One To Oppose At The Festival

He's 7/2 on Betfair now, which is a fair price, especially if the ground isn't soft or tacky. I am looking for a horse to take him on with, but the only one I can see is Quel Esprit IF the ground is on the soft side - if it rides like second day ground when the first was genuine good to soft, then Quel Esprit would probably be tapped for toe.
 
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I'm fairly confident that Fionnegas is no second-string to Quel Esprit over a stiff 2m5f. He was the only horse to give Dunguib any semblence of a 'race' over 2m2f last time, and is certain to be suited by this step back up in trip.

He has a better chance than the odds would imply, imo.
 
Two things about Fionngas - I think he is better going right handed and he jumped desperately last time out and that will hurt come Cheltenham.
 
Galileo said:
Two things about Fionngas - I think he is better going right handed and he jumped desperately last time out and that will hurt come Cheltenham.
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I saw nothing wrong with his jumping in the Deloitte, bar getting underneath a couple as novices are wont to do sometimes......and it's too early to say he is better right-handed, I think - it's trip that got beat him at the Lep - not direction.
 
As well as being flattered by his proximity to the winner, there must be a strong chance Fionnegas was also flattered in relation to the rest of the field given that he was held up well off an overly-strong pace.

The Mullins novice I've been grappling with for a while is Enterprise Park; vibes seem extremely positive and the form of his Limerick race is working out very nicely. He jumped poorly on that ocassion though, and whether he has the requisite experience to step into this company at this stage is a nagging concern.
 
trackside528 said:
As well as being flattered by his proximity to the winner, there must be a strong chance Fionnegas was also flattered in relation to the rest of the field given that he was held up well off an overly-strong pace.

The Mullins novice I've been grappling with for a while is Enterprise Park; vibes seem extremely positive and the form of his Limerick race is working out very nicely. He jumped poorly on that ocassion though, and whether he has the requisite experience to step into this company at this stage is a nagging concern.
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It is interesting that he has given his novice hurdlers (and indeed chasers) so little jumping experience.
 
Galileo said:
It is interesting that he has given his novice hurdlers (and indeed chasers) so little jumping experience.
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Possibly keeping them fresh for the other meetings too - can understand him doing it with the older horses with big prizes at Aintree, Punchestown and in France too at this time of year. Aiming for a December-June season rather than October-April?

Either way I'm sure they've schooled enough to do themselves justice.
 
You could well be right, Mullins might be regretting giving his top novices such a long campaign last season.
 
I really can't see Quel Esprit winning the Neptune. He'd be much better off in the Albert Bartlett which is a weaker race over a more suitable trip.
 
Would agree with that, gus; for all that the run of the race was against him at Leopardstown (and the winner looks a useful prospect himself), you would have hoped to see him win that if he is to be expected to win a Neptune.

I'm against Rite Of Passage on value grounds. Nothing he has done over hurdles entitles him to be a 7/2 shot in my book and I'm not totally convinced that his hurdling will stand up.

Peddler's Cross and Finian's Rainbow are both interesting. The McCain horse's form is arguably weaker than Rite Of Passage's form but I was seriously impressed by his hurdling at Haydock (albeit off a modest gallop). Finian's Rainbow looked the best horse in the Challow to me, travelling best for a long way (took a fair hold for much fo the race as well). If his jumping holds up he looks the one to beat. Hard to argue with anybody wanting to back Reve De Sivola at current prices but his jumping must be a very serious worry and is enough to put me off him.
 
Is Rite Of Passage guaranteed to stay? I cannot help but think if Dunguib was pulled out tomorrow he would be switched to the two miler.
 
I think his stamina is ground dependent to a degree - will wait for the day to see if there is a bet worthwhile in this.
 
Already on Rite Of Passage and although I rate him a very strong chance, I'll be looking around for place bets on the day. Not worried about the trip for him though he won at just shy of it in the soft last time and not far short of it at Naas last year. Having said that I also think he'd be fine in the Supreme.

I'm warming to Reve De Sivola (for a place) and can't quite decide how good the unbeaten Peddlers Cross might be. A horse like Quantitative Easing could end up being very (too) big.
 
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Peddlers Cross could get a case of Lennie Lungo Syndrome ie. he has form figures of 111 going into Cheltenham and 111P afterwards. That said I rate Donald McCain a much much better trainer than Lungo, Johnson and most of the other "Northern" trainers.

Radium was highly regarded when he came over - heavily backed by a number of people for his debut at Newbury and he was brushed right aside on ground that should have suited him at Haydock so not totally convinced the form is that weak.
 
Is the Gold Cup market for real? I can actually get a bigger price on Denman to win the race than I can for Tricky Trickster to place. TT is the most over tipped horse running at the Festival. Nevison fancies him, Winstanley fancies him.Absolutely no chance - he is maximum place lay material. If Niche Market had been ridden with more restraint last time he'd have won by half a dozen lengths. No, TT is another Mr Pointment, another overhyped Nicholls animal that will end up winning nothing.
 
Euronymous said:
No, TT is another Mr Pointment, another overhyped Nicholls animal that will end up winning nothing.
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No he's not, although he's become artificially short. I had a small bet on him without the big 2 at 28 on the night before the AON*. Remember that he wouldn't have been off a yard until Denman fell so he does have a fair bit of scope.


(* really small)
 
rorydelargy said:
Remember that he wouldn't have been off a yard until Denman fell so he does have a fair bit of scope.
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When Denman made his first mistake Niche Market was going far better than Tricky Trickster, the former's jockey then went after him far earlier than he needed to, no doubt adrenaline playing no small part. If he'd held onto him a bit longer he would have been a comfortable winner. Tricky Trickster will be badly outpaced if the Gold Cup is run at a fast pace and I just don't see him getting a place on fast ground.
 
It is nice to be right. If Sizing Europe is as good as I think he is, Somersby will be some horse over 3 miles next year

Shame, the care that he is in mind
 
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