Gold Cup 2009 (was: Denman)

Then the owner would have every right to be annoyed.

I would still maintain that the other three are better and that Cheltenham doesn't suit Neptune, whatever the ground. He gets outpaced coming down the hill and doesn't always jump well there either.
 
Whatever the tactics or the course Neptune is only third or fourth best against these, so his place in the race is about right. He ran a blinder last year but that's really as good as he is. I don't think connections have got too much to moan about.
 
Nor do I and it's unfortunate that the only way he can beat them is by stretching them all the way - which does of course set it up for them. He didn't go quite so hard this year and got beat further.

I image the row is something to do with conflicting instructions - why else would there be a row? SteveH on FF reported seeing a furious Mrs Hales rush over in the PR and give PN what for just after the race... Maybe CW followed Nicholls' instructions, which conflicted with Hales's? I read on another site last night - not the RP iirc - that a horsebox had arrived and taken the horses to Venetia Williams. We shall see!
 
Headstrong said:
Nor do I and it's unfortunate that the only way he can beat them is by stretching them all the way - which does of course set it up for them. He didn't go quite so hard this year and got beat further.

I image the row is something to do with conflicting instructions - why else would there be a row? SteveH on FF reported seeing a furious Mrs Hales rush over in the PR and give PN what for just after the race... Maybe CW followed Nicholls' instructions, which conflicted with Hales's? I read on another site last night - not the RP iirc - that a horsebox had arrived and taken the horses to Venetia Williams. We shall see!
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I think Venetia has the seasons holidays horses after cheltenham, which are
mobbasher, offiicer de reserve and quakers
 
bigfow said:
I think Venetia has the seasons holidays horses after cheltenham, which are
mobbasher, offiicer de reserve and quakers
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...you're right. A few of Nicholls horses are turned out at Venetia's. There is a fair bit of toing and froing between the yards.
 
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It was openly reported in the RP that the horses that went to Venetia's on Sunday were the Seasons Holidays horses, as bigfow has reported. Rumours that the lorry took Neptune Collonges are premature and I'd suggest people are careful what they say considering that Hales is already talking about suing the RP for some comments Alastair Down has made.

As for Denman, I swear some people won't be happy until the horse keels over dead of a heart attack so they can crow on and on "I told you so". The horse ran a screamer in the Gold Cup. Get over it.
 
Sounds like a storm in a teacup to me .

On another note - the only horse in the first four last year, Halcon Genelardais, to run in handicaps has struggled like hell off his GC mark from last year .

He could of course be on the decline , but might he have been overrated on that run ?
 
Ardross said:
On another note - the only horse in the first four last year, Halcon Genelardais, to run in handicaps has struggled like hell off his GC mark from last year .

He could of course be on the decline , but might he have been overrated on that run ?
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His RPR for the Gold Cup was 166 (I rated it higher).

He then posted RPRs of
170 (Scottish National)
166 (behind Joe Lively, in a h'cap), then
171 (just beaten for second in the Welsh National)

His next RPR was down to 155 (behind Joe Lively) and then he pulled up last week. I reckon if anything got to him it was this year's Welsh National but I wouldn't give up on him just yet.
 
Galileo said:
Steve if Denman was not in the race this year would you have backed Kauto?
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No I would have backed Neptune and have lost.

However, in future I would back Kauto against Neptune on any course. I think Neptune ran the race of his life last year and was still not quite good enough. I don't see much future improvement in him and probably wouldn't back him next year (unless he was a very big price) for example.
 
Neptune set for 12-month lay-off



Neptune Collonges will not run for a year after injuring his tendon during the Cheltenham Gold Cup, his owner John Hales has confirmed.
Hales, who is from Cosford in Shropshire, said the injury may be the reason why his horse failed to perform better in last week's race.
"We believe it happened in the race but it didn't show up until a few days after," he told BBC Radio Shropshire.
"It might have been the reason why he didn't perform at a normal level."
Neptune was well backed to cause an upset in the Gold Cup but after making the early running, he fell back into fourth place as stablemate Kauto Star won the race in hugely impressive style,He would be a 10-year-old, which is not too bad, he'd probably have one last chance at it John Hales "He now has to have his legs looked at by the vets and the appropriate treatment applied," Hales added.
"But it means he'll be off for 12 months which means he'll miss the rest of next season as well."
Neptune Collonges was due to run at Punchestown in the Guinness Gold Cup next month, a race he has already won twice.
But it now looks doubtful he will be ready in time to run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup next year and Hales believes he will have one more go at winning the race in 2011.
"He would be a 10-year-old, which is not too bad, he'd probably have one last chance at it."
 
firstpastthepost said:
Neptune set for 12-month lay-off



Neptune Collonges will not run for a year after injuring his tendon during the Cheltenham Gold Cup, his owner John Hales has confirmed.
Hales, who is from Cosford in Shropshire, said the injury may be the reason why his horse failed to perform better in last week's race.
"We believe it happened in the race but it didn't show up until a few days after," he told BBC Radio Shropshire.
"It might have been the reason why he didn't perform at a normal level."
Neptune was well backed to cause an upset in the Gold Cup but after making the early running, he fell back into fourth place as stablemate Kauto Star won the race in hugely impressive style,He would be a 10-year-old, which is not too bad, he'd probably have one last chance at it John Hales "He now has to have his legs looked at by the vets and the appropriate treatment applied," Hales added.
"But it means he'll be off for 12 months which means he'll miss the rest of next season as well."
Neptune Collonges was due to run at Punchestown in the Guinness Gold Cup next month, a race he has already won twice.
But it now looks doubtful he will be ready in time to run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup next year and Hales believes he will have one more go at winning the race in 2011.
"He would be a 10-year-old, which is not too bad, he'd probably have one last chance at it."
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Oh dear. few come back from tendon injury to compete effectively at the highest level. I fear we have seen the best of him.
 
Great pity and I would agree - they so very rarely come back with tendon injuries, as we found out ourselves - even at a lowly level and with a year off!

Having done it the once, I couldn't stand the nervous tension every time the horse ran thereafter - would do my head in!!
 
Songsheet said:
Great pity and I would agree - they so very rarely come back with tendon injuries, as we found out ourselves - even at a lowly level and with a year off!

Having done it the once, I couldn't stand the nervous tension every time the horse ran thereafter - would do my head in!!
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Indeed... It's a lot to do with why I am like I am today.:(
 
Ardross said:
He was well beaten in all of those three races though .
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Not really. A few lengths at marathon trips doesn't consitute 'well beaten'. What does it say about all the others that were beaten further, some of which have come out and done well off their marks?
 
Such a shame. I did think the ground was plenty lively enough for him. He's a brave horse and whatever was up with him he did his best out there.

Just proves you relaly do need to enjoy the good times .....
 
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