Leopardstown Christmas Festival

Backed 2 today (so far)- Agus A Vic in the Paddy Power & Ikorodu Road at Newbury. Hope everybody enjoys the racing / some good fortune today.
 
I think Big Zeb is a definate lay today.

Quote from Sporting Life site:

Big Zeb has won less competitive events on heavy ground in his time, but Murphy's main concern is simply getting him back out on the track as he prepares to defend his Queen Mother Champion Chase title at Cheltenham in the spring.
He has been seen only once since his principal success, when beating Golden Silver in the Fortria Chase at Navan, and must challenge that rival again along with the still-up-and-coming Captain Cee Bee.
"Ideally he wouldn't be running on ground this heavy, I'd prefer it to be better at this time of year but unfortunately it's the same for all of them," said Murphy.

His main concern is getting him back on the track..doesn't fill me with confidence and the ground is a major negative. I can see Murphy being quite happy with a decent run..but not going to hard on the horse in the conditions.

The ground is a worry for Captain Cee Bee as well imo..

Harty has now decided to wait until Leopardstown, fearing that the Durkan Chase could turn into a slog on heavy ground over two-and-a-half miles that potentially stretches the stamina of his stable star, a horse who has never before raced beyond two-miles-one furlong.

No its not 2.5 miles today but the fact that the horse won't relish a stamina test is still against him today..2m1 on the ground today isn't the horse's best conditions.

Golden Silver looks a cracking bet to me..will relish the ground and trip..record over 2m1f alone reads 1111


whilst other two have the CC as the most important realistic race for them..a horse like GS will be mopping up chances like this.
 
Townend just gets better and better - granted he was on much the best horse in the race, but loved the way he got a breather into Cottrelsbooley before the turn in before kicking on.
 
Beautifull Sound has snuck into the Paddy Power Handicap Chase off 117 which puts him 4lb wrong at the the foot of the handicap. I've no doubt he will go off clear favourite.
 
Don't disagree with any of that Gearoid - the 14/1 5 places with 365 this morning was huge. Also think that Venalmar could be very well handicapped, 145 rated over hurdles but taken his time to get his act together over fences and wasn't beaten far by Jessies Dream earlier this season and had excuses having travelled well into the race LTO.
 
Venalmar was my stab in the dark when I looked at it last night but hard to be against an Elliot plot horse.
 
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Very poor from Townend (& Carberry) - sitting motionless like 2 clowns and only 1 to jump. Zaidpour definitely doesn't have the speed for the Supreme based on that.
 
Zaidpour looked laboured to me from some way out with the jockey squeezing him along. Flat run for me and best judged when he goes next for the Deloitte.
 
Surely Townend could have kicked him on earlier, for all that he didn't run as well as he could? If he is as good as some think, and with you saying he was squeezing him, why did he wait till so late to kick him on? Poor ride (and I think he's been very good).
 
I'm not sure how much I'd blame Townend. Horse never really looked especially comfortable today. Fair point raised with respect to Supreme on that evidence although I wonder if he'd be better suited to a strong pace as opposed to today's stop start encounter.
 
Poor again frm Townend - no idea what he thinks he can do after the last in these races. Sat motionless again - he is a very bad judge of giving rope based on the last 2 races.
 
Big Zeb did what he needed to today. Don't see what Townend could have done differently. Best horse on the day won, and impressive in conditions that wouldn't suit.
 
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