King George Boxing/St Stephen's Day 2017

Professional performance from Might Bite, on ground that certainly show him in his best light. It'll take a good'en to stop him claiming the big one in March.

Thought Thistlecrack can take a lot of heart from that performance, especially if he can kick on again from this race.
 
Had Might Bite for this in 7 out of my 8 Anti Post bets. Relieved, delighted, so happy right now.

Merry Christmas all, I'm off to the pub to celebrate.
 
The Irish horses lie in wait.

Beware Biter, our boys are hungry

Good to see a forum pillar get his pay day too. Well done Grass, lucky the Gigi brothers told Meade Disko was staying at home
 
Popping in from Lanzarote so don't feel too bad for me managed to catch the race out here congrats to grassy,Double J and all the rest on the biter what a horse and fair play best horse won on the day. He's a bit special. My fella has done me proud epic effort and I'll hopefully be back with you guys in the new year. Thanks for kind comments on long shot thread aswell I have read but won't post on both as there is some drinking to be done.

Best of luck for the rest of the festive period lads.

Danny ;)
 
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Might Bite was dossing it seemed to me after the last . Professional performance after taking BDM on - for a lesser horse that might have been a cut throat ride .

As so often that allowed Doubke Shuffle and Tea for Two to pick up the pieces .

Unless Might Bite empties up the Cheltenham hill I cannot see him being beaten in the Gold Cup .
 
Huge congrats to GH and all who took big odds ante-post for this. I was pretty sure Tom Segal put it up this time last year at 33s but I didn't see it mentioned as 'already advised' yesterday.

I've only seen the race once and it doesn't look like my machine recorded it so I'll catch it again at the JC site but I wondered as it all unfolded if it was panning out as a substandard renewal with some big guns out of their comfort zone from quite early. Was the race coming too soon for BDM and Whisper?

But it still looked a pretty strong pace and given Danny (the amazing Double Shuffle) and I (Tea For Two) had suggested outsiders for value it might still be a really hot race.

It will be interesting to see how the handicapper reacts given the proximity in ORs of the finishers.
 
Cheers, DO - much appreciated.

My view, having watched it several times, is that it probably wasn’t all that great a renewal, but that the winner had a ton in reserve, and was basically kidded up ths entire straight by NdB (who I thought gave him an absolute peach of a ride).

The Biter appears to have been dismissed in several quarters as a Gold Cup horse, on a strict interpretation of yesterday’s form, which rather misses the point of the horse, imo. He keeps far too much back for himself, and is difficult to rate accurately as a result.

The job of rating Might Bite is likely going to be much easier after he is beaten fair-and-square in a steeplechase, but there’s so far been no indication of that happening. As some have predicted after his length defeat of Double Shuffle, it could happen in the Gold Cup, but then again, the stiffer test on spring ground, will probably see Might Bite to even greater effect than at Kempton.

As far as a rating for the KG is concerned, I think you’d be hard-pushed to award much more than 167 myself.....and even that might be a lb or two on the high-side. But my view of the Biter is the better the race he contests, the higher his mark will go. Add that to his tactical versatility (in an ideal world he’d be delivered very late, but very few horses can go his gallop), and I think he has massive claims in the Gold Cup. Bookies quoting 13/2 and 6/1 post-race are lining themselves for a dull slap.
 
Nico said straight after that he was idoling, and had anything come up the side of him he would have kicked on again.

I've got him for Gold Cup in several quarters, the hill is the only thing I'm worried about.
 
Nice touch yesterday Grasshopper.
Agree its a hard race to rate, BDM is always going to have a loftier rating than he should have due to his delomition jobs in a Haydock bog.
Think it was a mistake running Whisper as he had a very hard race in the Hennessey.
However, Might Bite did the job professionally and think he had a lot more in hand, on better ground in March which is what we generally get, he's by far the biggest danger to Sizing John.
 
Marble said:
In The Desert Orchid Chase on Wednesday, while I've got nothing personal against Politlogue, I feel he will get found out at some point over 2 miles. He needs to be taken-on at the current prices.

Special Tiara is the obvious danger, but Forest Bihan could also be a big player on best form, if you're willing to forgive the last run, (which I am).

He's still only a 6yo, just turning 7 in a few days time. I reckon Brian Ellison can get more improvement out of him. He's the bet at 12/1, each way.
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Forest Bihan shortening all the time. I just hope he runs a lot better than last time, (I think he will).
 
Just catching up with the important stuff now the family guff is all over...

Firstly well done to Grassy with the Biter and amazing tipping Danny with Double Shuffle

I was there Boxing Day and as always a cracking crowd and atmosphere

Just watching in the parade ring you could tell The Biter is clearly a head case - I'm sure there was a point where he turned 180° and tried to start marching back at the opposition. Did absolutely nothing wrong on the track though and can see him running up a sequence in this (anyone seen 2018 ante post prices??). As has been said, he idled out in front and have no qualms over a bit further and the Cheltenham hill.

Bryony Frost and Black Corton were the other highlight. A bit lucky but they avoided the carnage and did what some of the others couldn't, which was jump round
 
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