The 2014 World Hurdle

Double Handful said:
Ruby now apparently saying he'd love to be riding Big Bucks !!!

http://racing.channel4.com/preview-...dex.html#walsh-id-love-to-be-riding-big-bucks

"I knew I was giving away riding Big Buck’s. It wasn’t a decision I made lightly. Would I like to be riding him? I would love to be riding him, but I’m not, it’s as simple as that.”
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you need to keep it in context, the paragraph before that does so;

“I understand and understood making the decision I gave that ride away and I went and gave away the ride on Silviniaco Conti, Al Ferof and countless others.

“But I had to make a decision to extend my career and get as much as I could out of it for as long as I can out of it. Willie has great horses".
 
Doesn't say He'd still love to be riding SC & Alf, he just references them. He says Willie has good horses, he does not specifically refer to Annie Power.

The interview/conversation moves to the World hurdle, he does not reference Annie Power again.

He is not asked the question about Big Bucks.... He asks and answers the question himself!

"Would I like to be riding him? I would love to be riding him"

And I have no affiliation either way here as I am yet to have a bet on the WH, but having read the whole article the thing that stuck out the most to be was quite clear.....

"Would I like to be riding him? I would love to be riding him"

That 'love' may quite well be for nostalgic reasons, but he still said it..
 
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Read the question he was asked:

"What happens Thursday, World Hurdle day, Annie Power is not in the World Hurdle – will you want to be on Big Bucks?"

If I was him I'd be pretty pissed off the way they've construed what he actually said.
 
Gareth Flynn said:
Read the question he was asked:

"What happens Thursday, World Hurdle day, Annie Power is not in the World Hurdle – will you want to be on Big Bucks?"

If I was him I'd be pretty pissed off the way they've construed what he actually said.
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Yeah fair shout. That was the intent of the article.... And that's what I took out of it.

What do you guys think re: Annie Power Staying? I definately have THE FEAR here. Afraid of my life to steam in. I just can't convince myself its a given the way others seem to have already done.

There's just such a big difference in 2m4f and the 3m World Hurdle at Cheltenham.

I remember Lady Rebecca, Got 2m4f no problem at all, while still going away at the line, She even won Multiple times round Cheltenham over 2m6f, but just couldn't get home in the Stayers hurdle....

Its just such a hard race to get home in. For as long as I live I will never ever forget Anzum collaring Le Coudray on the line. I've seen many a horse just stop dead on the hill after 2m7f in this race over the years.....

At the moment, for me, this race is virtually a 'no bet' or a small speculative e/w bet on an outsider....

Somebody convince me!
 
she'll definitely be tested. nicholls more or less admitted at the betfair preview night he plans to use a relay team to set a strong pace.

i've backed BB antepost (pre-cleeve) and i'm pretty worried he won't even finish the race. i'm in the group that thought the ride LTO was pretty horrendous for a prep run in that ground. i think it's more likely to leave a mark rather than bring him on a bundle but hopefully i'm wrong.
 
Double Handful said:
Yeah fair shout. That was the intent of the article.... And that's what I took out of it.

What do you guys think re: Annie Power Staying? I definately have THE FEAR here. Afraid of my life to steam in. I just can't convince myself its a given the way others seem to have already done.

There's just such a big difference in 2m4f and the 3m World Hurdle at Cheltenham.

I remember Lady Rebecca, Got 2m4f no problem at all, while still going away at the line, She even won Multiple times round Cheltenham over 2m6f, but just couldn't get home in the Stayers hurdle....

Its just such a hard race to get home in. For as long as I live I will never ever forget Anzum collaring Le Coudray on the line. I've seen many a horse just stop dead on the hill after 2m7f in this race over the years.....

At the moment, for me, this race is virtually a 'no bet' or a small speculative e/w bet on an outsider....

Somebody convince me!
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Escarfatique was the best.. never seen a horse cruise to the front travelling so well only to end up staggering home like a drunk on a 24 hour bender....went to Aintree two weeks later and absolutely hosed up.
 
7/4 is short enough alright but there are plenty of examples of two milers staying 3, Solwhit and Celestial Halo last year perfect examples. I think if she doesn't pull too hard at the start she will definitely stay but I'm not sure 7/4 is worth the risk.


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Ruby seems to have given all manner of different responses to this question . Somehow the idea he told Ricci that AP would " batter ? BB seems much the least likely - and hence is a word from the arse.

I suspect he thinks if she stays and he is not the horse he was he will win and that if he is the horse that won 4 WHs he knows even in receipt of 7lb he will be second on Annie power at best .
 
Owners comments should be treated with as much caution as trainer and jockey comments, imo.

The race centers around whether Big Buck's will come back at or near the height of his previous powers. Annie Power is undoubtedly the best opponent he has faced in a World Hurdle, and I think BB pretty-much has to run up to his best-ever mark, to concede her a half-stone.

You can argue that Big Buck's Cleeve run was inconclusive, or that he was ridden too aggresively, but the last time he was sighted, he would have picked that field up, and carried them. With another summer on his back, I think it's fair enough to consider that there might be a degree of regression now, and whilst AP obviously has to prove that she stays, I don't think she will need to stay anything quite so well, as she would if she'd met Big Buck's two years ago.

She looks like a good thing to me.
 
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How can i show you a verbal conversation? Ruby persuaded him as I'm sure he'll mention when he's being interviewed in the winners enclosure after the race.
 
I am going to steam into Big Bucks. Annie Power has it all to prove to me.
From my reading of BB come back race he will improve at least 6-8 lb. He was ridden as if fully wound up but he wasn't and so went from looking like the easy winner a furlong out to tiring and losing his long unbeaten record.
The going was also unsuitable but the Ditcheat team had no other option than to run. Big Bucks would never show his best on that ground.
I have BB and AP on level adj. rating of 173 but I'm going to subtract 6lb from AP rating as I don't believe that she will be suited by the demands of the World Hurdle Course or the drying conditions.
So my final rating for the two are Big Bucks 173++ and Annie Power 166. I predict that she will finish 3rd or 4th.
 
Digger said:
How can i show you a verbal conversation? Ruby persuaded him as I'm sure he'll mention when he's being interviewed in the winners enclosure after the race.
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You said it was a fact - can you not at least show us where you read about this conversation happening? (I am assuming you are not friends with one or both and were actually there yourself?)
 
Hamm said:
You said it was a fact - can you not at least show us where you read about this conversation happening? (I am assuming you are not friends with one or both and were actually there yourself?)
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Digger has voices in his head, Hamm. :blink:

:D
 
He would have struggled to give her 7lb 3 years ago,don't let your hearts rule your heads.The performance he would have to post to beat her would have to be breathtaking and on last showing the chances of that are very small.I hope he runs a massive race as I love the horse but in reality he is going to struggle to live with her.They will be out to get BB on the day AP will be EVS.
 
I doubt improvement of 6-8 pounds will be good enough for BB to win this, that Cleve run was to about a 155 rating I reckon, he will need at least 15 which is possible given the change in ground. I think at least a couple of AP, Rule the world, more than that, zarkandar will run to a 170


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So what do you reckon then ? if AP SP EVS. then BB will return 7/2? I'm already on BB @4/1 back in July. But I will hammer that.
 
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