Novice Chasers 2011-12

I've rarely seen a horse jump so fluently on its chasing debut as SS. And I'm actually agreeing (more than disagreeing) with you about Peddler's (unlike some on here) that he's a good jumper. They are both good in other words... but you would have to be taken with SS's fluency.
 
Last edited:
I loved the way David Bass went for him, really asked him up and got a huge jump at the last. It was almost like he was saying to himself "I may never ride this horse again so I a going to enjoy the moment"

You could clearly see he was oozing confidence in the horse but with no intentions of "Look at me" or trying to be clever like so many jockeys tend to do when they are on a good one. The horse impressed a lot ofpeople but more importantly it impressed the jockey who stated he was by far the best horse he has ever sat on.

He sat on Long Run last Wednesday does that count? ;)
 
Sprinter Sacre looked good on his fencing debut but I don't understand all the excitement about it. For some reason people seem to get carried away with 'spectacular jumps' when a horse is fired in long. I would far rather have a round such as that shown by Peddlers Cross (quick, economical, clever, etc) on debut than that of Sprinter Sacre.

Most horses can pick up long, but the hard thing is getting in close. They learn very little by being fired at fences, and it can go wrong too. They need to learn how to handle a long stride, but most find it relatively easy. Dealing with a short stride is far harder. Furthermore, it isn't necessarily the best route to a quick and efficient round.

As an example, just watch Ruby riding a novice. He lets them get in close so they learn how to adjust.

As for comparisons I would have given Peddler's debut round a 9/10 (or even a 10, it was virtually perfect in my eyes) and Sprinter Sacre 8/10 (he was a bit 'novicey' at a few early on). I loved the way that Peddler's was so quick and neat. Very fast and economical and no even slight hint of any greenness. He looked like he'd been doing it all his life.

Both were good, no doubt about it, but how anyone can say Peddler's didn't look a natural is beyond me.
 
David Bass using the phrase 'best horse I've ever sat on' is a very late and credible contender for the 2011 "So Fuck?" title.
 
Zenyatta said:
Sprinter Sacre looked good on his fencing debut but I don't understand all the excitement about it. For some reason people seem to get carried away with 'spectacular jumps' when a horse is fired in long. I would far rather have a round such as that shown by Peddlers Cross (quick, economical, clever, etc) on debut than that of Sprinter Sacre.

Most horses can pick up long, but the hard thing is getting in close. They learn very little by being fired at fences, and it can go wrong too. They need to learn how to handle a long stride, but most find it relatively easy. Dealing with a short stride is far harder. Furthermore, it isn't necessarily the best route to a quick and efficient round.

As an example, just watch Ruby riding a novice. He lets them get in close so they learn how to adjust.

As for comparisons I would have given Peddler's debut round a 9/10 (or even a 10, it was virtually perfect in my eyes) and Sprinter Sacre 8/10 (he was a bit 'novicey' at a few early on). I loved the way that Peddler's was so quick and neat. Very fast and economical and no even slight hint of any greenness. He looked like he'd been doing it all his life.

Both were good, no doubt about it, but how anyone can say Peddler's didn't look a natural is beyond me.
Click to expand...

I don't think I get carried away it takes an awful lot to please me as anyone who has read my comments on Long Run will testfy.

Just sometime a horse comes along who looks really special and Spriter Sacre more than fits the bill. If ever a young horse was destined for top honours it's him mark my words. There is however no truth in the rumour Nicky Henderson said he'll stop drinking if he doesn't win the Arkle:p
 
Last edited:
Zenyatta said:
Sprinter Sacre looked good on his fencing debut but I don't understand all the excitement about it. For some reason people seem to get carried away with 'spectacular jumps' when a horse is fired in long. I would far rather have a round such as that shown by Peddlers Cross (quick, economical, clever, etc) on debut than that of Sprinter Sacre.

Most horses can pick up long, but the hard thing is getting in close. They learn very little by being fired at fences, and it can go wrong too. They need to learn how to handle a long stride, but most find it relatively easy. Dealing with a short stride is far harder. Furthermore, it isn't necessarily the best route to a quick and efficient round.

As an example, just watch Ruby riding a novice. He lets them get in close so they learn how to adjust.

As for comparisons I would have given Peddler's debut round a 9/10 (or even a 10, it was virtually perfect in my eyes) and Sprinter Sacre 8/10 (he was a bit 'novicey' at a few early on). I loved the way that Peddler's was so quick and neat. Very fast and economical and no even slight hint of any greenness. He looked like he'd been doing it all his life.

Both were good, no doubt about it, but how anyone can say Peddler's didn't look a natural is beyond me.
Click to expand...

Excellent analysis.
 
Oh! Poppycock Rory: :) It Would be if David Bass had to have fired Sprinter Sacre in long to get all of those spectacular jumps.

While he did at a couple of fences that only speaks volumes about how much confidence he has in the horse.

At other fences with David sitting all but motionless Sprinter Sacre jumped as clean as a whistle, never as much as touched a twig bar the 2nd where being restrained he got in a tiny bit close.

At the 5th fence David certainly didn't fire him into it did he?, he barely moved and you could have laid yourself out on top of the fence and he would have cleared you as well. He easily gained a length in the air on his opponent who had jumped the fence spot on himself.

I've never seen a better round of jumping in a very long time from any horse let alone a novice. The height he was getting so effortlessly and his speed away from the fences are attributes you very seldom see in a horse. A talent like that gains you lengths in air combine that with a horse who has bags of speed and you get a real superstar in the making.

Footnote from the SS fan club: Much is made of Peddlars Cross finishing 2nd in the Champion Hurdle. Well something had to and at the end of the day he was beaten. Sprinter Sacre is the Hurricane Fly of chasing so don't you PC fans be thinking he's any sort of good things as you will be very disapointed come March :p
 
I still think Peddler's is the likeliest winner, but anyone not excited by Sprinter Sacre is probably dead from the neck down.;)
 
SteveM said:
I still think Peddler's is the likeliest winner, but anyone not excited by Sprinter Sacre is probably dead from the neck down.;)
Click to expand...

He's obviously an exciting horse and it is easy to see why, not least the fact that Henderson seems convinced that this is the 2nd coming.

At the moment, in my opinion, he remains something of a hype horse, and on everything I have seen my feet are firmly in the Peddlers Cross camp.
 
I think the top 3 in the Arkle are all hugely exciting, but watching with my own eyes and ignoring all the hype and trainer/jockey comments, Peddlers first time jumping around Bangor impressed me the most
 
Zenyatta said:
He's obviously an exciting horse and it is easy to see why, not least the fact that Henderson seems convinced that this is the 2nd coming.

At the moment, in my opinion, he remains something of a hype horse, and on everything I have seen my feet are firmly in the Peddlers Cross camp.
Click to expand...

It's pretty much all about hype with any novice before they appear at the Festival. That's where we generally find out how good they really are. However if you want value you have to have a good go at sorting them out before then. Sprinter Sacre will be very good, whether he wins the Arkle or not.
 
The comparison with HF is an insult to the Champion Hurdler, and anyone trying to sustain it should really be shoved through a running woodchipper.
 
Not sure about Sprinter Sacre being the Hurricane Fly of Chasing.

Is this a wind up? genuinely laughing here..
 
We won't know until after the Arkle Bruce. If he can beat Peddler's maybe he'd be better (assuming Peddler's is a better chaser than he was a hurdler).
 
Last edited:
Sprinter Sacre was competitive in the Supreme despite being the most obvious chaser based on looks of the front four (just look at them approaching the last, how deeper in the chest he is than the other three). The best hurdlers are the ones who put lengths between themselves and their opponents when jumping with speed and accuracy, Istabraq and Make a Stand being the best I've seen at this. And yet last March SS was probably the least efficient hurdler amongst the frame horses and made a right mess of the last flight. He reminds me most of Sizing Europe - a ponderous hurdler who will be a great jumper of fences. Only with a better engine. I haven't been this excited about a horse since Finsceal Beo won the Boussac.
 
I'd be pessimistic of Peddler's lining up at Haydock if there is more rain, which there will almost certainly be.
 
There pish reference to Sprinter Sacre wasn't meant as a comprison between him and the Fly Grassy. It was pointing out that the would be wonder horse was well and truly trounced by him and IMO he can expect a dose of the same from Sprinter Sacre.

I'm not knocking Peddlars Cross but he is short of top class and lost out at both Cheltenham and Aintree where he ran a dismal race.

He's had to beat very little over fences as has SS but if you look at the list of horses who finished 2nd to Peddlar's Cross it does not make for spectacular reading by any stretch of the imagination..Bygones Of Brid, Starluck, Duke Of Lucca, Reve De Sivola, Scriptwriter Flash, Harriet,Bescot Springs and Clashnabrook. Not exactly a list of who's who, Starluck being an exception.

His run behind Hurricane Fly stamped him as a good horse but clearly not a great one. Don't forget the 3rd was Nicky Henderson 3rd choice and the 4th was Hurricane Fly's travel mate.

I really like the horse it's hard not to, but there's nothing to say he'll make a better chaser than a hurdler nor that he won't end up playing 2nd fiddle to something like Sprinter Sacre.

There is one huge difference between the 2.

PC had a serious career as a hurdler and was trained twice for the Festival, once for The Neptune and next season for the Champion hurdle. I'm aware they said he would make a good chaser one day but the truth is he's only here because he wasn't good enough to win the Champion Hurdle.

Sprinter Sacre was trained with nothing else in mind but becoming a chaser. The fact he won a few hurdle onlyconfirmed what Nicky Henderson thought already, that he had a decent engine in him.

Peddlars Cross is certainly no Dawn Run or Night Nurse but Sprinter Sacre could be.

The Sky is the limit for him and he has far more potential of reaching the very top than the fully exposed Peddlar Cross has.

Now that is just my opinion but you can bet your bottom dollar it is also the opinion of Nicky Henderson and everyone else at Seven barrows.
 
Back
Top