Jumps season that was

granger

granger

Senior Jockey
Joined
Nov 3, 2005
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Moscow Flyer Stables
A bit flat overall I think. Probably grade it a C

Sprinter Sacre unfortunately wasn't the horse of old, gold cup looks average or below and a new generation of hurdling is upon us.

Novices certainly the highlight for me.

Have followed Faugheen for a good while so glad he lived up to my expectations.

Vatour looks exceptional.

Champagne hopefully makes into a gold cup horse next season.

And brilliant to see Sizing win a G1 at 12

Now time for the Grangers

Horse of the year - Sire De Grugy

Thread of the year - champion hurdle

Gripe of the year - **** poor turnout in Irish graded novice races and that Harbourgedden never materialised

Moment of the year - Sizing winning at Punchestown

Hope he sees a racetrack again - Flemenstar :whistle:

Best bet of season - SDG 4/1 day of QM

Will win a gold cup - The Tullow Tank

One for next year - Aniflet

Will be off for summer sabbatical, see you all in October
 
Yeah not a fantastic season but not bad. Oddly the biggest disappointment of the season (Sprinter being pulled up and not being sighted thereafter) led to the best story of the season in Sire De Grugy.

That and the Champion Hurdle being anticipated so heavily and ending up being overshadowed with OC's death.
 
TBH I lost a lot of interest when it was announced Sprinter Sacre was out for the season.

BY all accounts he's 100% sound again and things should be back to normal come the Tingle Creek.

No doubting Sire De Grugy deserved to be crowned Horse of the Year in his absence but I look forward to the young pretender being put in his place next season.

With Kauto Star Big Bucks and Denman all enjoying their retirement and Sprinter on the sick list there's a huge black hole in NH racing at the moment.

The chasing division is about as bad as it was when Best mate won 3 Gold Cups and if anything emerges as good as him he might be handed a couple of Gold Cup on a plate to him. It's certainly as bad a time as I can remember.

The loss of Our Conor was a huge loss to the hurdling ranks. The Champion Hurdle itself left a bad taste in the mouth and a lot of people wondering what might have been..

Jezki certainly put The Fly in his place again but there's no way of telling just how far downhill the Fly has actually gone.

Then out of the clouds 2 young whippersnappers in Faugheen and Vautour put up novice performances equal to that of Our Conor and get us all sitting up paying attention again.

NOw the mind boggles at the thought of Vautour wining the Champion Faugheen the Arkle and Sprinter Sacre the QMCC add Simonsig in the King George and NH racing will be back on it's feet before we know it.

The biggest boost of the year for me was Vautour skipping down the hill in the Supreme and it's hard to argue that my old pal Sizing Europe provided the highlight of the year.
 
The great attraction of NH racing is that buying success is not guaranteed so everyone has a chance.
On that basis Sire De Grugy, Pineau De Re, Lord Windermere et al are highlights for the "little man".
Davy Russell's renaissance from yesterday's man to go to man another high light.
The hurdlers gave us great entertainment all season and the "might have been " factor remains as strong as ever.
Quote of the year for me came from Authur O Grady, father to trainer Eoin.
When I suggested that he should send Unoccupied over to Dr Newland with a view to Aintree GN glory 2015 he replied " I DEFINITELY will not sell him the horse whatever happens ,adding that the 3m 6f chase at Punchestown would be right up his street"
Get on for Aintree 2015;( this from the source that gave you Lord Windermere for 2014 Gold Cup on 17/03/2013 and gave Oisin Murphy and Connor King as jockeys to follow !)
Connor Ring, another neighbour's child is my jockey to make the big time 2014/15.
He had a good season winning Tom Whittle and other good races this season.
Eoin O Sullivan is my amateur to follow along with his sister Maxine.
 
Personally I wish they would revert to one NH season finishing at end of May and the next one starting again end of July / beginning of August but it will never happen.
 
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