Cheltenham New Years Day

Wichita is as good as this , something like a 150 horse, no chance in the World Hdl

BJK will have supporters even running next runnings as he did today.


Blazing Bailey , will be the main danger for Inglis Drever in March, especially if Aitmatov is not being targeted the WH.


Afsoun is becoming a new BJK, one to oppose in any company for me.
 
It should have been obvious to enny fule that BJK developed a problem last year as did Detroit City. Why do most of the male, punting, members of the forum have such a problem seeing when there is something wrong with a horse? - eg MWDS currently :P - and trying to find overcomplicated reasons for poor runs, or just dissing the horse's ability, calling him a rogue etc, or even retrospectively dissing the form of races it won? As I keep saying, if a horse has had good form then goes seriously backward, there is usually a physical reason [though it can be mental too, eg following a bad fall esp at Aintree]

If you spend time around horses you know they can suddenly go right 'off' for no discernible reason. Reasons can't always be found out by tests. I backed Blazing Bailey today to as I was hopeful he was likely to be over whatever had been dragging him down, and if so he was the best horse in the race - he was also by far the best value, the market leaders all being unreliable for whatever reason.

Jonjo admitted today there is something wrong with the horse [on Ch 4] and said he'd better find out what. Yes, Jonjo.

Agreed Suny and ftpt, BB and IG are the only convincing rivals for the World Hurdle.
 
Not sure why people are writing off Black Jack so quickly, he was travelling well then made an alarming error. His quarters went right down on the turf and I'm not sure why Dickie then rode him to get competitive again. The fact he was back upsides in another 2 flights is nothing as horses cant survive those errors. Once his chance had gone he was pulled up.

The horse walking back in looked very stuff behind and looked like he had pulled some muscles behind, not sure why Dickie didn't pull him up straight away after that error, horses can injure themselves badly doing that.

For me I'm no real BJK fan but he didn't look right coming back in and Jonjo didn't look best pleased with Johnson in the un-saddling enclosure.

The horse may be considered an under achiever but he held every chance before an alarming mistake and then was beat.

The point is you can't condemn a horse for making a bad mistake. The horse also shouldn't have been having a tussle for the lead with Gaspara early on.

I can't see BJK being right for Cheltenham as he looked like he had done something behind after the race, nothing major but was definitely not sound and had a few cuts down his hind legs up around his stifle suggesting he had done some damage when making the error.

I think he is will give Al Eile a run for his money in the Aintree Hurdle this year, when dropped in over his trip on a track that will suit him.

Also a few other notes from today.

Wichita Lineman was not great in his coat and was quite stuffy for a horse that had already had a race this season. He was blowing his head off late on and having listened closely after the race I heard A.P. say to Jonjo. "He's needed that, I've come there to win at the last and he's got very tired on me, he'll be a lot better for this". He also commented he would try him in blinkers.

Star De Mohaison was another worthy of a paddock look but he looked as if the run would do him the world of good and was definitely carrying plenty of condition. The Nicholls team were pleased with his run and knew he would blow up today.

In the bumper, the best horse came 3rd. I was amazed paddocking this had already run as he was on the tubby side and was very green in the pre paddock, calling out a little and spooking alot. He calmed down alot later but having travelled so well his inexperience showed late on. I would expect a major improvement from Cricket Boy next time and he is one to stay on the right side of.
 
Compare that with the last time he met Blazing Bailey over course and distance .
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Equally James I would say the Blazing Bailey we saw today is a different horse to the one BJK beat at Cheltenham.
 
Interesting to note that both on offical ratings and Racing post ratings, Black Jack Ketchum was nearly at his best (within a couple of pounds thereof) when beating Faasel at Wetherby.

Sometimes horses fool people, but Black Jack Ketchum never had the ten or perhaps twenty lengths up his sleeve that he looked to have. Regardless of his subsequent problems.
 
Why do most of the male, punting, members of the forum have such a problem seeing when there is something wrong with a horse? - eg MWDS currently - and trying to find overcomplicated reasons for poor runs, or just dissing the horse's ability, calling him a rogue etc, or even retrospectively dissing the form of races it won?
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Headstrong - the trainers themselves, namely Alan King w/ MWDS, Jonjo O'Neill w/ BJK and Hobbs w/ Detroit City have admitted themselves that they haven't got a clue what went wrong with their horses. Why wouldn't people go looking for other explanations? Maybe that's what the trainers should be doing instead of standing around looking incompetent.
 
Mind you it seems quite strange, HS, that you pretty much call anyone who backed BJK a fool ("It should have been obvious to enny fule that BJK developed a problem last year") before saying you backed Blazing Bailey, a horse who had disappointed severely in his last few runs and by your own admission looked also to have something wrong with him! ("...I was hopeful he [Blazing Bailey] was likely to be over whatever had been dragging him down")

Yes, it does look likely that BJK has a problem as he appeared to have on occasion last season, viz-a-viz stopping quickly. However that may well have been due to his not staying 3 miles effectively and any theories that he may be a bridle horse. He kind of battled against Faasel though at Haydock (I say kind of as although he won after a tussle, there seemed to be elements of both of them trying to get behind each other!) and it also looked clear to me that the horse wanted dropping back in trip. "Enny fule" could see that BJK has an engine, regardless of whether he falls in a hole or not, and it would be very interesting to see him dropped back to the minimum distance once any problems (I'd guess at wind) are sorted.

I also think that there is a lot to be said for the hyping up he got in his early days - could it be that he wasn't quite as good as the potential superstar many (the press were most guilty) made him out to be?

I'm not so sure that I'd agree that BJK was travelling as fluently as he has done in the early stages Chris, even before his mistake. Dickie reacted strangely to that flight I thought - you could tell about 3 or 4 strides out he was going to meet it all wrong and personally I'd have checked him and gone for a pop rather than asking for a long one he wasn't going to make, not least as it was early enough in the race.

I didn't see Wichita after the race but I thought he looked well in his coat - he can't have looked too bad Chris, he won best turned out!!! Alongside BJK he will have looked a little dull though as BJK (as ever) looked superb, with his coat and skin gleaming.
 
Originally posted by Galileo@Jan 2 2008, 08:11 AM
Compare that with the last time he met Blazing Bailey over course and distance .
Click to expand...

Equally James I would say the Blazing Bailey we saw today is a different horse to the one BJK beat at Cheltenham.
Click to expand...

I don't think you can really say that Aidan - within six weeks of the Relkeel he beat Inglis Drever in the Cleeve Hurdle !

Within a week he more than bustled up Mighty Man and others in the Long Walk.
 
If I remember correctly Blazing Bailey led from the start against BJK….to my knowledge he has never been ridden like that since…much prefers a lead and has improved for it imo.
 
Originally posted by Shadow Leader@Jan 2 2008, 02:18 PM
I didn't see Wichita after the race but I thought he looked well in his coat - he can't have looked too bad Chris, he won best turned out!!! Alongside BJK he will have looked a little dull though as BJK (as ever) looked superb, with his coat and skin gleaming.
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Wichita is a pretty horse though and big white face helps for BTO especially when the girl who handed the envelope to the lad was about 12 years old.

They normally pick the horse they want to take home not the fittest and most athletic. :)
 
I dont think Blazing Bailey improved yesterday for the change of tactics
he jumped better and even though , something was wrong with him in the previous two, still he has to achieve the level he showed last season.
 
Suny I dont think he improved yesterday for his hold up tactics. I believe he was a better horse later in the season and now because of his hold up tactics COMPARED to when he lost to BJK.
 
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