Leopardstown Day 4

granger said:
I'm Leopardstowned out now


What we have learned from Leopardstown

- There are now 3 superb mares in Ireland

- Irish novice chasers look very good

- Irish staying chasers aren't wonderful

- No stand out novice hurdler

- More British based horses should target the Irish prize money
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Irish novice chasers look miles behind those in England (the best 3 of either country ran on the 26th at Kempton for RSA types) and Ireland has nothing over 2m - Notus de la Tour wouldn't be in the top 10 in Britain come March yet he nearly won the top Irish 2m race.
 
English novices do seem exceptional Hamm. A few of these Irish one's really impress me for the future however and will make smashing second season jumpers

Bog Warrior, Last Installment and Hidden Cyclone all have very promising futures
 
Bog Warrior is (for me) hard to assess, Last Installment very good (but would have been 4th in the Feltham) and Hidden Cyclone didn't impress me that much today (I had been reading Hanlon's comments, so my impression is in that context).
 
I hold Last Instalment in very high regard, he jumped flawlessly yesterday - I cannot have it that he is that far off the English novices with the obvious exception of Grand Crus.
 
For a beginners chase, he done no more than what he had to. Good introduction to what looked on paper a very decent beginners chase. JP's was fancied and went off fav. His hurdle form is pretty useful and according to AM today he absolutely hated jumping hurdles

I like Bog Warrior alot, i hope he lines up in the PJ Moriarity next. He is imo the best novice in Ireland and will make a very good second season chaser. He may well end up better over further. No point running him over 2m again unless they are protecting him for next season

Last Instalment is the hardest for me to assess, unsure on how he would react to a faster paced race, but he will certain rack up a few more Grade 1's in Ireland all things staying healthy
 
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granger said:
Last Instalment is the hardest for me to assess, unsure on how he would react to a faster paced race, but he will certain rack up a few more Grade 1's in Ireland all things staying healthy
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In the paddock he was by far the best looking chasing sort.
 
Last Instalment has serious potential, but I'm not convinced that the trainer is the man to realise it. He's definitely less streetwise than those in the Feltham, but he's as natural a chaser as you will see and will improve from 6 to 7.
 
I don't think either of those behind Grand Crus would have beaten LI at Leopardstown the other day.

Agree totally with Bobbyjo on the possible progression we will see with LI when stepping out of Novice company
 
Grasshopper said:
Any word on whether Cheltenham might now be on the agenda, granger?

I backed Hidden Cyclone ante-post for the RSA Chase, but had pretty-much written the bet off, as Hanlon had suggested that he would keep him well away from the Festival.

I note he's been cut for the race - any hint of a change of mind on the back of today's run?
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"There's a winners-of-one race at Fairyhouse at the end of January and he'll go there. We haven't made our minds up about Cheltenham. That was a fair race and he did it well, but he'll have to improve to be a Cheltenham horse." - Shark
 
He sounds a very sensible, thoughtful person. There'd be one or two already talking the horse up for Chelters if he was theirs. Mr Hanlon sounds realistically pragmatic.
 
granger said:
"There's a winners-of-one race at Fairyhouse at the end of January and he'll go there. We haven't made our minds up about Cheltenham. That was a fair race and he did it well, but he'll have to improve to be a Cheltenham horse." - Shark
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Cheers Granger. See what happens. :cool:
 
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Dangerous to underestimate the Irish novice chasers IMO. Bog warrior, in particular, has impressed me.
 
Irish two mile novices haven't a hope..

But it's dangerous to underestimate the 3 milers, when you look at recent years. The RSA turns into a bit of an endurance test, and the Irish horses have come through in the last couple of renewals - at big prices as well - when the likes of the heavily backed Long Run and Time for Rupert haven't been mature enough. [Or perhaps good enough in the case of the latter].

I think they actually go through a harder campaign to get there, and it prepares them. Bostons Angel had run in five competitive novices before the RSA, Time for Rupert just the twice.

He doesn't quite look a natural, but an experienced enough type like First Lieutenant could still run a decent race. Mouse will put him away between now and Cheltenham, and is the master of producing them.

As for Hidden Cyclone, Shark won't bring him over unless he thinks he can genuinely contend. Crucial point he said today was that the horse still wasn't 100pc fit, so I'd imagine he will improve.
 
Next years Lexus will be very heavily Gigginstown weighted

A horse like Last Installment who jumps so well and seems so teak tough will contend in whatever race it finds itself
 
No stand out novice hurdler granger? I thought Make Your Mark was and considering how some WM's horses ran it looks even better, Neptune entry very likely.
 
If you were to take a hurdler from the week, I guess it would be him. He looked classy enough in what he did. I'll want to see him out again. Most definite chaser in the making
 
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