Road to the Mares' Hurdle

Maxbet

Maxbet

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Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle – Tuesday, 16 March
Anythingforlove
Benie des Dieux
Black Tears
Concertista
Dame de Compagnie
Dame du Soir
Dolcita
Eglantine du Seuil
Elimay
Floressa
Great White Shark
Honeysuckle
Indefatigable
Midnights' Gift
Minella Melody
My Sister Sarah
Perfect Myth
Rayna's World
Roksana
The Glancing Queen
Verdana Blue
Whitehotchillifili
Wynn House

Withdrawals:
Daylight Katie
Robin De Carlow
 
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Will Paul Townend be riding Concertista? Assuming Benie doesn’t turn up?

Cannot for the life of me see Concertista getting beat.
 
Honeysuckle was going to be one of my top 3 ante post bets but I hadn't actually saw Concertista run When I did the first thing I noticed was she travels every bit as well as Honeysuckle but has a turn of foot I can't see Honeysuckle coping with..as for Benny won't much matter if he runs or not IMO Concertista looks a banker
 
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Is that for definite, Slim?

I figured he might be adopting the Quevega route with her, and only pitch her into the Festivals. Has she had a setback?
 
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When you performed the autopsy, did you do it in the ditch where the horse was, or did you do it back in the yard?
 
If Benie is being shortened for the Mares chase I'd say it's because Elimay has just been confirmed for the 2m Opera House on Saturday and there's a thinking by some that she might not run in both.
 
wilsonl said:
If Benie is being shortened for the Mares chase I'd say it's because Elimay has just been confirmed for the 2m Opera House on Saturday and there's a thinking by some that she might not run in both.
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Was always running there and Cheltenham apparently
 
Grasshopper said:
Is that for definite, Slim?

I figured he might be adopting the Quevega route with her, and only pitch her into the Festivals. Has she had a setback?
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Every year she's had a run I cant see any reason to have changed hat this time unless she's had a problem.

Then again where Mullins is concerned he knows with a horse like Benie is heading but until he lines up in an actual race we will always be guessing
 
Maruco said:
Is that fact or speculation Slim? People could cash out bets based on that. I think you should clarify.
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She was not even in the yard the day before Elimay ran at Thurles. So if 48 days is enough for Willie to get her ready to take on Concertista or Elimay than I'll tip my hat but there is no smoke without fire.
 
Maruco said:
Is that fact or speculation Slim? People could cash out bets based on that. I think you should clarify.
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When someone with Slim’s record makes a statement like that I would be listening and taking appropriate action not asking for clarification.
 
Slim said:
She was not even in the yard the day before Elimay ran at Thurles. So if 48 days is enough for Willie to get her ready to take on Concertista or Elimay than I'll tip my hat but there is no smoke without fire.
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Could she be elsewhere being readied in some kind of unconventional, off-the-radar manner?

Does Alberto Salazar have a secret training complex within driving distance of Closutton?

:)
 
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Slim said:
She was not even in the yard the day before Elimay ran at Thurles. So if 48 days is enough for Willie to get her ready to take on Concertista or Elimay than I'll tip my hat but there is no smoke without fire.
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Thanks for the clarification. Not what I'd heard but nevertheless thanks.

Fwiw I agree that there's a good chance she doesn't turn up after her minor setback. The main and final target is and always was the The Grand Course de Haies at Auteuil. They won't rush her and send her to Cheltenham undercooked. She has been in the yard a while though, and would have been when Elimay ran. Whether she was off somewhere getting checked again at that time I don't know, but she'd definitely been seen before that. She wasn't in full work at that poiint though, so that might have been what your source was referring to?
 
Maruco said:
Thanks for the clarification. Not what I'd heard but nevertheless thanks.

Fwiw I agree that there's a good chance she doesn't turn up after her minor setback. The main and final target is and always was the The Grand Course de Haies at Auteuil. They won't rush her and send her to Cheltenham undercooked. She has been in the yard a while though, and would have been when Elimay ran. Whether she was off somewhere getting checked again at that time I don't know, but she'd definitely been seen before that. She wasn't in full work at that poiint though, so that might have been what your source was referring to?
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My source doesn't get these things wrong. She is a big negative no matter what way you disect it.
 
LUKE said:
When someone with Slim’s record makes a statement like that I would be listening and taking appropriate action not asking for clarification.
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The most important part of this is not that she's had a setback but that she's had a setback trying to get ready to beat Concertista or Elimay who are on a massive upward curve. Paying a premium to be on Benie based on years gone by is not for me anyway.
 
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LUKE said:
When someone with Slim’s record makes a statement like that I would be listening and taking appropriate action not asking for clarification.
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Thanks Luke. I do listen. I was told she's out.

So when I'd only just been told by a reliable source with links to the yard, that they are still trying to get her there, which suggests they themselves don't know whether they will have her ready in time or not, I think it's probably a good idea to ask for clarification when someone else states it as a fact? Even moreso when it turns out it's not.

For example if it were correct I'd take the bet suggested above your post in a heartbeat, and had been contemplating it based on any kind of update on Benie anyway. So far, in addiiton to what I'd been told only a few days earlier, there hasn't been a hint of a drift on Benie from PP in either of the two Mares races, and if it was a sure thing she was out PP would be seeing if they could attract money. Plus Slim has also now clarified to say that she's not out, he's just been given a slightly different version of them racing against time than the version I was given.

There's a big difference between 'she's out', which is she has definitely been been ruled out and won't make it, or they're facing a race against time that they may or may not win. Particualarly when she's such a big player, and the yes or no will have such a fundamental inpact on two markets. Right now any decision is a bet or a lay on a coin toss.
 
Slim said:
The most important part of this is not that she's had a setback but that she's had a setback trying to get ready to beat Concertista or Elimay who are on a massive upward curve. Paying a premium to be on Benie based on years gone by is not for me anyway.
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That's fair. If she's not fully ready to go, they won't send her there to finish second or third.
 
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Maruco said:
That's fair. If she's not fully ready to go, they won't send her there to finish second or third.
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Especially when he has a crack mare for both races. I think the double for Concertista - Elimay is outstanding value.
 
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