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Harchibald

Is it just me or has this been done to death. No one is ever going to change their opinion on it.
 
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Fair point, Slim. But I think it’s great to hear Carberry’s perspective a good few years later. It’s still one of those incidents that is incredulous, no matter how many times you watch it.
 
Remember standing just shy of the winning post willing PC to go for it would have been sensational if it had paid off when he did. Was at an evening meeting at Dundalk a couple of years later when Harchibald ran with Boots Madden on board which was another nearly moment.
 
I always thought the penny never dropped in Carbery's head that "I think I could get beaten here" and they were only 7 strides from the post when he actually asked Harchibald to make up a deficit

In his defence the horse wouldn't have won that day anyway as he did nothing when he was asked.
 
In H’s next race at Punchestown, Carberry followed trainer Noel Mead’s instructions to kick on from the last hurdle. He was still beaten, by Brave Inca this time, and again didn’t find a thing off the bridle. A classic example of a horse making a very good jockey look very bad.
 
The hottest places in hell are reserved for those, in a period of moral crisis, that say Looks Like Trouble would have beaten Nick Dundee anyway.
 
Slim said:
Is it just me or has this been done to death. No one is ever going to change their opinion on it.
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Harchibald is the most glorious runner up in a hurdle race in my lifetime -Crisp the most glorious runner up in a chase.
On the flat maybe El Condor Pasa in the Arc.
 
Slim said:
The hottest places in hell are reserved for those, in a period of moral crisis, that say Looks Like Trouble would have beaten Nick Dundee anyway.
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Anyone with working eyes could see Nick Dundee was travelling much the better but unlike Harchibald it was a very long way from home and we have seen others going just as well beaten.

Harchibald being one of them. When you watch the way he won the Xmas Hurdle and Fighting Fifth it begs the question on that day was his jockey being over confident and did he make a complete horlicks of it.

Harchibald had picked up no problem in both his trials and won going away but Carberry decides he's holding him up until only yards from the post. WHY?

He didn't ride him that was in the Bula when going equally as well he was only yards past the last hurdle when he asked the horse to go and go he did.

In my eyes he overdid his showboating and had no reason to ride him the way he did.
 
Always reckoned he didn't stay; he was fine at Kempton, but couldn't hack a stamina test.
Look back through his form, and the only times he 'stayed' a truly run 2m was to outspeed such as Inglis Drever and Back In Front, who both proved to need further, in time.
 
Although it's geat to watch when a jockey pulls it off it's ahard watch is an absolute certainty you've backed either clouts the last and is beaten a head
or he finds nothing like Harchibald decided to do that day.

Had Carberry gone for home at the same time as he did in the Bula against Intersky Falcon at Chetenham at least he would have given him the time to really get after Harchibald and perhaps he might have won.
 
According to Barry Geraghty Harchibald just got lit up too soon, he passed Barry on Macs Joy , no bad horse like he was standing still after the second last .
Barry, remembering his defeat on Native Dara just shook his head and thought "he has gone too soon."
Remember with Hardy and Brave Inca he was against the two toughest street fighters in recent history.
 
Agree. Hardy Eustace is unbelievably underrated because he outbattled the sexy performers. Given brilliant rides in both wins.
Harchibald finished ahead of Brave Inca up that hill that year.
 
granger said:
Has anyone got a picture of the last moments of that champion?
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Here you go, PJ

2hqxhv.jpg
 

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