Festival Winners and Losers

[del boy]

I think the forum was a major winner this week. Some excellent calls and displays of knowledge, all for the greater good!

Well done all.

 

[Grey]

Im sure Ive missed lots and could go on. Not sure all of these are well thought throughWinners:Mr Alan Potts - Has tried to fit square pegs in round holes before in search of a Gold Cup winner. Guessing he is a combustible character but achieved what he wanted Gordon Elliot - At the edges for a few years, but now in the big time and no sign of leaving anytime soonWillie Mullins - Would have been in the losers list on Wednesday evening.Female jockeys (Frost, O'Neill, Andrews) - despite Katie Walsh letting some down - good for the sport Nicky Henderson - old school class. Those crabbing Buveur d'air Jessie Harrington - old school class, doesnt matter the type of horse, 12 month handicap plot in Rule the World, added to the obvious Ruby Walsh - Leaving personality aside, thursday showed how great a jockey he isJamie Codd - The new Derek O'ConnorPat Kelly - not easy to do thatMight Bite - the closest to a jaw dropping performance this festival (for both good and not so good reasons)Yorkhill - The most talented horse on show this week? Un de Sceaux - Un de appreciated4 day festival - new races becoming well established and becoming harder to crib about it nowLosers:Superstars underperforming - Altior, Douvan and Cue Card misstepped.Yanworth - looks like they have campaigned the horse incorrectly this year. Death Duty - Not the first hype horse to have wings clipped in the Albert BartlettThe North - Did they have a placed horse?Mark Walsh - sad to see him not get the chance to take advantage of Geraghty's injuryHarry Fry - Unowhatimeanharry and Neon Wolf not quite getting across the linePaul Nicholls - He'll be back, but hype horses of this year (Politologue and Clan des Obeaux) a long way misplaced. Lean times unfortunately. Saphir du Rheu ran a crackerColin Tizzard - Unfortunate to miss with Finian's Oscar, thistlecrack being out, and Cue Card missing his opportunity. West Approach disappointingSadness involved in the sport - the deaths Toe the line, Consul de thaix, Hadrians approach (may have missed more) Some horrific falls (jer's girl), Edwulf pulling up. Lizzie Kelly - No fault of hers but lot of attention given to a very outside chance in the gold cup

A very good post.I would add Nico De Boinville and Robbie Power to the winners list. Noel Fehily too for putting up with Matt Chapman's car park ambushes. Henry De Bromhead won the Champion Chase, which was great for him but Sizing John winning the Gold Cup must have been difficult.Regarding British and Irish ratings, there's work to be done. I've been thinking recently along the same lines as frontrunner, and wonder whether the GB ratings need reducing? Might the problem be the use of historical averages to rate maidens and novices? If there are fewer good horses around in GB, because more of them are being scooped up by the big owners and put in Ireland, then ratings partly based on what previous winners of a race have achieved are likely to be too high.In any case the handicappers in both countries need to work on it together.

 

[Grey]

Im sure Ive missed lots and could go on. Not sure all of these are well thought throughWinners:Mr Alan Potts - Has tried to fit square pegs in round holes before in search of a Gold Cup winner. Guessing he is a combustible character but achieved what he wanted Gordon Elliot - At the edges for a few years, but now in the big time and no sign of leaving anytime soonWillie Mullins - Would have been in the losers list on Wednesday evening.Female jockeys (Frost, O'Neill, Andrews) - despite Katie Walsh letting some down - good for the sport Nicky Henderson - old school class. Those crabbing Buveur d'air Jessie Harrington - old school class, doesnt matter the type of horse, 12 month handicap plot in Rule the World, added to the obvious Ruby Walsh - Leaving personality aside, thursday showed how great a jockey he isJamie Codd - The new Derek O'ConnorPat Kelly - not easy to do thatMight Bite - the closest to a jaw dropping performance this festival (for both good and not so good reasons)Yorkhill - The most talented horse on show this week? Un de Sceaux - Un de appreciated4 day festival - new races becoming well established and becoming harder to crib about it nowLosers:Superstars underperforming - Altior, Douvan and Cue Card misstepped.Yanworth - looks like they have campaigned the horse incorrectly this year. Death Duty - Not the first hype horse to have wings clipped in the Albert BartlettThe North - Did they have a placed horse?Mark Walsh - sad to see him not get the chance to take advantage of Geraghty's injuryHarry Fry - Unowhatimeanharry and Neon Wolf not quite getting across the linePaul Nicholls - He'll be back, but hype horses of this year (Politologue and Clan des Obeaux) a long way misplaced. Lean times unfortunately. Saphir du Rheu ran a crackerColin Tizzard - Unfortunate to miss with Finian's Oscar, thistlecrack being out, and Cue Card missing his opportunity. West Approach disappointingSadness involved in the sport - the deaths Toe the line, Consul de thaix, Hadrians approach (may have missed more) Some horrific falls (jer's girl), Edwulf pulling up. Lizzie Kelly - No fault of hers but lot of attention given to a very outside chance in the gold cup

A very good post, Hawk Wing.I would add Nico De Boinville and Robbie Power to the winners list. Noel Fehily too for putting up with Matt Chapman's morning car park ambushes. Henry De Bromhead won the Champion Chase, which was great for him but Sizing John winning the Gold Cup must have been difficult.Regarding British and Irish ratings, there's work to be done. I've been thinking recently along the same lines as frontrunner, and wonder whether the GB ratings need reducing? Might the problem be the use of historical averages as a reference check when rating maidens and novices? If there are fewer good horses around in GB, because more of them are being scooped up by the big owners and put in Ireland, then ratings partly aligned with what previous winners of a race have achieved are likely to be too high. And maybe Irish ratings are too low for the same reason, which is why the handicappers in both countries need to work on it together.

 

[J Mangold]

A very good post, Hawk Wing.I would add Nico De Boinville and Robbie Power to the winners list. Noel Fehily too for putting up with Matt Chapman's morning car park ambushes. Henry De Bromhead won the Champion Chase, which was great for him but Sizing John winning the Gold Cup must have been difficult.Regarding British and Irish ratings, there's work to be done. I've been thinking recently along the same lines as frontrunner, and wonder whether the GB ratings need reducing? Might the problem be the use of historical averages as a reference check when rating maidens and novices? If there are fewer good horses around in GB, because more of them are being scooped up by the big owners and put in Ireland, then ratings partly aligned with what previous winners of a race have achieved are likely to be too high. And maybe Irish ratings are too low for the same reason, which is why the handicappers in both countries need to work on it together.

I disagree that there is an issue with English v Irish ratings. I believe its simply a matter of people not really looking at the bigger picture and being influenced by the odd result here or there. People only spot the winners, they rarely add up the losers.