Greatwood Hurdle

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Ricko

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Any thoughts on Sunday's big race? Should be a very interesting race and an early trial for the Champion Hurdle.

Long been a fan of Rippling Ring, but not 100% sure this test will suit. Aigle D'Or looks to "tick most boxes". Ground and trip should be ideal.
 
From Nicholl's stable preview ...

Rippling Ring
[FONT=&quot]5g Saumarez - Rippling Star[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Stewart family 15-5[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I ran him at Aintree on Saturday as I needed to know where we stood with him. I'm afraid he was very disappointing and the the only possible reason I can think of is that he may prefer goodish ground. He'd won easily on his debut for us, looking fantastic when ours were carrying their winter coats, but by the festival he'd lost his gleam and wasn't at his best; having come over from South Africa, acclimatisation was never going to be easy. He still finished fifth in the Supreme Novices', and you have to say that form has looked better and better as the three who finished immediately in front of him - Binocular, Snap Tie and Kalahari King - have all come out and won decent races. So I could hardy complain when the handicapper gave him a rating of 136. I'd wanted run him again after Cheltenham, but he returned with badly pulled muscles between his legs.[/FONT]


... so the ground will probably be against him. Having said that he could be a grade 1 class horse running off a mark a couple of stone too low. If Stage Manager runs I think he might be worth a few quid.
 
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Ring ready to roll

Andy Stewart says Rippling Ring can bounce back from his poor effort at Aintree last month when he lines up in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle.
The South African import made the perfect start to his British career when readily scoring at Doncaster in February and lost no caste in defeat when fifth in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
The Paul Nicholls inmate was sent off a red-hot favourite for his comeback in handicap company and although he failed to get involved in the finish, Stewart feels there were excuses for that below-par run.
"Rippling Ring will definitely run in the Greatwood, but obviously he has to improve quite substantially on his run at Aintree," the owner told At The Races.
"We had a look at his blood and we found that he was not quite right - essentially he had flu and was not feeling on top of his game.
"We are happy with him now and although he would not want the ground too soft, we are looking forward to a good run."
 
It may be solid but I'd be surprised if Ashkazar was rated ahead of Rippling Ring come season end, hence the pull now is very tempting, apart from the fact I have the same concerns as Galileo. Still ..
 
Fair enough Andrew, but Rippling Ring's entries in the form book fall quite some way short of matching his tall reputation, imo. It's true that he isn't badly handicapped on his current mark, but I don't think he is one to have mountains of faith in.

I can't find any evidence to support your claim that RR will be rated higher than Ahskazar by seasons end, given not only the self-evidently strong form of the Fred Winter, but also the fact that the Pipe inmate won a competitive handicap like the Imperial Cup, pretty much as he pleased.

If anything in the race looks well handicapped off it's current mark, I reckon it's Ashkazar.
 
Fred Winter winner Crack Away Jack wins in great style at Chepstow fto this season, off a mark of 149.

Squadron franks that form when winning at Aintree.

Metophoric franks the Fred Winter form in his next outing at Market Rasen, and wins two handicaps on the Flat (one at Listed level) in the summer.

Indian Spring finished second in the G1 novice at Punchestown, finishing in front of the Triumph second in the process

The rest of the Fred Winter field are beaten pointless, and therefore irrelevant.

How much more evidence do one reasonably need to see, before one accepts the form as rock-solid, tracks? :cool:
 
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Time will tell, Grassy. I would be surprised if Crack Away Jack proves himself top class. Not that Ashkazar will need to be if he is to win this (but merely in the overall context of the form)

I don't like Metaphoric at all and certainly wouldn't use him as evidence of rock solid form.

Indian Spring is a complete bridal horse and recently finished fifth in maiden hurdle at Down Royal.

Admittedly, both of the aforementioned were beaten quite a long way. I suppose in many respects the Doumen animal, who I know fuck all about tbh, holds the key to the form.
 
I disagree, tracks - the form has been franked more than satisfactorily, imo, and doesn't need Grand Schlem to run to make it worthwhile.
 
Well, we're not going to find out tommorrow anyway, Grassy!

Looks a weak enough renewal without Ashkazar, not to mention an absolute nightmare from a punting perspective!

Anybody have any strong views?
 
trackside528 said:
Anybody have any strong views?
Click to expand...

Yeah, y`know how Sky always big-up virtually every Premier League game involving the big four as some mighty clash of stars that cannot be missed - Channel 4 and the RP are going the same way. As far as I can see "stars" have been thin on the ground during this meeting - not that you`d know that from the OTT coverage.
 
As a massive MC Pipe fan I can see a pattern that is the same as before.
Nicholls and King are dominating the betting and are 10/1 horses trading at 7/2 or less.
Names!!
Nicholls blown apart again on Sat
Pipe also had all horses when in form lower than should have been for ages.

I just now ignore King and Nicholls even though the have the best horses because the prices are so short.

I'm still losing!!!!!
 
harry said:
As a massive MC Pipe fan I can see a pattern that is the same as before.
Nicholls and King are dominating the betting and are 10/1 horses trading at 7/2 or less.
Names!!
Nicholls blown apart again on Sat
Pipe also had all horses when in form lower than should have been for ages.

I just now ignore King and Nicholls even though the have the best horses because the prices are so short.

I'm still losing!!!!!
Click to expand...

Given Nicholls and King dominate most results bar a Saturday, may explain why you are losing.
 
In an alternate reality, Numide won the 2006 French Derby like he should have and is spending the winter waiting for his second batch of mares...
 
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