half a brain thinks that
 
Second-rater insofar as the Gold Cup is concerned then, James. When it comes to Mullins, yard, Vautour should be the first horse mentioned for the race.

I'm told by some he is a categorical non-stayer at the Gold Cup trip, despite him putting up a huge number on his only start over 3m - the form of which was franked again on Thursday. And in the next breath, I have to listen to talk of Douvan being mentioned as a Gold Cup prospect - despite that fact he has never raced a yard of 17 furlongs in his entire career. And in the breath after that, I have to listen to Tanlic suggesting a boat like Killutagh Vic is a better Gold Cup prospect.

It winds me up no end.
 
Grasshopper said:
This is the problem with connections swerving the Gold Cup with Vautour - some now seem to think he is a second-rater in the yard. It is a crying bleedin' shame for a horse who has now won unchallenged in three Festival races.
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yes. Expect he's sulking around the stable thinking "that fcking duvet. Cnt"

pity there are no interviews. "Of course I will always do what I can for the stable but I'm Impressed witn the set up at seven barrows and Nicky certainly knows what's best for his horses and which bloody race to run us in. You don't know if your coming or going at this place. It's a bloody shambles"

"off the record, did you see how I dumped laughing boy? He's a miserable tosser. Next time it's at the water Jump. That'll sort him out"
 
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Grasshopper said:
Second-rater insofar as the Gold Cup is concerned then, James. When it comes to Mullins, yard, Vautour should be the first horse mentioned for the race.

I'm told by some he is a categorical non-stayer at the Gold Cup trip, despite him putting up a huge number on his only start over 3m - the form of which was franked again on Thursday. And in the next breath, I have to listen to talk of Douvan being mentioned as a Gold Cup prospect - despite that fact he has never raced a yard of 17 furlongs in his entire career. And in the breath after that, I have to listen to Tanlic suggesting a boat like Killutagh Vic is a better Gold Cup prospect.

It winds me up no end.
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why does it wind you up? Just about the whole forum stated that cue card would never stay 3 miles not so long ago even though he'd won a grade one over ...3m 1f

why is important for some name tag on a forum to be in agreement with you?
 
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clivex said:
why does it wind you up? Just about the whole forum stated that cue card would never stay 3 miles not so long ago even though he'd won a grade one over ...3m 1f

why is important for some name tag on a forum to be in agreement with you?
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I'm wound up whenever a great racehorse don't get the credit I think he deserves (much like I was with Hurricane Fly for the first five seasons he raced).

I don't personally care whether or not anyone on here actually agrees with - I'm just calling it as I see it. :cool:

Play nice, Maruco. ;)
 
I hate guessing these things but you'd have to think Vautour is Gold Cup bound next season with Douvan booked to **** up in the Queen Mum. The more difficult decision for owner/yard will be with Annie Power & Faugheen. Can't see how you can send Annie back to the mares after her last two performances and they've already got plenty of options for that race. Best guess is that they'll face off in the CH with Limini in the mares and VVM going for the stayers hurdle, a division which will be left wide open by the departure of Thistlecrack to fences.

I just want to see Vautour v Cue Card v Don Cossack v Thistlecrack v Coneygree and we may only have to wait until Christmas :)
 
TheBear said:
I hate guessing these things but you'd have to think Vautour is Gold Cup bound next season with Douvan booked to **** up in the Queen Mum. The more difficult decision for owner/yard will be with Annie Power & Faugheen.
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they may start annie on a chasing campaign to try and emulate dawn run, but if they don't i think they'll keep them apart during the season and they'll both be in 2-2m4 races with the ch in mind.

if both are healthy comes march i think one gets switched to the stayers race, but they'll be keeping all their options open till the 11th hour incase of injury etc.
 
Faugheen and Annie Power will probably receive split campaings, much like Hurricane Fly and Faugheen did, the season the latter won the Champion Hurdle. There's plenty races for both of them, without pitching them in against each other before Cheltenham.

If both go through these types of campaign successfully, it would be verging on criminal to deny AP a shot at retaining her title. Maybe Faugheen would be the one to step up, if he isn't quite the same animal, following his setback?
 
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I think I will explode if Annie is not allowed to defend her crown next March. If that means smashing up Faugheen then tough luck.

Having said that, if Yorkhill went this route, emmm. Though will probably trot up in the Arkle.
 
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Grasshopper said:
Faugheen and Annie Power will probably receive split campaings, much like Hurricane Fly and Faugheen did, the season the latter won the Champion Hurdle. There's plenty races for both of them, without pitching them in against each other before Cheltenham.

If both go through these types of campaign successfully, it would be verging on criminal to deny AP a shot at retaining her title. Maybe Faugheen would be the one to step up, if he isn't quite the same animal, following his setback?
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that is what i suspect.

they'll be a lot of outrage and obviously it would be a shame if we're robbed of the spectacle. but walsh/mullins will always want to spread out their options to give them the most winners and i can't imagine ricci would want to face off two of his best horses, one of which is clearly his favourite.
 
The 2 mile hurdling division looks destined to be thin again next year. It's rather odd that the 1st three home in the Supreme and the winner of the Neptune are all looking like going over fences.
 
Maybe Annie could even jump a fence.

In reality though, anything up to 8 horses plans for next term are probably dependant on how Faugheen recovers from his injury
 
Altior has had a long season. It doesn't surprise me that he's being nursed ahead of next year.

Nicky mentioned keeping Buveir for the Champion Hurdle after he won the other day.

I'd be very surprised if Min, Altior, Yorkhill and Buveir all go over fences next season.
 
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Reading the last lot of posts one can understand why AP betting for the festival is best let alone next season. Of course Im still sour being down almost a grand on tuesday morning because of the Vautour switch. Also after cue card on Friday I am even more convinced Vautour would have won the Gold Cup (b******s)
 
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No likely Mullins fuckerooing in the RSA though. Just take 20s about Barter's

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Grasshopper said:
This is the problem with connections swerving the Gold Cup with Vautour - some now seem to think he is a second-rater in the yard. It is a crying bleedin' shame for a horse who has now won unchallenged in three Festival races.
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That's like saying Thistlecrack is a second rater because he doesn't compete in the Champion Hurdle.

What's wrong wit having a 2 mile Champion a 2m4f Champion and a 3 mile plus champion?

Vautor would be pretty much unbeatable at 2m4f at the moment like Oscar Whisky was over hurdles.

They can all be Gold Cup horses and trainers who are smart adapt as need be
 
2m4f is the wankiest of trips. Who gives a toss how many Ryanairs he wins, or how much cash he accummulates as he goes about it?

Vautour needs to be tested at very top - in a Gold Cup; not pissing-about beating-up vastly inferior animals.

To be fair to Mullins, he is historically quite cautious/steady, when it comes to his best prospects (e.g. Faugheen not being asked to race against Hurricane Fly too early in his career), and I'm hoping that it was nothing more than that kind of pragmatism, that caused them to swerve the GC this season.
 
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