Road To The Champion Bumper

Jim Will Fix It wins the Grade 2 bumper today - having being pulled up in a 3 mile maiden hurdle on his first start, then beaten 39 lengths in maiden company again on his second start but won his most recent bumper at Clonmel at 20/1.
 
Galileo said:
Jim Will Fix It wins the Grade 2 bumper today - having being pulled up in a 3 mile maiden hurdle on his first start, then beaten 39 lengths in maiden company again on his second start but won his most recent bumper at Clonmel at 20/1.
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So he's the next Brave Inca then..!
 
Jim Will Fix It was trying for his life in comparision to the 60+ lengths Brave Inca was beaten in his maiden won by a horse eventually rated 107.
 
Whatever about Jim Will Fix It's previous form, he looked a fine specimen before yesterday's race. He made all, fought hard and did just enough to deserve to win. Hard luck, Kauto, Mississippi River went very close.

I was surprised that Valleymount, doubly disadvantaged by being only a four-year-old and a filly, was able to take third.

Shannon Spirit got very warm in the pre-parade ring and they threw water over him before saddling.

The Newbury bumper produce a shock result, with African Broadway winning by 16l at odds of 50/1. Did the other runners fail to spot him slipping the field in the fog? Accordingtojodie, who beat Tuesday Leopardstown winner Star Neuville at Galway a few months ago, and was already the subject of some ante-post bets for Cheltenham, was only 8th.
 
Grey said:
The Newbury bumper produce a shock result, with African Broadway winning by 16l at odds of 50/1. Did the other runners fail to spot him slipping the field in the fog? Accordingtojodie, who beat Tuesday Leopardstown winner Star Neuville at Galway a few months ago, and was already the subject of some ante-post bets for Cheltenham, was only 8th.
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Poor contest on paper and Accordingtojodie clearly ran flat. The winner surprised me and might be ok, but I'd be surprised if anything in that field was festival standard.
 
Bold Optimist was the parade ring pick for yesterday's Leopardstown bumper. In the race itself, run at a sedate enough pace for most of the way, he was last into the straight, although he saved a few lengths by cutting the corner and quickly moved into fourth place. He then seemed to be labouring for a few strides before picking up really well at the furlong pole.

It's hard to know how good the form is but Gordon Elliott has a very high opinion of him.

The second horse, Felix Yonger, was fidgety in the parade ring. At one point someone else took over from the lass who was leading him around but after one lap of the ring he ruefully handed him back to her. I took a liking to the horse, and his maggotry seemed harmless enough. In the straight he won the three way contest on the far side, having had to switch late and lose some momentum. That was not an easy thing to do in that testing ground but he had no response when Bold Optimist came wide and late.
 
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rorydelargy said:
The Sandown race hasn't worked out very well, but impossible not to be impressed with his win just now. Clearly a lot more under the bonnet.
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I was there when he won at Sandown and he could not have won more easily.. Admittedly it was a slow pace but he won with any amount in hand and is a lovely looker and traveller.
 
This is the latest top 10 from Timeform.

Nh flat horses
118+ raise the beat
116+ persian snow
115 balding banker
114 problema tic
113 keys
112 cinders and ashes
112 dynamic approach
112 lovey dovey
111 glitzy d'ocala
110 another chieftain
110 dark glacier
110 laveroque
110 raya star

According to the site it covers racing up to 2nd Jan, in which case I'm surprised that no horse from the Grade 2 Future Champions Bumper at Leop on 29 Dec has made the list. Nine of the ten horses in that race were previous winners.
 
Here is what the trainer has said about the horse.

KNIGHT PASS
4 b g Accordion - Toulon Pass.
Impressive winner of bumper debut at Sandown November 6 beating Sire De Grugy eight lengths.

"This is one of the best horse I've dealt with in a long time and I'm talking about the Nicholson days - this is a good horse. He'll stay in bumpers this season and might go for the listed bumper at Ascot on December 18 providing the ground is safe. I won't be scared of a lot. He's in great form and improved since Sandown which didn't suit him - he'll be even better with an end to end gallop."
 
NEVER try to second guess the Champion Bumper market. It has made a fool of us all.
 
Some would say having an unbeaten half to a Group 1 winner, trained by a flat trainer, with course form in a flat race against a load of jump horses at 16/1 is barmy too.
 
I presume you are referring to Keys, Stamp? So far he has only run against his own age group.

By the way, his half sister Clowance is a Gr3 winner.
 
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That's the one Grey - G1 performer is what I meant, but yep she's only won a Group 3.

Wouldn't worry about him stepping up to race against older horses - particularly given his performances so far and he's accomplished more than a few of those who are a lot shorter in the market.
 
Irish Stamp said:
That's the one Grey - G1 performer is what I meant, but yep she's only won a Group 3.

Wouldn't worry about him stepping up to race against older horses - particularly given his performances so far and he's accomplished more than a few of those who are a lot shorter in the market.
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I like Keys, but stamina is a huge concern for me after his win the other day. He's a Flat performer through and through.
 
Clowance got 1m6f on the flat, Keys is by Doyen, arguably as much a stamina influence as Galileo; I wouldn't necessarily be that worried about stamina especially seeing as he could very possibly do them all for toe anyway. That said I've not seen him run so don't be jumping on me delargy!
 
I'm surprised Waheeb does not get a quote for the Champion Bumper considering Weld has had the ante post favourite the last two years. Runs in the Leopardstown bumper tomorrow.
 
He is the one horse the books will want to get beaten tomorrow - if the rumour mill is anything to go by they are going to slaughter him at any price better than 6/4 in the morning
 
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