Novice Hurdlers 2011-2012

It might be that he jumped to the right because he didn't have a lead. Can't say I'm over confident now but the Spa is the weakest of the novice events and a fast pace over three miles will be right up his street.
 
Can't disagree that he'll be better over fences - providing he doesn't go back to demolishing them but would be wrong to completely rule out a tilt at Cheltenham on the back of a few poor jumps in a small field novice hurdle.
 
Neptune 'most likely' for Fingal

Fingal Bay's likely target at the Cheltenham Festival is the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle.

Philip Hobbs' youngster stretched his unbeaten run to five with his first Grade One success in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday and while Albert Bartlett over three miles remains a possibility, Hobbs can see no reason why the six-year-old gelding would try the trip for the first time in March.

"I am slightly regretting saying he could potentially be the best horse I've ever trained, but he could be," Hobbs told At The Races.

"He's a lovely horse. He stays very well, he's not a speed horse but he does jump very well. He'll be more of a three-mile chaser next year but nevertheless he looks very good in the novice hurdle ranks this year.

"His best trip will be three miles but for the moment two and a half to two-mile-six is OK. I'd say the Neptune is the most likely (race at Cheltenham) but the Albert Bartlett is a possibility, depending whether we run him again or not.

"If he doesn't we'd look a bit silly going up to three miles when we're not certain about that."
 
slightly puzzled at a plan for a horse in which its trainer states 3 miles is his best trip and numerous comments that it has a preference for soft ground to run in a 20f race when there is a 3 mile race that will suit far better and probably easier to win
 
Fingal Bay won't win the Neptune, of that I'd be pretty sure, all for the reasons you have outlined. Let's hope he lines up there though.
 
I'd be far keener on him for the 3miler it must be said. He looks all stamina to me and might be vulnerable to a pace horse in the Neptune.

Anybody heard anything regarding Simonsig. I, like a few others, would be very keen on him for the Supreme but I'm reluctant to get involved until Henderson at least gives some positive noises that he might be headed that way. He looks to be very fast indeed and the horses we have seen over 2m so far all look beatable.
 
Euronymous said:
Totally agree. I was hoping he'd run in the Tolworth on Saturday but no dice.
Click to expand...

Everything seems to have gone worryingly quiet.

Fingal Bay might not be the fastest but you couldn't help but be impressed with the way Simonsig travelled all over him. BG said he would prefer better ground and a fast run 2m in the Supreme would strike me as ideal.
 
I must say I'm a huge fan of Fingal Bay and backed him ante-post for both the Sunalliance Hurdle and the Albert Bartlett back in November.

He wasn't overly impressive by any means at Newbury, but his form at both Sandown (beating Simonsig in a steadily-run affair that should, if anything, have better suited the Henderson horse) and Cheltenham (travelling well off what looked a relatively strong gallop) looks very solid to my eye.

He stands out a mile in the staying novice hurdling division on all known form to my eye.
 
trackside528 said:
He wasn't overly impressive by any means at Newbury, but his form at both Sandown (beating Simonsig in a steadily-run affair that should, if anything, have better suited the Henderson horse) and Cheltenham (travelling well off what looked a relatively strong gallop) looks very solid to my eye.
Click to expand...

The Sandown form is rock. But horse's like Fingal who look like chasers now are vulnerable at the Festival. I don't think the slow pace suited Simonsig at all.
 
Bollocks. Just watched the Henderson interview on ATR and he says 2m5f most likely for Simonsig. I haven't backed him yet but hope he changes his mind but suppose I'll back him wherever he goes.

Did say that he definitely won't run in the Potato Race.
 
Last edited:
I've backed Simonsig for the Supreme so that's disappointing to hear. I do hope he reconsiders. Any mention of where the horse is next likely to run?
 
Katharine said:
I've backed Simonsig for the Supreme so that's disappointing to hear. I do hope he reconsiders. Any mention of where the horse is next likely to run?
Click to expand...

The spiel was that he's had a little break and will be out soon. Not sure where he goes at Cheltenham, but it definitely won't be the Potato Race. It will be one of the other two, probably the 2m5f.

It was all quite vague. Link if anybody is interested: http://www.attheraces.com/VideoConsole/?ss=1305a23e28a31a65b64d97a0e67f61a2b9182fcd&brand=ATR

I must say the Supreme looks the obvious choice to me, unless Henderson has another superior candidate up his sleeve, but I find that hard to believe.
 
The Supreme would be the race for Simonsig - and not just because I've spent most of the Autumn backing him for it! :)
 
Last edited:
Euronymous said:
The Sandown form is rock. But horse's like Fingal who look like chasers now are vulnerable at the Festival. I don't think the slow pace suited Simonsig at all.
Click to expand...

I backed Fingal Bay after his performance at the Open meeting; regardless of whether he looks a chaser, I was seriously impressed with both the manner in which he traveled and jumped on that occasion, as well as the way he recovered having made his only serious error at arguably the worst possible moment (the second last). Barbatos certainly did the form no harm at Cheltenham on New Years Day either.

Nothing I have subsequently seen would temper my enthusiasm to any great degree. Though my involvement in Cheltenham is a fair deal lower than in years past, Fingal Bay will go a long way to determining whether I am up or down at the end of the week.
 
I posted this elsewhere yesterday, tracks...

"I thought Fingal Bay travelled and jumped great, only to doss like Harchibald having a lie-in up the hill. I think he has a real chance in the Neptune, and don't think backers have too much to concern themselves with - insofar as the Challow is concerned.

He puts me very much in mind of Monsignor with his physique and attitude, and I think he will still take plenty of beating wherever he goes."

My profuse apologies for the comments about Harchibald. Please try and keep it together. :D
 
In terms of how he wins his races by only seemingly to do enough reminds me of Big Bucks. The better the race and opposition the better his performances will be.
 
I love this horse and connections haven't dodged a soul and faced down all commers. I have to get him into my ante-post book for the Neptune and 5/1 is very very fair. His form stands the closest scrutiny and like other more astute race watchers than me have pointed out, he only just does enough. Very versatile and you will get your run.
 
Grasshopper said:
My profuse apologies for the comments about Harchibald. Please try and keep it together. :D
Click to expand...

Love it! :lol:

Whilst I won't get into a drawn out discussion about Harchibald yet again (however much my shrink might like it...) one thing the Hobbs yolk seems to do is find abundantly off the bridle, which is something I love in a novice hurdler.

Looking further afield, I might look for a price on next year's Sunalliance Chase (which he will win with his head in his chest...).
 
trackside528 said:
find abundantly off the bridle . . . which he will win with his head in his chest....
Click to expand...

He might win the RSA next year but it will not be a head in chest job. ;)

I agree with everyone that he looks thoroughly professional and obviously very talented. However, does he just lack a little class? It might be just the way he wins, but I respect him greatly but can't get excited about him.

Does anybody think he might be vulnerable on good ground come the Festival? I'm not sure whether I think he will be or not! :p
 
Zenyatta said:
I agree with everyone that he looks thoroughly professional and obviously very talented. However, does he just lack a little class? It might be just the way he wins, but I respect him greatly but can't get excited about him.
Click to expand...

Which is why he is still 5/1. He should be shorter as he is far and away the best staying novice hurdler over here. Boston Bob looked very good though and i'd be worried about him.
 
fingals bay is a very good horse and will probably make an excellent chaser but he is a horse that would be better suited by the 3 miles of the alfred bartlett than the shorter trip of the neptune especially if the ground isnt soft where there is a good chance he will be done for a turn of foot.

mullins probably holds the winner of the neptune in his stable and the deloite hurdle at leopardstown is very likely to hold a key to the race
 
I think we have seen a performance from Darlan at Taunton there that will start to make some sort of market for the supreme.how cheeky was that!!
 
Back
Top