Irish Hennessy Gold Cup

Seems an odd approach, not to try for generous prize-money on offer at home, where you are alleging the opposition isn't that strong, to save the horse for the most exacting test at Cheltenham, where the prize-money may be better, and the prestige higher, but the chance of success, by definition, less.

We're not talking handicaps are we?
 
i wonder where trainers priorities lie...i wonder where the whole season is aimed at...i wonder which races horses are price quoted for after they win a race...i wonder where the media focus isall through the season...i wonder where most owners dream of having a winner

all roads lead to...

or have i misread the fact that the whole NH season is geared to just one meeting?


for the majority of trainers i will add
 
no Colin it doesn't to me

but i factor it in to this kind of race...whereas others seem to think every high rated horse runs to it's best every race...which is totally naive to me...but i'm probably wrong.


usually am
 
No, you're not wrong to think people who believe a horse is trying his heart out every time are naive.

Calgary Bay, in the 4.35 at Exeter today, was ridden with an eye to the future. Sure they would have taken an easy win, but they weren't going to leave a nice future race go begging through trying too hard to pick up a Class 4 novice event today.

But the prize on offer at Leopardstown today was well worth winning in its own right without beating the beejayzuss (spl????) out of him.
 
I think judging horses only on what they achieve at the Cheltenham festival is stunningly ridiculous.
 
I think judging horses only on what they achieve at the Cheltenham festival is stunningly ridiculous.

totally agree, but when high rated horses from egg and spoon races go there and get trounced i'm one for wondering just how high the egg and spoon races should be rated.

giving a horse the highest RPR of the season in a race which is patently being used as a stepping stone by others is also ridiculous...but many folk on the forums swallowed it
 
Are you basing this completely on Beef or Salmon?

And I take it that you dont think that the Irish winners of the Hennessey are being prepared for the Gold Cup? That their main aim is the Hennessey?

I think that would be a ridiculous opinion.
 
EC1 -you have a serious chip on your shoulder and basically you don't understand the game.
Todays race wasn't a trial for anything-its a Grade 1 with decent prizemoney and plenty of prestige.The meaningless gallop that took place at Newbury yesterday was a trial.
 
It will be hard for Nickname to get back on the winning trail this season.He hasn't looked himself this season even when winning at Gowran.
 
The more telling factor for me was that they were only 1.9 secs faster than the Hunters Chase, where Agus A Vic carried a 1Ib more, and if anything wasn't ridden through the line with the same vigour as The Listener.

There is a sub plot to this before you tell me the Hennessey was slowly run (I'd agree it was) but I daren't risk ridicule :D :luv:
 
I was a shade disappointed today, never ever looked threatening. Like you say it is going to be hard to place him now. Brassil must be praying for a wet spring.
 
Originally posted by Warbler@Feb 10 2008, 11:06 PM
There is a sub plot to this before you tell me the Hennessey was slowly run (I'd agree it was) but I daren't risk ridicule :D :luv:
Click to expand...
Please tell me that you are not coming round to Mordin's theory about Denman failing to stay off a true pace.
 
Not in the slightest. I think Mordins wrong on that one.

No it's got more to do with the respective final 7 furlongs of the Henessey and the Hunters chase
 
Well go on then, we're all agog :what:

As for the Cheltenham Festival being the be all and end all, I've said many times how ridiculous I think that is, the course doesn't suit all horses equally - cf the late Dessie - and to rate a horse even in one's own mind JUST on how it performs at this one track is imo daft
 
I dont think NIckname is in the same form this year as in the past two. You would hope as an experienced french bred, (who wasnt hidden over the past couple of years) that the slide isnt irreversible. If that is the case, he may be worth another shot at 3m sometime. Simply not the same horse he was last year.
 
I have always been a massive Nickname fan (I had a tenner on him to beat Our Ben in his novice chase), but yesterday's run has me worried.

The Listener's connections are very clever. He is a good, solid horse. Although I don't for one minute agree with EC1's theory about Irish G1 races, this was not a good Hennessey.

Snowy Morning ran a good race, but he wasn't given the cleverest of rides.
 
I dont think that there is anyone suggesting that the race was slowly run Warbler. But that is different from saying that it was an "egg and spoon" race. I think The Listener is a very good horse, and it will take a top performance to beat him in the Betfair Bowl, especially on heavy ground. Think he prefers flatter tracks - allows his jumping to be more potent.

Ground softer than good at the festival, and 10/1 for the Ryanair isnt too stingy. In fact, if a price like that is available NRNB, I think I will be on as he is unlikely to run if the ground is good or better.
 
It makes the form of the Lexus hard to read. Yesterdays race was not slowly run...certainly not at the level of the Lexus at Christmas. The Listener easily beat BOS today. Would have been interesting to see where the 170 rated Mossbank would have finished....
 
Back
Top