The Festival Handicaps 2019

Not run for a while but I think Pingshou is an interesting horse if he takes up any of his three Handicap entries

Won the Grade one at Aintree last spring,so has the class

Got involved each way in all 3 races, but with safety net of NRNB

Coral Cup @ 40-1 [Bet 365] BOG
County @ 33-1 [Coral]
Martin Pipe @ 33-1 [Bet 365] BOG
 
Looking at it as a whole

Given that it's the first year for the new handicapper, he was always going to be a bit cautious with Irish horses in the event of getting his pants pulled down

From my own pocket, the rating given to the storyteller is a bit of a kick to the goolies
 
PlaceBacker said:
Not run for a while but I think Pingshou is an interesting horse if he takes up any of his three Handicap entries

Won the Grade one at Aintree last spring,so has the class

Got involved each way in all 3 races, but with safety net of NRNB

Coral Cup @ 40-1 [Bet 365] BOG
County @ 33-1 [Coral]
Martin Pipe @ 33-1 [Bet 365] BOG
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I haven't done the ratings but off the top of my head that looks a fair old shout. His novice form was very good and he clearly wasn't off an inch first time up this season.
 
PlaceBacker said:
Not run for a while but I think Pingshou is an interesting horse if he takes up any of his three Handicap entries

Won the Grade one at Aintree last spring,so has the class

Got involved each way in all 3 races, but with safety net of NRNB

Coral Cup @ 40-1 [Bet 365] BOG
County @ 33-1 [Coral]
Martin Pipe @ 33-1 [Bet 365] BOG
Click to expand...

Had him ear marked for the Arkle, hence his inclusion in my team as a dark horse in the TTF comp.

Hoping trainers played a blinder, his runs haven't been to convincing so far.
 
I like the look of Give Me A Copper for the Ultima. Nicholls seems to think a lot of him & his prep run at Sandown should have him spot on for this.
Plenty short enough now to be honest at 6's which should be a similar price come the day I'm hoping for looking at the SP for the fav in recent years. I'll hold off for now.
 
archie said:
Any idea who might get the ride?
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Mark o'Hare; Declan Queally , Finian Maguire the obvious ones.
young Michael o'Sullivan has to be the best 7 lb claimer in the country; most unlucky when Oighear Dubh ran through the tape last October with his race won.
Has S Clements retired ?, He has had no rides this season
 
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Can somebody please explain to me, why in the name of God is Riders on The Storm fav for the Close Brothers?

Hasn’t looked like a horse crying out for a stiff 2.5 either
 
Shanahan/Magnier/Justin Carthy involved; dam a sister to Emotional Moment and Tom Taaffe has Festival form especially in Chase department.
The recipe ingredients are right, the horse has listed/grade form over hurdles and fences and should improve.
Plus Speaker Connolly waits for Kim Muir !!!!
 
I’d clocked the connections but still all fairly tenuous reasons to make him favourite.

If he wins he won’t be carrying any of my cash.

Speaker Connolly might though on the Thursday.
 
wilsonl said:
Can somebody please explain to me, why in the name of God is Riders on The Storm fav for the Close Brothers?

Hasn’t looked like a horse crying out for a stiff 2.5 either
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Jamie Lynch of timeform said it jumped off the page when the weights were released and it's his charity bet.
I must admit,I'd never heard of it.
 
Riders OnThe Storm travelled like a grade horse in what has turned out to have been a very sound race at Limerick. Hardline's effort in the Arkle will be somewhat instructive but he goes there with a live chance. He won without doing much against a decent yardstick afterwards. Clondaw Castle going to the Arkle also means that a danger and likely favrourite has been removed. The next few in the market have less compelling claims - but obviously - its an unbelievably tightly knit handicap. Long story short - he is more than likely to be in the Graded chases at the end of the year. You need that to win this.
 
Thanks for the info guys, couldn't see it for myself but I suppose with all of that combined there is a certain amount of appeal there.

He's still far too short for me, for all that he's clearly not without a chance.

I nailed my colours to the Good Man Pat mast a long time ago and nothing has changed my mind since but unless Another Crick gets in (probably unlikely but on whom I had a saver at 33/1 after is recent Kempton win) then I'll have savers on Highway One O One and possibly Springtown Lake, if he goes here rather than Plate.
 
Didn't I here that Good Man Pat is suffering from sore shins Lee?

My longlist for this when the weights came out were:

Lough Derg Spirit
Riders On The Storm
Highway One O One
Azzerti
Tower Bridge
Springtown Lake

I agree that Riders On The Storm is too short now but don't discount backing him on the day. I'm already on Lough Derg Spirit at 20/1 ew, but I'll probably back three and I'm undecided which two of the others I'll back so I'll wait until the final decs now.
 
I wonder which of Azzerti and Good Man Pat Hutchinson will choose? Given respective owners I suspect he'll be on Azzerti and Bellamy will be on Good Man Pat.
 
Maruco said:
Didn't I here that Good Man Pat is suffering from sore shins Lee?

My longlist for this when the weights came out were:

Lough Derg Spirit
Riders On The Storm
Highway One O One
Azzerti
Tower Bridge
Springtown Lake

I agree that Riders On The Storm is too short now but don't discount backing him on the day. I'm already on Lough Derg Spirit at 20/1 ew, but I'll probably back three and I'm undecided which two of the others I'll back so I'll wait until the final decs now.
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I was eagerly awaiting the Alan King column in the Weekender Paul and was pleased to read: -

"I'm glad to say Good Man Pat should be fit to take his chance in the Close Brothers having come back with sore shins after finishing third in the Pendil Novices' Chase at Kempton. He's improved with each run over fences and is better racing left handed. So he should give a good account."


Incidentally re Hutchinson, I reckon Azzerti goes in the Ultima if King's quotes were anything to go by... "One of his part-owners owns Ultima and would probably like a runner in his race, and I do think the step up to 3m would suit him"
 
Thanks Lee.

He'd dropped off my radar because of the quote so I'll have a re-think now.

I'd forgotten about the Ultima link so you're probably right. Talkischeap was pulled at the 5 day stage too, so it's his only chance of a runner in the Festival Chase now and he'd be better splitting them up I guess. I'm not sure about Azzerti at the trip though. He doesn't strike me as one that wants to go up in trip.
 
PlaceBacker said:
Not run for a while but I think Pingshou is an interesting horse if he takes up any of his three Handicap entries

Won the Grade one at Aintree last spring,so has the class

Got involved each way in all 3 races, but with safety net of NRNB

Coral Cup @ 40-1 [Bet 365] BOG
County @ 33-1 [Coral]
Martin Pipe @ 33-1 [Bet 365] BOG
Click to expand...

Taken out of the Coral
 
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