The Road to the 2012 King George

SteveM said:
As you all know I’m not one to gloat... #youknownothingbunchofmothers
Gobbled up all the 3s I could with Hills this morning, adding to 4s ante-post.
:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
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And in all fairness I think you me and the horse can count ourselves quite lucky.:ninja:
 
Captain Chris was hard at it miles out and just had no more left to give. Shame he doesn't travel better but he has excuses on that ground.
 
Horse has some heart to win again despite the jock. Went too early, fecked up at least three fences, and still it wins.

I hear there is a whif of monte cristos coming from Bobs stable at 7barrows.
 
Fair play to SWC, I thought he did pretty well on Long Run today - massive jump at the third last and then I thought the horse got himself in trouble a bit when left in front - did well to get up in the end.

Unlucky for Captain Chris, hard to know what race to go for now - will he get the Gold Cup trip? The Ryanair will be **** hot this year.

Speaking of the Ryanair, I think Cue Card will go very close - given how he jumped and his failure to settle, he wasn't very far away turning in.
 
SteveM said:
As you all know I’m not one to gloat... #youknownothingbunchofmothers
Gobbled up all the 3s I could with Hills this morning, adding to 4s ante-post.
:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
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Congrats. Him and Darlan double has just been probably my biggest racing win. Amazing race. Heart of a lion.
 
I don't see how Long Run can be classed a lucky winner unless you believe it's lucky we've no other genuinely top class staying chasers doing the rounds. I think he actually idled a bit, which was compounded by the poor jump at the last, but he always looked to be doing enough to get back up.

However, the form of the race isn't any improvement on his recent form and is still well below his best old form.

I'm not sure anything at a single-figure price for the Gold Cup strikes me as a potential winner and we could end up with another substandard winner along the lines of Synchronized, Cool Ground, Nortons Coin, etc.

Depressing stuff.
 
EC1 said:
good call Steve..really pleased for you :cool:
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I can believe you are... It’s paid for my Christmas and is one of a very few bets I’ve had in the past couple of months and was disproportionately large. He clobbered a couple but still has it in the tank.

Couldn’t force myself to back the odds on Dynaste today but was happy to see him win. My Champion Hurdle bet Darlan also did the business so I’m full of seasonal cheer... at the moment.
 
Substandard, have you lost your marbles?

We have a dual KG winner, who has also won a Gold Cup. A rsa and Hennessy winner who has won at the last 2 festivals. The 2 most exciting Irish chasers we have had in years.

If you think this is substandard, give up following racing.
 
Hamm said:
Congrats. Him and Darlan double has just been probably my biggest racing win. Amazing race. Heart of a lion.
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Great stuff! I'm already tooled up on Darlan for the Champion Hurdle and have taken plenty of 8/1 on Long Run for the Gold Cup... which is looking a fair price.
 
Marble said:
And in all fairness I think you me and the horse can count ourselves quite lucky.:ninja:
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Not luck was it. He clobbered a couple and still had the resolve to get back at the runner-up. The further they went the more he won by. And the rest were strung out with the washing (third was 14 lengths behind).
 
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Every year there is a slew of horses that travel and collapse up the straight in the King George. Add to Barber Shop, Nacarat, Racing Demon, Champion Court and Grands Crus.

Race missing a superstar this year and the battle to win was like a battle for second spot in previous years.

A race that ultimately didn't take a lot of winning and while there is no doubt that horse is solid Grade 1 performer and can win plenty more, its becoming increasingly obvious that his best days are behind him.
 
No the horse was not lucky. I Just can count myself lucky he got away with half a dozen or so awful jumps and never fell flat on his arse.

I think there's a difference between the horse being lucky and someone who backed him being lucky, maybe not. He totally deserved it, no doubt about that.
 
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Hamm said:
Substandard, have you lost your marbles?

We have a dual KG winner, who has also won a Gold Cup. A rsa and Hennessy winner who has won at the last 2 festivals. The 2 most exciting Irish chasers we have had in years.

If you think this is substandard, give up following racing.
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I don't think you can equate his two KGs. He was brilliant first time, looking worthy of mention alongside Kauto Star and Denman at their best but his form today was no better than anything he's done lately. He looks to have plateaued 10lbs short of that peak.

The RSA winner won the Hennessy off a very favourable handicap mark. I'm on record as stating it was a very strong Hennessy and it may be that BW will go on and win the Gold Cup, but Kauto Star, Long Run and Denman have been setting the standard over the last few years and BW has still to prove he's that good. SDC and F have been picking up weakish races but have been doing so very nicely. However, that doesn't mean they are up there with the very good winners we've had since Best Mate (whom long-timers on here will remember I regularly exposed as being inferior to the likes of See More Business etc).

When it comes to the top races, I'm looking for quality over competitiveness, hence my belief that this is shaping up as a substandard Gold Cup. I hope events go on to prove me wrong.

PS - don't read too much into my words:
Desert Orchid said:
I'm not sure anything at a single-figure price for the Gold Cup strikes me as a potential winner and we could end up with another substandard winner along the lines of Synchronized, Cool Ground, Nortons Coin, etc.

Depressing stuff.
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I'm saying those mentioned were substandard winners and am merely expressing a fear that this year's race might end up going to a similar type if Flemenstar doesn't travel well and SDC and BW can't maintain their progress.
 
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Long Run second last year Captain Chris third. Far more likely that CC has bridged whatever gap was there last year.

And yes he has won lots, its why I said that his best days are behind him. His best is good and better than most, but he didn't answer any questions for me today. Suppose thats why he isnt favourite for the Gold Cup.
 
Marble said:
Great call on the second mate, I hope you've won a fair few quid.:)
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Put it this way if he had won it would have made my season . Had a fair bit laid back at short odds and backed him for the place as well so not complaining. I'm really chuffed to be honest having read the race right but a little peeved RJ never had him closer in the early stages he's rode him to get the trip rather than riding him like a horse who does get the trip but to be fair maybe he just doesn't have the early pace to go with them.

He picked the wrong time to jump right but then Long Run wasn't any better as he jumped left at the same place.

Really can't knock SWC he never panicked and deserved to win.

Well done to all who stuck with him.
 
Flagship uberalles said:
Unlucky for Captain Chris, hard to know what race to go for now - will he get the Gold Cup trip? The Ryanair will be **** hot this year.
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would worry more about the course than the trip given the way he jumps. wouldn't have a prayer in the gold cup methinks.

there's really nobody to take out of this race for the big one beside the winner. grands crus travelled well and then collapsed up the straight as i half-expected ending 14 lengths off the front two. not a gold cup horse.

the only other one is the giant bolster who didn't go a yard today and expect they may find something was up with him. i thought he'd run a big race after the betting support for him.
 
Nine-day whip ban for RJ on runner up. Captain Chris was far from unlucky, he was all out and ran a brave race in the circumstances.
 
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