Road To The Champion Hurdle

SteveM said:
I heard you loud and clear the first half a dozen times there really is no need to keep repeating yourself. You are banging your head against a wall out of choice.
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I note that in the Times AP is quoted as saying Binocular was way below the horse he was at Ascot

Inevitably, McCoy has reviewed his narrow failure on the Champion Hurdle favourite endlessly and he has drawn firm conclusions. “I have my own ideas but I certainly wouldn't have done anything different in the race,” he said.
“In truth, he was a much better horse at Ascot the time before - and in my view that has nothing to do with the track. All I can do is look forward to riding him in the race next year, and I wouldn't be frightened to take on all the same horses again.”

I must admit that Binocular looked to sweat up much more noticeably at Cheltenham than he had before .
 
Oh for God's sake Ardross you're saying that for the sake of it.

Anybody who is familiar with the horse knows full well that he always sweats up, a lot, when he runs.

Why you two are being so obtuse about something so ridiculous is beyond me. If you didn't realise that he always sweats up so badly then no-one would think badly of you for admitting it rather than refuting it. Uncle Goober has also been telling you that the horse sweats excessively yet you've chosen to ignore him as well.
 
Please moderate your tone SL. For my part I've had enough of this. I've said what I've said. It's not a big deal. It should be clear to anyone what I'm saying, so I'll leave it there.

I don't know where you find the front to call others "obtuse".
 
Erm, no, I'm not going to moderate my tone, SteveM. You don't moderate yours when - God forbid - someone dares to think that the words you have uttered aren't gospel. You've as good as said I'm making up the usual state of the horse before he runs - sorry, I bow to the knowledge of one who has been at the course to see the horse run many times before.

And now I'm bored of this subject.
 
Funny you should say that Desert Orchid. I thought maybe he looked a little sweatier than usual. You'd need to be close enough to smell the sweat to know if it affected his performance though. The smellier the sweat the more likely it would be to cause a problem.
 
Shadow Leader said:
Erm, no, I'm not going to moderate my tone, SteveM. You don't moderate yours when - God forbid - someone dares to think that the words you have uttered aren't gospel. You've as good as said I'm making up the usual state of the horse before he runs - sorry, I bow to the knowledge of one who has been at the course to see the horse run many times before.

And now I'm bored of this subject.
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Shads, you are going to make someone a wonderful ex-wife one day.

:D
 
Shadow Leader said:
Erm, no, I'm not going to moderate my tone, SteveM. You don't moderate yours when - God forbid - someone dares to think that the words you have uttered aren't gospel. You've as good as said I'm making up the usual state of the horse before he runs - sorry, I bow to the knowledge of one who has been at the course to see the horse run many times before.

And now I'm bored of this subject.
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images
 
Galileo said:
In terms of lbs, how far below form do we think Binocular has performed compared to his best?
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It probably more or less equalled his best performance. I had expected there to be more if needed. The raters would give him a similar mark with the "+" knocked off.
 
Would they not think of running Binocular at Punchestown? He'd be very difficult to beat there I think.
 
I was at Cheltenham and also at Haydock back in Novemeber, by my eyes he sweated up considerably more at Haydock.

I still don't think we saw his true running last week though.
 
I think getting up the hill was a talking point for binocular on this thread, so its not that surprising that he didn't deliver after travelling

i think AP's comments smack of giving an excuse mesen. Binocular could be the flat track favouring type
 
Noo lets get back to the sweating issue .....

It is true that he always does it, indeed he did it so much on his debut at Ascot last season that I doubted he would be any good, especially at the noisier meetings, until it became apparent that its just him, and it appears not to affect him, as he has done it on all his best performances.

Ascot, hurdling debut, soaked on a cold day, Jan 08, result, pissed up
3001010Ascot19Jan08Binocularwinnero.jpg


Cheltenham Supreme Novices, warmer day, March O8, result, a good 2nd
3017006Cheltenham11Mar08Binocular.jpg


Bula Hurdle, Ascot, December 08, wet all over on a cold day, result, pissed up
3133041Ascot20Dec08Binocularwinnero.jpg


Champion Hurdle, Cheltenham, last week, just as bad as before, result, a battling on gamely close 3rd.
3157069Cheltenham10Mar09Binocular.jpg
 
Very interesting shots, Steve. Thank you for showing them. The point is with this horse is that he doesn't lose condition due to the sweating . Some horses do sweat very freely but so long as it doesn't affect their condition, I wouldn't be worried about it. I was involved with one 2yo colt once who dripped with sweat every day and we stuck him on calmers which worked a treat and eventually we weaned him off them and he grew out of it with maturity. The difference with him and Binocular is that he used to shed kilos with worry which doesn't look to be Binoculars case.
 
Thanks Steve - you missed out Haydock where for the record he was on his toes all around the parade ring and up the horse walk (and soaked too).
 
Celestial Halo due to run at Aintree now along with Catch Me, Al Eile, Jered, Fiveforthree and possibly Kasbah Bliss.
 
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