Betfair Chase

A great race run at a clipping pace.
All you would want in a 3 mile chase on a predominately flat track.
The track seems light years away from the Haydock Park I grew up watching (and attending once). That horses need to jump Haydock fences low and fast is almost an anathema to the course of former years.
Is it just me or is UK National Hunt racing at risk of becoming deodourised like Country n Western music ?
Hats off to connections of all horses in Betfair Chase for making it the race it was though.
 
Interesting observation, edgt. I've never been there myself, I thought it was mainly Aintree's fences that were made smaller. Having said that I guess 'fixed brush hurdles' probably shows the courses intentions in this regard. There was a horse yesterday called Dunraven Storm who from memory smashed through about five hurdles at Ascot, knocking them down and still winning. I guess the perception of jump racing takes precedence over the rigour of the obstacles in this day and age.
 
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Delighted to see this horse win today for the Tizzards. I was surprised to see him get the trip out so well but if you go back to the fact that he won the Cheltenham bumper as a 4yo - so many of the winner of that race end up as 3m+ horses. So there was no reason to suggest that as he matured he would learn to settle and thus give himself the chance to get further. And that was what today was all about - he settled, travelled beautifully and really enjoyed himself.

Of the beaten horses, Dynaste should come on for the run, S Conti I've never been the biggest fan of (too lean and wiry for me), Long Run possibly going for the Grand National ( good luck Sam WC although he does seem to ride Aintree better than anywhere) and Bobs Worth - well if Barry Geraghty isn't worried, then neither am I!
 
Couldn't have got that more wrong; Congrats to a great horse, and all who supported him today.

Euronymous said:
What do we make of the time. Just seen this tweet:


This year's Betfair Chase

3m 1f won by CC in 6:10

Last year's Betfair Chase

3m won by SC in 6:23
Click to expand...

Today's times, over hurdles and chases, suggest they've measured both courses with binoculars from somewhere in the back of the stand. :mad:
 
Euronymous said:
What do we make of the time. Just seen this tweet:


This year's Betfair Chase

3m 1f won by CC in 6:10

Last year's Betfair Chase

3m won by SC in 6:23
Click to expand...

absolutely nothing..its haydock;)...if you for instance look at the results in the RP you will see that the times above their standard are nothing like soft ground times

i'll bet not one race there today is not within a furlong of the correct distance

on top of that this year was run on a different course to last year

Haydock doesn't even register on the time relevance scale any more..its basically the bermuda triangle of the turf...you can't even trust the straight times any more..its time the whole place was sorted..or closed

edit..just read Reets post..snap
 
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BG might not be worried but I would be. Course and ground nt enough to explain bobs worth's performance.

What has been forgotten with recent winners is that a hard gold cup has bottomed a good few horses. Was seemingly the rule of thumb every time a few years back.

I'm going to steer clear
 
clivex said:
BG might not be worried but I would be. Course and ground nt enough to explain bobs worth's performance.

What has been forgotten with recent winners is that a hard gold cup has bottomed a good few horses. Was seemingly the rule of thumb every time a few years back.

I'm going to steer clear
Click to expand...

I agree too. The Gold Cup this year ended with a right slog up the hill. I'd be wary of the placed horses as well.
 
One of the few races over the last couple of years when I've truly shouted the house down. CC jumped magnificently today and proved he's absolutely top drawer. Bring on the KG
 
clivex said:
BG might not be worried but I would be. Course and ground nt enough to explain bobs worth's performance.

What has been forgotten with recent winners is that a hard gold cup has bottomed a good few horses. Was seemingly the rule of thumb every time a few years back.

I'm going to steer clear
Click to expand...

I would give him a chance Clive: the 4 horses who I think are being trained specifically for the Friday in March are Bobs Worth, Al Ferof, First Lieutenant and Sir Des Champs.....every race leading to that are part of the main aim?

The others are chasing these big pots and rightly so but Nicky has the Gold Cup winner to defend and Gigginstown want that trophy: it's what they are in it for...and I reckon Ruby will be on Sir Des Champs whatever Davy wants
 
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EC1 said:
absolutely nothing..its haydock;)...if you for instance look at the results in the RP you will see that the times above their standard are nothing like soft ground times

i'll bet not one race there today is not within a furlong of the correct distance

on top of that this year was run on a different course to last year

Haydock doesn't even register on the time relevance scale any more..its basically the bermuda triangle of the turf...you can't even trust the straight times any more..its time the whole place was sorted..or closed
Click to expand...

Crazy, crazy place.
Today's race time - over 3m 1f - was just 15.8 secs outside Kauto Star's 3m course record, and the 2m Intermediate Hurdle (from the same start, and on a wider course this year) was run 10.3secs faster than last year's edition, and just 7.9 secs slower than the course record.
From a time perspective, common sense dictates that the ground was borderline 'good' yesterday, but common sense is the last thing you'd label any information emanating from Haydock, and the temptation is to ignore the course totally as a future betting medium.
Kirkland Tellwright is a twat.
 
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harry said:
I would give him a chance Clive: the 4 horses who I think are being trained specifically for the Friday in March are Bobs Worth, Al Ferof, First Lieutenant and Sir Des Champs.....every race leading to that are part of the main aim?

The others are chasing these big pots and rightly so but Nicky has the Gold Cup winner to defend and Gigginstown want that trophy: it's what they are in it for...and I reckon Ruby will be on Sir Des Champs whatever Davy wants
Click to expand...

Yes. But virtually pulled up is not what you see from future gc winners. And I really believe its in the horses mind. Physically they can as fit as ever but a hard race can sour them. They will not go through that barrier again

I don't see how you can reverse that. Not as if you can put the bloody thing on a couch in front of a shrink
 
Well done to the Cue Card backers your faith deservedly rewarded, he has definitely proved he gets 3m and is a horse of real class, but I still have reservations about the Gold Cup trip.

Reading EC1 and Reets posts plus the finishing position of the four proven 3m+ performers gives credence to thought that the official ground and trip at Haydock was bogus, and in turn it is way too early to start talking about 2013 Gold Cup finishing the first four home, there is enough doubt about yesterdays race and there is also the performance of SDC & Long Run at Punchestown in April.

Right now if I had to back one of Cue Card @ 8/1 or Bobs Worth @ 6/1 I would definitely go for SDC.
 
In a good ground Gold Cup the horses in front wouldn't be slowing down enough for Bob's Worth to pass them. At the current prices First Lieutenant stands out at 20/1. He has close form tie-ins with SDC and is three times the price.
 
Having backed him for the King George I could kick myself for not having stuck with Cue Card but while I was adamant he'd get the trip at Kempton this time round there was good reason to think Saturday might not be his day.

Those who stuck with him must have been amazed at the price as he absolutely hacked up. Well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hate to bring it up but he's trounced a couple of very good animal plus left 2 Gold Cup winners in his wake. A top class performance by anyone's standard.

Cue Card to me is just pure class at any trip yet Sprinter Sacre would eat him for breakfast,at any trip if given the chance.

Shudder to think just how good this monster Nicky Henderson has is.

That aside it's hard to see Cue Card being beat at Kempton and it would be a brave man to say he wouldn't get the trip at Cheltenham in the big one.
 
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