Cheltenham Festival Trials Day

Diamond Geezer said:
Agree with that, won the Hennessey not having raced since March, season before that won at the same meeting once again not having raced since March .
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Winning a mundane renewal of the Hennessy and a novice chase the previous year after a lay off is hardly in the same league as the Gold Cup. He's very opposable at a short price now.
 
The novice hurdle could be a cracker looking at the entries. Really hope this goes ahead as it is a very good card.
 
Coneygree in the Albert Bartlett is my biggest ap bet for the Fest and I'm a tad concerned him handing out a beating to The New One and Puffin Billy would result in a Neptune bid instead.

I also think Hunt Ball is backable in the Argento.
 
Euronymous said:
Coneygree in the Albert Bartlett is my biggest ap bet for the Fest and I'm a tad concerned him handing out a beating to The New One and Puffin Billy would result in a Neptune bid instead.

I also think Hunt Ball is backable in the Argento.
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Dont be worry
he willrun in the 3 miles race
 
Euronymous said:
I also think Hunt Ball is backable in the Argento.
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Tbh Euro, I wouldn't back him with someone else's.
He's won his races with speed, not stamina, and he was simply outstayed by some modest horses (Burton Port apart, who was only just getting into gear) at Aintree. Nacarat, who barely stays 3m himself, was the only one to lose ground to him, amongst the principals..
 
looks positively balmy tomorrow. temps seem decent overnight as well although with the rain thats forecast the ground will probably be heavy in places.

be shocked if it isn't on tomorrow.
 
On subject to an early morning inspection, we're right "on the rain / snow line" on the map from the latest forecast.
 
Aragorn said:
The novice hurdle could be a cracker looking at the entries. Really hope this goes ahead as it is a very good card.
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just saw the final decs

at fishers cross, the new one, coneygree, whisper

shame no puffin billy or chatterbox but still a great race
 
reet hard said:
Tbh Euro, I wouldn't back him with someone else's.
He's won his races with speed, not stamina, and he was simply outstayed by some modest horses (Burton Port apart, who was only just getting into gear) at Aintree. Nacarat, who barely stays 3m himself, was the only one to lose ground to him, amongst the principals..
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With Bob's Worth and Tidal Bay out the alternatives seem to be Grands Crus who surely won't stay and Imperial Commander. I was taken with the way Haunt Ball battled back on bad ground last time out and he seems overpriced at around 6/1 in this.
 
Friday morning, first sign of grass this week

SnowyChelt.jpg
 
Euronymous said:
Winning a mundane renewal of the Hennessy and a novice chase the previous year after a lay off is hardly in the same league as the Gold Cup. He's very opposable at a short price now.
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The Hennessy is never a mundane race, and the form of the race stacks-up nicely, with the 2nd and 3rd finishing 1st and 2nd in the Lexus.

By all means look elsewhere for a better price, but rubbishing a strong race isn't the way to justify it. :cool:
 
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Grasshopper said:
The Hennessy is never a mundane race, and the form of the race stacks-up nicely, with the 2nd and 3rd finishing 1st and 2nd in the Lexus.

By all means look elsewhere for a better price, but rubbishing a strong race isn't the way to justify it. :cool:
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I honestly don't think it was that strong, but maybe mundane was the wrong term. First Lieutenant does not stay beyond three miles imo and it's a fools task asking him to run in the Gold Cup. A 7/2 Gold Cup horse would have destroyed Tidal Bay, BW was being pegged back as they approached the end of the race.
 
Euronymous said:
I honestly don't think it was that strong, but maybe mundane was the wrong term. First Lieutenant does not stay beyond three miles imo and it's a fools task asking him to run in the Gold Cup. A 7/2 Gold Cup horse would have destroyed Tidal Bay, BW was being pegged back as they approached the end of the race.
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This is the post Denman/Kauto effect....... We really have been spoiled in the last few years.
 
Aragorn said:
This is the post Denman/Kauto effect....... We really have been spoiled in the last few years.
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This is true. 7/2 is the price Denman went into after he won his first Hennessy and I think it's that that sort of put me against Bob's Worth. Unfairly maybe at that time, but not now with his missing the race tomorrow.
 
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Euronymous said:
With Bob's Worth and Tidal Bay out the alternatives seem to be Grands Crus who surely won't stay and Imperial Commander. I was taken with the way Haunt Ball battled back on bad ground last time out and he seems overpriced at around 6/1 in this.
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Value, schmalue - it's wing-and-a-prayer stuff if it's based on his "battling back".
Regardless of the opposition, he's taking on a further distance, over a stiffer track, and what's likely to be appreciably more testing ground. Be amazed if he makes the first 3.
 
Apart from the members car park outside the Hall of Fame, some of which may be available if members fail to show, I would imagine they will mostly use the area down the bottom side of the course past the Best Mate enclosure. There is a Brightwells Sale after racing so the top bit of that area will be occupied.

There may also be an area over by the Steam Railway where you can park ?
 
Tremendous card tomorrow.

I know Slim is keen on Rolling Star for the Triumph, but I’ll be putting my shoulder behind Irish Saint in the Finesse. They have similar profiles on the basis of their brief French hurdles careers, with both winning useful maidens at Auteuil, and achieving a similar level of form in the process. Irish Saint has the benefit of a recent run, however; winning a decent juvenile at Kempton over Xmas, and looking like he’d enjoy either a step-up in trip, a stiffer track, or both.

With no ground concerns, I think the pair could have this to themselves, and I think both could eventually turn out to be pretty good. But I think Irish Saint can have an edge tomorrow, and 6/4 is enough to draw me in (and I've taken a bit of 16/1 in the Triumph market).

The Classic Hurdle is a cracking event, and I think you can make some sort of case for all of the first three in the market……and on that basis, I’ve obviously gone and backed the fourth in the market. The fact that Whisper has had both outings at Ffos Las is more to do with who owns him than low expectations, imo, and he looked very impressive in those two runs. Whilst he will have to be very good to land a blow in this company, he is thoroughly unexposed, and at a double-figure price, is a sporting alternative for anyone who can’t split the main players.

The Argento is a much poorer-race in Bobs Worth's absence, and my initial inclination is to lay Grands Crus Win and Place. I just don't think Cheltenham is his track, and the stamina doubts remain for me.

Looking forward to seeing the Aeroplane flying tomorrow, and the Fly aeroplaning on Sunday.
 
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The Victor Chandler is intriguing-I am convinced that the race at Kempton fell into the lap of Sanctuaire,I'm not sure Cheltenham will be his track over fences and there will be a couple of horses in the race being ridden for a place.I will be place laying for as much as I can at anything under 4/5.
 
The Argento is a much poorer-race in Bobs Worth's absence, and my initial inclination is to lay Grands Crus Win and Place. I just don't think Cheltenham is his track, and the stamina doubts remain for me.

I'd love to see them drop Grand Crus down to 2m and make the running on him
 
reet hard said:
Value, schmalue - it's wing-and-a-prayer stuff if it's based on his "battling back".
Regardless of the opposition, he's taking on a further distance, over a stiffer track, and what's likely to be appreciably more testing ground. Be amazed if he makes the first 3.
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I don't know how you can say regardless of the opposition. With Grands Crus a non stayer and Tidal Bay lame there actually isn't any really.
 
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