Stable Tours, To Follow Lists, and Essential Reading 2019/20

Perpetual said:
King George for Lostintranslation?
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Yep Ben

Our target is to get him to the Gold Cup in good form. He's a big, strong, heavy horse and it’s lovely to have him. When we had Cue Card, Native River and Thistlecrack I never thought we’d have one as quick as him. He’s got it all to do still, but looks like he’s progressing and I hope he can take one or two of those races. He had top-class form last year, he’s a huge hunk of a horse. He has still got to improve to win a Gold Cup but this is his time. There’s only one chance to go for an intermediate chase, so we’re looking at starting him off at Carlisle [Colin Parker Memorial on Sunday], the rest of the time he’ll be taking on the best. He can go up there over 2m4f, which he has good form at, then we will go to the Betfair Chase and King George. Everyone makes the fact that he won quite cosily at Aintree over 3mbut he didn’t have as much as a slog as Topofthegame [won the RSA], so he may have been over the top while we had a fresh horse. He’s a gorgeous horse and we’re looking forward to seeing how far he can progress this season.
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I'm really struggling this summer Roger.

The website gems you unearth to start getting into the jumps season around this time of the year each year are very much needed. Can you get back in the saddle please! :cool:
 
Having had my eyesight restored to near normal, I finally got round to reading last season's edition of Mark Howard's preview book, One Jump Ahead (which sounds like a sign outside a brothel), which I'd passed on to the brother s he's an avid reader of the Timeform Fifty books.

I don't think I'll be buying this season's.

It looks to me like all he's done is collate comments from various publications and present them in book form. That's maybe a wee bit unkind but with something like 750 horses given positive mentions under various criteria it's easy for him to claim 'winners' mentioned in the book.

And a lot of the stuff trainers say is clearly designed to put readers away.
 
Stopped buying his books when finding out he does not even go to majority of the stables,most of his "preview's" were done over the phone
 
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Desert Orchid said:
Having had my eyesight restored to near normal, I finally got round to reading last season's edition of Mark Howard's preview book, One Jump Ahead (which sounds like a sign outside a brothel), which I'd passed on to the brother s he's an avid reader of the Timeform Fifty books.

I don't think I'll be buying this season's.

It looks to me like all he's done is collate comments from various publications and present them in book form. That's maybe a wee bit unkind but with something like 750 horses given positive mentions under various criteria it's easy for him to claim 'winners' mentioned in the book.

And a lot of the stuff trainers say is clearly designed to put readers away.
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From what I’ve seen during my relatively short time here I reckon we could come up between us with a TalkingHorses 50 to follow that would outperform MH’s list. We could even have a long shots section just for you, Desert!! Perhaps our leader should start a thread.........
 
Desert Orchid said:
Having had my eyesight restored to near normal, I finally got round to reading last season's edition of Mark Howard's preview book, One Jump Ahead (which sounds like a sign outside a brothel), which I'd passed on to the brother s he's an avid reader of the Timeform Fifty books.

I don't think I'll be buying this season's.

It looks to me like all he's done is collate comments from various publications and present them in book form. That's maybe a wee bit unkind but with something like 750 horses given positive mentions under various criteria it's easy for him to claim 'winners' mentioned in the book.

And a lot of the stuff trainers say is clearly designed to put readers away.
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I’d never bought OJA before the 2019/2020 season and won’t be wasting my time/money with it again. Agree absolutely with the above and would also mention that he gave positive mentions to a few that turned out to be hounds


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I actually found using the combination of Paul Ferguson, John Morris, and Mark Howard really useful. Putting them together and eaking out the novices and juveniles was particularly useful.

Also I have a handy list of horses bought prior to publication that are as yet unraced in this country.

At the very least they are worth the read, and help me to compile my trackers.

I've already ordered Paul Ferguson's book which I find to be the best, and it's due on the doorstep during the first week of September. I think Mark Howard's is due for order second week of September, and I can't remember when John Morris's book is out.

With regards Mark Howard's book, I'm not using it expecting every horse to be a gem. It's the specific pieces of information that are useful. Observations with regards trip and conditions for example, or particular comments that he's managed to eek out that perhaps the others haven't. Also his selections are sufficiently different to make it interesting. And the overriding reason I'll buy it is because I'll enjoy reading it, and will re-reference it as the season goes on.
 
Out of interest did anyone buy Jodie Standing's book last year? I didn't and I'd be interested in the thoughts of anyone who did.
 
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