The Festival Handicaps

But t/s figures generally tell a different tale. DO. As a for instance, last Sunday's meeting at Naas produced an average s/f of 87, whereas Kempton, Saturday (similar grade & value races) averaged 112. Obviously they were run on very different ground, but going allowances ought to cover that discrepancy.
It's not a new phenomenon either, but one I've noticed over a number of years. one historic example would be Beef Or Salmon, who used to clean up in slower run Irish races, but proved all at sea in truer run UK races.
 
I haven't examined any empirical evidence, reet, so I can readily accept you're right.

It's just based on what I've seen myself but I don't get to see many Irish races, only some of the big ones. I know the received wisdom is that in France they tend to ride for finishing pace (yet do British & Irish runners in the Arc have a better record?) and for many years thought the same about Ireland.
 
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For shame, reet! For shame, I say!

His Beefiness beat dual-King George/Gold Cup winner Kicking King (second in a Supreme Novices) comfortably in the JN Wines, he thrashed King George/triple-Gold Cup winner Best Mate (second in a Supreme Novices) in the Lexus, and he beat Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition (second in a Supreme Novices) in the Lexus........and that's just some of the highlights.

The suggestion that he was out-speeding plodders in slowly-run G1 Irish races, is a complete fallacy. Beef Or Salmon was genweally well below his best form on Good ground, and was very-likely a poor traveller too. That perhaps exposes his limitations in terms of ability to perform under all conditions, but it shouldn't be allowed to detract from his performances on Soft/Heavy ground at home. Some of those were stellar; no matter what the clock - or the applied going allowances - might want to tell you.

PS. No more 25/1 left about Winter Escape, and the 20/1 appears to be getting chipped at.
 
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Accept it, Grass -he just jumped fences slowly, and needed help from either the ground or a steady pace.
 
His Gold Cup fall as a novice probably affected his jumping and his travelling abroad.
i well remember the 2006 Gold Cup parade and he kicked, jumped and had his ears pinned back; he hated the place and wanted to go home.
At Leopardstown he was nigh unbeatable in his pomp.
Alas horses that do not perform at The Festival never get the credit they deserve : that's life.
 
Lydia Hislop in today's Road To Cheltenham

"Tombstone may also be supplemented, although that likelihood was reduced when the automatic 10lb penalty for Being Irish was erroneously not applied to his rating by Phil Smith, who of course single-handedly assesses all horses trained in Europe."

Class :D
 
Jonjo has Champagne At Tara entered in three handicap chases, anyone hazard a guess which race will be the target?

Tara has been running well in Novice Handicap Chases. She beat a decent looking novice of Venetia's called Un Prophete last time, giving that one plenty of weight. That was a nice performance, and only raised a 1lb afterwards, Champagne At Tara is on my radar wherever she runs.

I'm hoping it'll be the Grand Annual, as I'll be gracing Cheltenham racecourse on the Friday. :)

Ps when can we expect NRNB on all races from the majority of firms for this meeting?
 
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Dunno........trying to establish if the Kim Muir is absolutely confirmed as the target for Premier Bond. Not declaring him for the NH Chase would be one way of doing that.
 
Not according to the Cheltenham media pack it's not Archie.

e.g.

Ultima Handicap Chase
Grade 3, £105,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, 2.50pm, Tuesday, March 14, three miles and a furlong. For fiveyear-olds
& upwards. Penalties: after February 26, a winner of a chase 5lb. No penalty to increase a horse’s weight
above 11st 12lb. Entries closed February 21 (102 entries, 1 nq), entries released February 23, weights revealed March
1. Six-day confirmation stage March 9, final declaration stage 10.00am, March 14. Maximum field of 24.
 
According to that, final declaration is on the morning of the race. Think the link I've added to my earlier post is correct.
 
Does anybody know if Longsden is sending Air Horse One to Sandown on Saturday or straight to the Coral Cup?
 
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Not so much "like it is" as "like you see it".

He's as wrong as the arguments he is railing against.
 
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