Hennessy

Very pleased for Diamond Harry and connections, always nice to see a small yard win a big prize. Did not back him, admit I worry about his jumping. I backed Burton and Denman. I was thrilled for Denman, was lovely to hear the roar for him on the track and in the third place Winner's Enclosure. Also very nice to have the real owner of Denman, Mr Barber, next to the horse and recieving the crowd approval despite losing the race and probably a lot of money. It's not all about betting and Harry Findlay. Denman is the star!

All credit to Nick for being realistic about Harry too, in after race interview saying that they have to keep it in perspective and on level weights he might not beat horses like Denman.
 
Just "might" not beat DENMAN at level weights? That's the laugh of the day! Nothing would've beaten DENMAN with that load on their backs, especially as they'd tire that much faster and be more likely to make weaker and weaker jumps. DENMAN's jumping was amazing, right to the end - just done for that little burst at the end which 28lbs might have had something to do with.

That makes me want Nicholls/Barber to throw out an Allcomers' Level Weights Challenge - come onnnn, big boys! Take on DENMAN at 12 stone all round, and see who's the superstar!
 
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krizon said:
Just "might" not beat DENMAN at level weights? That's the laugh of the day! Nothing would've beaten DENMAN with that load on their backs, especially as they'd tire that much faster and be more likely to make weaker and weaker jumps. DENMAN's jumping was amazing, right to the end - just done for that little burst at the end which 28lbs might have had something to do with.

That makes me want Nicholls/Barber to throw out an Allcomers' Level Weights Challenge - come onnnn, big boys! Take on DENMAN at 12 stone all round, and see who's the superstar!
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I think they call that the Gold Cup don't they?
 
OTB - and where would that be? They're not at even weights in the GC at Cheltenham or the Hennessy, unless I've been asleep for the past 100 years. ALL horses at 12 stone against DENMAN. After the way he lugged Sam Thomas and several pounds of deadweight lead around, I don't think there's the slightest chance that others with the same burden 'might' beat him again!
 
The GC used to be levels off 12-0 I think but is it a bit lower now ?

Newbury is not KS's track on past form . Has IC run there ?
 
Yes. That's why I said put them all at 12st and see how they run against the master. It won't happen, but it would be great to see the pretenders gasping away behind him.
 
Maybe I've misunderstood you, but you said 'they're not even at level weights in the Gold Cup' which they are, to my knowledge, as the whole fields run off 11-10. What have I missed?
 
Arkle carried 12-7 and just went down to a subsequent GC runner up beaten a neck giving 35lb ( and swop the jockeys the result would almost certainly have been the other way )with another subsequent GC winner in third !
 
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what is amazing about Denman is that he has been able to put 3 monstrous performance in this race, especially after he has not been a healthy horse.
 
Ardross said:
Arkle carried 12-7 and just went down to a subsequent GC runner up beaten a neck giving 35lb ( and swop the jockeys the result would almost certainly have been the other way )with another subsequent GC winner in third !
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Stan Mellor was very cute that day, and certainly won the race by stealth, but many people have wrongly criticised the jockeyship of Pat Taaffe. He may have looked "like a man trying to erect a deckchair in a hurricane" in a finish, but he was a masterful horseman who never needed to dig himself out of a hole very often.
 
Great performance by Denman and I’d agree with suny that it wasn’t far off his best small handful of runs. But the two horses that beat him deserve much credit. They may have received the best part of two stone from him but they have beaten him by a good stone. No doubt that Denman was the best horse in the race in absolute terms, but Diamond Harry was virtually flawless (well done Euro!) and the race was run in an extraordinary time, especially considering it was not good going.

I still think that Denman sets the Benchmark in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and they have him to beat. Although I didn’t back Diamond Harry he hasn’t done my TTF any harm at all. I left Denman alone on the day (had a modest best at 5s ante-post) for this – backing him instead for the Gold Cup. I’m far from disappointed at his prospects come mid-March...
 
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Given how good at carrying weight he is, Denman was at an advantage in conceding 2 stone to Diamond Harry. No way will he turn it round off levels when he doesn't have his greatest strength as an advantage.
 
I have only just seen the race now - have to say I am somewhat less enthusiastic about Denman's effort than some.
 
DJ: I don't honestly understand that. How can any horse who is donating 28lbs to his conqueror be worse off if the conqueror gets laded with a further 28lbs? (I'm not being contrary here, just don't understand how that works out.) His strengths are good jumping and relentless galloping - if DIAMOND HARRY or anyone else is relying on spurting past him when they're carrying the same, I don't see that happening.
 
Oh, dear, sorry! That one whizzed straight over the old girl's noggin, didn't it? :rolleyes: I'm rather glad, though, as I thought you'd come up with some Higher Maths formula which required at least a Ph.D to figure out!
 
what is a good benchmark ??

the race was a monster of a race and denman had an impossible task.

the trainer explained that this horse is better than he has had him,

that makes him a fantastic animal all the same.

the real denman is back.

ill saviour the races he has left.
 
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Bar the Bull said:
I am with Galileo on this. He finished upsides Niche Market and Tother One, conceding them 26lbs.

On a track made for him. Doesn't float my boat. Carruthers and Taranis are hardly good benchmarks either.
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31 lbs, they had claimers aboad.
 
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Bar the Bull said:
I am with Galileo on this. He finished upsides Niche Market and Tother One, conceding them 26lbs.

On a track made for him. Doesn't float my boat. Carruthers and Taranis are hardly good benchmarks either.
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Are you missing a smiley of some sorts?
 
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