Dull...

Galileo said:
Perhaps its just the doom and gloom of everything dragging it down for me right now!
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I hear ya buddy. This is a Crimbo I am really looking forward to, just to get out of the trenches for a few weeks. It seems like we've been in battle for years. God, the good years were far more fun!!
 
Bar the Bull said:
Of the big meetings, Fairyhouse, even before the postponement wasn't up to scratch this year, but Cheltenham and Newbury were.
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Think the Irish calendar has a fair bit to do with it this time of year. Period between the Morgiana and Leopardstown (with the notable exception of the Durkan) always feels a bit quiet to me.
 
Dull? No way. Just completely lost my voice shouting home Heads On The Ground, who I thought might win today and then switching to Garde Champetre whose big weight really should have stopped him today. Nothing the flat can offer compares with this.

What a race - what a horse! :<3: Speechless in admiration.
 
The Fairyhouse winter festival is usually one of my favourite day's racing.

Back in the mid 90s I remember Istabraq and Doran's Pride winning the two novice races.

One year we had Istabraq, Moscow Flyer, Limestone Lad and Alexander Banquet all on show. Hurricane Fly, Solerina, Brave Inca and Trafford Lad in recent years.
 
Erm no I think it has been a thrilling start to the jumps season although the top of the market 2m hurdlers HF and Bino have been disappointing .

I think perhaps it comes on the back of the best Flat season for many a long year - had the Flat been a borefest of the old Godolphin/Ballydoyle win everything variety this jumps season would be like manna from heaven.
 
Cantoris said:
that doesn't surprise me given the bevvy of beauties that you had hanging off you on Saturday night. I'd get distracted too!!
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You could have helped me out man!! Its tough being an object of desire for women....treated like a piece of meat...
 
Bar the Bull said:
One year we had Istabraq, Moscow Flyer, Limestone Lad and Alexander Banquet all on show. Hurricane Fly, Solerina, Brave Inca and Trafford Lad in recent years.
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It's not totally beyond the realms of possibility that we'll look back and say the same for Dunguib and Pandorama though, is it?
 
SteveM said:
I have to say I'm finding this jumps season brimming with excitement with the prospect of a lot more to come. Typically this time of year can feel a bit dead though. Denman's Hennessy alone has revived feelings not felt for forty-odd years.;)
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Steve do you think What A Friend was putting it all in ? Dogged it I reckon.
 
Ardross said:
had the Flat been a borefest of the old Godolphin/Ballydoyle win everything variety this jumps season would be like manna from heaven.
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Yes, it would be terrible if the biggest jumps races were dominated by just one or two operations :p
 
Imagine if Rip/MCM/Fame all avoided each other until 1 race? :D

It would be dubbed the end of flat racing.
 
Cantoris said:
How do you know :p

Well Hezz was playing it very cool. My money would have been on him to find love on the night. 4/6 Hezz, 7/4 Del Boy, 4/1 neither to finish :D
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Hezz was slowly into stride before traveling strongly through the race, weakened badly when pressed after the 2nd last........came out 24hrs later to land a monster gamble!! :lol: (needed the run)

Del Boy went to 1.02 in running before slipping up 200 yds from the line (DTwo)!
 
Cantoris said:
How do you know :p

Well Hezz was playing it very cool. My money would have been on him to find love on the night. 4/6 Hezz, 7/4 Del Boy, 4/1 neither to finish :D
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Can I have a grand at 4-1 on the assumption finding love with each other does not count,
 
Gareth Flynn said:
Question for the oldies - has the jumps season always felt like little more than 6 months of trials for the Festival, or has it just gone that way in recent years?
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It's perfectly reasonable that top steeplechase and hurdle races are viewed within the context of Festival targets. I have absolutely no issue with that....indeed, it is entirely logical, imo.

It's the suggestion that such races are mere 'trials' - rather than distinct contests with their own merit - that is erroneous. Again, imo.
 
I think the 'dullness' creeps in when some people can only view top chases and hurdles in the context of Festival targets, rather than enjoying them on their own merits, to expand on your theme, Grassy. If one always views these contests as mere sideshows to the big event, then the interest and thrill is held in abeyance, as if they're not quite worthy of full-on enthusiasm.

And if the horses aren't necessarily being aimed at Cheltenham, they're even more viewed as sideshows, which they aren't.

By all means pocket the information these races provide if the horses are going forward to the Festival, but also do remember to enjoy them in the moment, too. Some superb jumping on display today from many horses who won't touch a twig at Chelters, and if one loves the jumps, they're as valid an enjoyment, no matter where or who they are.
 
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