Cleeve Hurdle

after this race , Annie Power should go to the World Hurdle, could end being an easier race than the mares race.
 
Desert Orchid said:
As someone who recently dismissed BB's comeback on account of the jockey situation, I have to say i'm swayed back to him by Nicholls's comments, particularly regarding those uphill canters.
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Note to self: stick with your opinions.

On a positive note, he looked like his old self for most of the race.

If anyone backed Knockara Beau well done to them. I suppose you could argue that 66/1 was an insult (he only had a few pounds to find of RPRs) and might have been even a better bet at 25/1 ew without the favourite.
 
i thought the ride was a bit questionable, and the ground won't have helped at all, as i suspected earlier in the week.

if he gets better ground and comes on for the run he'd still probably be the one to beat for me in march but there has to be question marks over how much of a tough race he's had there after such a long layoff.
 
I thought the ride abysmal - chased the hares for much of the race, and took it up far too soon.
Daryl Jacob would probably have won - Ruby, deffo!
 
I suspect Nicholls would have given STD free rein to ride as he saw fit with a view to learning more about the horse. I don't think the ride made that much difference. He would have been so superior on his old form for it not to have mattered.
 
Cruised all the way round, jumped fluently, tired out in the end. The main thing was he travelled well. Has he retained all his ability, doubt it all as he's 11, but still a live chance for the Wh.
 
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STD wasn't that easy on him, either, but the race was there to win after the last - which explains why he got stuck into BB. Not sure what mark that will leave seven weeks before Cheltenham.
 
reet hard said:
I thought the ride abysmal - chased the hares for much of the race, and took it up far too soon.
Daryl Jacob would probably have won - Ruby, deffo!
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He was ridden to order. Exactly what PFN told him to do. Horse has regressed.
 
In his last five races, Big Buck's has been ridden prominently and led two or three out in four of them.

I suspect he may have regressed but is probably better than he showed today. He clearly is no shoo in for the Stayers' Hurdle.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and Jacob has every right to feel justified in not committing to the ride.
 
Absolutely

Knokara beau is the new rising star at this level of course

Was surprised rds didn't put up a better show. Heart wants bb to win in march but I think the surge and power was just a little missing today.
 
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clivex said:
Absolutely

Knokara beau is the new rising star at this level of course

Was surprised rds didn't put up a better show. Heart wants bb to win in march but I think the surge and power was just a little missing today.
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I think Johnson didn't want to be overly hard on RDS with last years grueller in mind.
I could have swore that he said after his win at Ascot that they weren't going to run him in the Cleeve this time.
 
clivex said:
Absolutely

Knokara beau is the new rising star at this level of course

Was surprised rds didn't put up a better show. Heart wants bb to win in march but I think the surge and power was just a little missing today.
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Yes clivex it was missing and that's why he lost today. He blew up after the last and lost by 1L. BB will win the World Hurdle. Don't let a faint heart affect your better judgement.
I reckon that he ran to 165 today at the weights and with the benefit of it will be spot on come March back to just below his best.
 
I thought it was a good performance for most of the way by BB. He jumped really well and had no trouble going the pace. I don't think STD got the tactics right, and the ground was not ideal. Assuming he comes out of today's race ok 3/1 looks a very fair price for the World Hurdle.

Annie Power has not raced over 3 miles yet and although she has a pedigree full of stamina there's no guarantee that she'd get such a trip.

Who knows, maybe Quevega will be the one to take on BB in the WH?
 
Nice to see an improvement from At Fishers Cross today. Hopefully they have got him over whatever problems he's had earlier in the season.

I do think though that any of today's runners would (will) find it hard to give weight to Annie Power.
 
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Yes. In fact he maybe jumped and travelled better than anytime before. No flat spot for a start and yes it looked a case of just blowing up a bit

Two things forgotten a bit

Great to see the winner for a smallish northern stable. The beauty of jump racing

We take it for granted that the great trainer will bring them back after injury. Also Time and again he keeps horses running to their strengths at a certain age and again, it's just expected now . He really is a master of his trade
 
Nicholls' horse mainly ran below par today; CDB never travelling, same for Unioniste and Rocky Creek looked knackered on the run in.

By his own admission January is a quiet time for the yard and with the flu jabs etc.

Big Buck's arguably performed best of all and considering the 14 months of is probably most likely to improve - even at 11.

Satisfactory performance and 7/2 possibly too big for the WH under a more restrained ride.
 
wilsonl said:
Nicholls' horse mainly ran below par today; CDB never travelling, same for Unioniste and Rocky Creek looked knackered on the run in.

By his own admission January is a quiet time for the yard and with the flu jabs etc.

Big Buck's arguably performed best of all and considering the 14 months of is probably most likely to improve - even at 11.

Satisfactory performance and 7/2 possibly too big for the WH under a more restrained ride.
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I thought Unioniste just stayed and needs further.

Rocky Creek was a shade unlucky, he got boxed in approaching the last and lost valuable momentum, it must have cost him a length or two at least.

Big Bucks looked for every bit as if he was ridden to answer questions, there's no way he would have been ridden like that if the jockey wasn't instructed to do so. A slowly run race wouldn't have given him the necessary workout he needed and it wouldn't have taught the kid on board anything about what condition his engine is in either.
 
It was a 3 mile very soft ground race at Donny, if Unioniste couldn't go that pace then he'll be ****** for future.

Rocky Creek jumped the last upsides so no excuses and a length or two would have made jack difference.

I'm not in the slightest complaining about STD (unfortunate initials) ride but the horse - as with the others - could put those runs way behind them.
 
Maybe Sam Twiston-Davies will claim Big Bucks needs holding up for a late run - just as he did when he went too quick too soon the last time he saw AFC's rear-end - on The New One.:lol:
 
Big Bucks run better than I expected, travelled quite well, jumped very well.
He had a harder race than ideal after a lay off, some doubts too about how he will cope with good ground after the tendon injury.

I dont think he will win the big race in march
 
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