Looking ahead to the NH season 2015/2016 proper

My thought exactly Granger.......you would have to think WMP will want to give it a go with Vautor.

Not like it's the flat where trainers and owners with their heads in the shed dodge challenges
 
A bonus like that, you have to give it serious consideration,” said Willie Mullins, his trainer, on Tuesday
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“I don’t particularly think the Haydock race will suit our fellow as the fences are small and the track’s a bit tight,” said Sara Bradstock, half of the husband-and-wife training team behind the horse.
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Irish trainer Gordon Elliott said he would certainly now consider the Betfair for his Don Cossack, four times a Grade One winner over fences. The eight-year-old is due to start his season at Punchestown Thursday.
 
I tend to agree with Sara Bradstock.....track probably sharper than any of them would like, but the lure of the spondools probably too great to ignore.

I'm not a huge fan of the race myself, and its inclusion in the Triple Crown (if that's what they're calling it?) lacks a bit of imagination, imv. I'd rather have seen a top-end open handicap as Race #1. The Hennessy would be the obvious choice, but even something like the Becher or the United House GC at Ascot would have been fine too.
 
I see what you are saying Grasshopper, for me it's more the track though, Haydock used to be brilliant with the drop fences but it's my least favourite grade 1 course.
 
Grassy's suggestion would be great. The Hennessy is still a super race, the addition of this would make it top class

Hennessy is 28th Nov, so is possibly a bit tight for the KG (Granted Haydock is just a week earlier)
 
Further news on the McCain / Rooney split

Starchitect, who finished fourth in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle in March, will join David Pipe while Grand National hopes Kruzhlinin, The Last Samuri and Operating will be trained by Philip Hobbs, Kim Bailey and Gordon Elliott respectively. Jonjo O'Neill and Nicky Richards will also take some of the team
 
tiggers1972 said:
I see what you are saying Grasshopper, for me it's more the track though, Haydock used to be brilliant with the drop fences but it's my least favourite grade 1 course.
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They also shifted the Chase track, so it's a lot tighter and less galloping too.

It's a Grade 1 track in name-only these days.
 
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Grasshopper said:
I tend to agree with Sara Bradstock.....track probably sharper than any of them would like, but the lure of the spondools probably too great to ignore.

I'm not a huge fan of the race myself, and its inclusion in the Triple Crown (if that's what they're calling it?) lacks a bit of imagination, imv. I'd rather have seen a top-end open handicap as Race #1. The Hennessy would be the obvious choice, but even something like the Becher or the United House GC at Ascot would have been fine too.
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I was a big fan of the race when Snoppy Loopy won it. :lol:
 
"It is a good initiative and it is great of JCR to put it up," he said as he made his way back from Australia."I'm looking forward to maybe having something to contest it, but I am not going to speculate because we are not very far forward with the horses. The ground is very dry, so I am not even thinking about where my winter horses are going to have their first runs until I can get some work into them.
"It is always a problem at this time of year, but we have to be patient. Death, taxes and rain are the three certainties in life in [COLOR=#000000 !important]Ireland[/COLOR], so it is definitely going to come."
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Re Coneygree
"If Newbury came up fast and Haydock was perfect, the £1m bonus might sway us, but we won't go there because of it," Bradstock stressed.
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Won as he should have, given his lofty rating.

Nice intro all the same. He is as solid a chaser as there is out there.
 
Grasshopper said:
I confidently predict that Simonsig will re-appear in the Paddy Power Gold Cup......or the Amlin Chase......or the Peterborough Chase....or the Tingle Creek......or not at all.
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Henderson is apparently being his usual cautious self and still keeping him under wraps.....................

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granger said:
I once thought that the Don was a crybaby who didn't stay

slowly but surely, he is winning me over.
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He has grown up in to the real deal now. A 3m smash up on decent ground with Vautour wets the appetite.
 
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That's a potentially valid question. I personally would still give him a chance at Cheltenham. He fell once. Made a mistake then had another mishap through no fault of his own. To his credit he got himself together and ran up the hill well. That was the moment for me when I actually thought he could just well be a Gold Cup horse. A lot of horses wouldn't have recovered like that.
So though his form round Cheltenham doesn't read great, I'm not sure that reflects his liking for Cheltenham. Though yes I see that he could be best suited to Aintree for instance.
Imagine Don v Vautour in the Bowl. Assuming Vautour gets the trip.
 
Granger, I am strongly against use of the "Team" suffix when describing racing-yards, mainly because it's reminiscent of Nick Luck, and we all know what an insufferable knob-end he is.

The Don commands maximum respect, but I'm not convinced there's a horse in training good enough to get Vautour off the bridle.
 
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