Firstly I am sure connections will do right by the horse, and who are we to tell Cantoris and co what to do. But at the age of 10, turning 11, whats the point? I think its sad to see a horse even like Rosaker (not in BI's class or parish) been sent over fences at his age when he clearly has little joy in it (as he displayed when he was younger). Horses like that owe connections nothing and I think its a big ask, bordering on unfair, asking them to do it now.
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- Thread starter Cantoris
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granger
Senior Jockey
If BI is still hungry for racing, trying him in a beginners chase could prove fruitful. Pedbrobob went chasing late and he looked a useful recruit last season. With young guns in the hurdling ranks now like Katchit, Sizing Europe and Binocular to name but a few, it really is hard to see BI getting back to the top of that ladder.
Its safe to say connections will make whatever decision is in the horses best interest and im happy to go with that
Its safe to say connections will make whatever decision is in the horses best interest and im happy to go with that
Surely the World Hurdle would be both the fairest route to the horse, as well as the route the horse would be most competitive at?
Running in the 2m4+ hurdles (Hatton's Grace?) that Solerina et al used to mop up would be the route I'd take.
Running in the 2m4+ hurdles (Hatton's Grace?) that Solerina et al used to mop up would be the route I'd take.
rorydelargy
At the Start
Agreed ~ he has always stayed 2m4f well and would surely be effective at a staying trip.
Grasshopper
Senior Jockey
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- Nov 14, 2006
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Plenty of decent hurdle races over 2m4f+ in the old country - the Hattons Grace, the Lismullen, the Tara, the Galmoy, the Christmas Hurdle..........a veritable cornucopia of valuable targets.
granger
Senior Jockey
Nice to see him. cheers Cantoris. is he doing much work?
Not really. Just basic pre-training and is going on a break now as he has been on the go a long time. colm likes to give them a break after they are broken. I know others given them a break first but Colm likes some of the hard work done before he gives them a break. BI should be out in the next month.
Sheikh
At the Start
I wouldn't say there's much left to train, tough job for Colm. Hopefully connections know the score.
Mick the Man has plenty of ability and think a decent good ground handicap is in him if his head is right. Moving to a smaller yard where they dabble their hooves in the water after the gallops, are turned out daily and brought away a lot might just be what he needs to sort out his temperament. Will wait and see. Haven't seen him down there so must have gone down int he last three or four weeks.
Sheikh
At the Start
Cantoris I was refering to where he has come from, a bit like getting a horse out of the Pipe yard.
And he gets an impressive win out of Mick The Man at Fairyhouse...
Grey and myself were down there recently and Colm said he'd been called a lot of names but he was a little like Big Zeb, unlucky to meet some decent horses in defeat. He thought there was a good race in him and fences would be his game. Delighted to see him win.
Sheikh
At the Start
A great bit of placing by Colum, Congrats.
trackside528
At the Start
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True, Cantoris, but he's also like Big Zeb in the fact that he tends to look one paced when he comes off the bridle.
Not sure how much he's actually improved in winning what was a very weak maiden hurdle by course standards.
DistantView
At the Start
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2008
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- 74
I would not say he improved at all.
He could have won that race performing 20lb below his best.
Sheikh
At the Start
It would be remarkable If Colum where to manage to improve this fella but credit for placing him well.
Sheikh
At the Start
The Meade training machine does not cater for personalities.
DistantView
At the Start
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- Dec 11, 2008
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I would not agree with that at all.
He has only put in one really below par performance in a weak race which was when he was beaten by Island Arrow. I don't think that race was as weak as that rubbish contest on Saturday.
In his other races he has done the following;
-Beaten by the useful Cuchulains Son
-Split 2 very useful types in Glenrock Leader and Siegemaster
-Beaten by Forpadytheplasterer
-Split reasonable horses Deal Maker and Oscar Time - This was a race he was entitled to win, but not to anything like the same extent as the weekend.
-Beaten in a very good race by Cooldine.
-Split Western Charmer and Corskeagh Royale.
The contest at the weekend was dreadful - If he had managed to get beaten, he should have been taken out of training.
I think his second placing to Forpadytheplaster (not forgetting his bumper form) makes his defeat to the likes of Deal Maker (by 10 lengths), Cooline and co (by 51 lengths), Glenrock Leader (4 lengths), Cuchulains Son and Western Charmer (8 lengths) as all below par for what the horse actually could achieve. Many of those efforts in defeat were highlighted by him travelling very well but only to find little enough off the bridle.
I agree that yesterday's race was a weak event but I thought he showed a somewhat improved attitude.
I agree that yesterday's race was a weak event but I thought he showed a somewhat improved attitude.
DistantView
At the Start
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2008
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- 74
Fair point but the difference was that he never had to come off the bridle on Saturday. If he was asked to, then I suspect the same response would have been evident. I looked at the race on Saturday morning and thought he was a 1/2 shot for it. I could not believe he was odds against. There was absolutely nothing in it and it was one of the worst maidens staged at Fairyhouse that I can remember. Kong was the only one that could possibly have been a threat, but the trip / ground looked to be against him and he was very weak in the market.
I would be far from convinced that we have seen a new Mick The Man and I will lay him in running in better races again.