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Funniest thing I've seen in ages (I'm easily amused tbf)

Wordsworth - 3rd in the 2021 Irish Derby for Aidan O'Brien, and with a Flat rating as high as 111 - was eventually moved on to David Pipe, and has a hurdles mark of 120, but has been off the track since finishing down the field in the 2023 Cesarewitch.

Reach For The Moon - winner of the 2021 Solario and possible one-time Derby favourite when trained by John & Thady Gosden for Queen Elizabeth - is now with Jamie Snowden and under the ownership of Queen Camilla and the late Sir Chips Keswick. Unraced since October 2024, but a hurdles rating of 113 compares favourably with his highest Flat mark of 114.

There's a brief article by Tony McFadden of Timeform dated 24/12/2022 giving 22 highly rated Flat horses who were tried over obstacles this century. This should be accessible from sportinglife.com/racing/news/high-definition-and-the-very-smart-flat-horses-who went-hurling/204713.
 
As The Great Man's horses go, this one has been played with a fairly straight bat.
 
I certainly don't think he'll be much of a price if he runs in a handicap hurdle off 123 - it's highly unlikely to escape the attention of even the dimmest member of the racing media that's he's chucked in.

Unlike some smart Flat horses who go hurdling to no avail, he's already shown an aptitude for hurdling, albeit at a modest level thus far.
 
No. He’s pretty much a certainty back over hurdles. Just look at the form of his Tramore win. As Eddie alluded to, they’ll want to get a mandatory penalty and not a reassessment, so it will be fun to see what route they take.
 
What's the hurry? Joyeuse won the Schweppes off 123 so they can easily protect his mark until then, possibly even picking up the Imperial Cup en route to either the County or the Coral Cup.
 
Thanks, Maurice - I couldn't remember the numbers off the top of my head but the top weights in these big handicap hurdles aren't the borderline Champion Hurdle standard they used to be (too many easy Pattern Hurdle alternatives nowadays) and 123 could well be a racing weight (not out of the handicap proper) in various valuable races nowadays plus it'll be a few pounds higher for a UK mark anyway and the BHA also have to go off the hurdles form to date.
 
The problem is the UK handicapper can reasses his form. In his win at Tramore he gave Mordor (now 126) 8lbs and an 11 length beating after a bad mistake two out. The UK handicapper would slap on a fair few pounds.
 
Slim said:
The problem is the UK handicapper can reasses his form. In his win at Tramore he gave Mordor (now 126) 8lbs and an 11 length beating after a bad mistake two out. The UK handicapper would slap on a fair few pounds.
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Yes, he could, Slim, but I can't see it being much more than 9lbs.

I don't have exact figures but my studies have me anticipating 6lbs for horses rated in the 130s in Ireland and up to ten for those rated below 120.

I will be interesting to see what actually happens.
 
Jayhawk said:
Wordsworth - 3rd in the 2021 Irish Derby for Aidan O'Brien, and with a Flat rating as high as 111 - was eventually moved on to David Pipe, and has a hurdles mark of 120, but has been off the track since finishing down the field in the 2023 Cesarewitch.

Reach For The Moon - winner of the 2021 Solario and possible one-time Derby favourite when trained by John & Thady Gosden for Queen Elizabeth - is now with Jamie Snowden and under the ownership of Queen Camilla and the late Sir Chips Keswick. Unraced since October 2024, but a hurdles rating of 113 compares favourably with his highest Flat mark of 114.

There's a brief article by Tony McFadden of Timeform dated 24/12/2022 giving 22 highly rated Flat horses who were tried over obstacles this century. This should be accessible from sportinglife.com/racing/news/high-definition-and-the-very-smart-flat-horses-who went-hurling/204713.
Click to expand...
Reach For The Moon is one of four declared for the 7:35 race tomorrow at Market Rasen ( a class 4 two mile handicap hurdle ). He's currently 3/1 third favourite, and Jamie Snowden is in really good form (10/25) with his hurdlers in the new Jumps season.
 
Jayhawk said:
Reach For The Moon is one of four declared for the 7:35 race tomorrow at Market Rasen ( a class 4 two mile handicap hurdle ). He's currently 3/1 third favourite, and Jamie Snowden is in really good form (10/25) with his hurdlers in the new Jumps season.
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The irony is that the winner, Castel Gandolfo, was an unraced two-year-old with Aidan O'Brien. It's strange race planning that this horse has never had his very lenient looking Flat mark exploited in the UK.
 

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