The Well Worn Road To The Champion Hurdle (2016)

Theres's a piece in the RP today Gaz saying they were happy with his racecourse gallop at Kempton but he'll be heading straight to Cheltenham now, with another racecourse gallop (doesn't say where) in-between.

Asking a hell of a lot for a horse, who was too keen when he was running regularly, to settle and perform at the highest level on his first run for nearly two years.

I was a huge fan of him but couldn't touch him with a barge pole right now.
 
Yes I saw it. Was there Looked good in himself ... as much as I can judge these things. He didnt get buzzy at all and to my eyes gallop seemed pretty intensive

Can see why they were happy
 
Can you please provide some context. I have no idea what you are talking about, you dopey, Richmond-faced, bas*tard.
 
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wilsonl said:
Theres's a piece in the RP today Gaz saying they were happy with his racecourse gallop at Kempton but he'll be heading straight to Cheltenham now, with another racecourse gallop (doesn't say where) in-between.

Asking a hell of a lot for a horse, who was too keen when he was running regularly, to settle and perform at the highest level on his first run for nearly two years.

I was a huge fan of him but couldn't touch him with a barge pole right now.
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Isn't this the whole point of Hargam accompanying where-ever he goes?
Best horse in the race IMO, and the odds of pulling it off much shorter than current betting suggests.
 
Always been a fan of Nicky Henderson but it's 2 years since MTOY scraped home from an unlucky The New One in the Xmas hurdle.

It will be 2 years to the day on Champion Hurdle day since he failed to beat Jezki and last year neither the New One nor Jezki came even close to beating Faugheen.

MTOY seems to be very closely tied in with those 2 and considering he'll have been off 2 years I can't see him winning.

No one seems interested in his galloping companion who ran right up the new Ones backside behind Faugheen on ground he despises.

If Hargam gets really good ground he'll finishes nearer 1st than last of the NJH 5.

There's a lot of if's and buts now Faugheen is out and just about anything could win the race now.

My old pal Peace and Co showed enough to say he's on his way back so that 20/1 might pay out yet

On the day I reckon the best bet will be MTOY back to lay....He' has terrific cruising speed and nothing will look to be going better after the 3rd last but come the last I reckon he'll flounder.
 
That could have been a little more informative, KA. :)

OK. Dunno why I'm asking, tbh. Gallops tell us very little anyway.
 
Grasshopper said:
Who did MTOY gallop with today, and was it worth a carrot in terms of the CH?
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It was at Kempton last Friday; Clivex saw it, and reported it pretty intensive.
Clearly, Hargam was one of the group, and just as clearly, he wouldn't have needed it and was there for another purpose; that same purpose that saw him entered and withdrawn from the Kingwell in concert with MTOY, and down to accompany him in next week's racecourse gallop and in the CH.
You wouldn't be interested anyway, as you have the horse written off as a wimp. :D

ps Racecourse gallops can often indicate a trainer's intentions with a horse.
 
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reet hard said:
It was at Kempton last Friday; Clivex saw it, and reported it pretty intensive.
Clearly, Hargam was one of the group, and just as clearly, he wouldn't have needed it and was there for another purpose; that same purpose that saw him entered and withdrawn from the Kingwell in concert with MTOY, and down to accompany him in next week's racecourse gallop and in the CH.
You wouldn't be interested anyway, as you have the horse written off as a wimp. :D

ps Racecourse gallops can often indicate a trainer's intentions with a horse.
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he doesn't understand posts that say when he has galloped and thinks posters are saying he has when he hasn't. Clearly not all there

the early onset on Alzheimer's is a sad thing and it's not long now before it's the smelly mumbling bloke in the bookies who's continuously arrested for pissing on the deli counter at waitrose or knocking one out at the school gates
 
I fear you might be right, Clive.

I actually watched that gallop between the two chases last week, and promptly forgot all about it. Seriously!! :lol:

Dunno if I would use the word "intensive" myself - though concede he looked to have a good workout.

Having backed him, I'd clearly like to see MTOY run a big race in the Champion Hurdle, but I do still have concerns about whether he really wants it. I know Reet thinks he is a marginal stayer at 2m, due to the way he uses his energy through races, but I have him down as a border-line squiggler. I'm not suggesting he is like the uber-woofer Harchibald..........but I do question whether he puts it all in at the end of his races. Time will tell, I suppose.
 
I'm a bit along those lines. It was a good gallop perhaps and he certainly looked the part. As for the squiggle, it could just about be there but I believe he stays. That Christmas hurdle was on soft at quite a punishing pace (they were really string out) I recall and whilst a lot will be made of it being kempton, he had to see that out.

A couple of races would have been ideal though but I don't blame them for avoiding wincanton on heavy. I always like more rather than less racing as a prep

the three champion hurdle trials in the uk (off top of head) are at sandown wincanton and Haydock. Three courses more prone than most to heavy going. That's not ideal at all There really should be looking at Doncaster or kempton and perhaps Ascot for at least one of these
 
Good point Clive, you could run one at Musselburgh too at that meeting they had a couple of weeks ago, they seem to get better ground.
 
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Kauto Abu said:
Or back into the parade ring. I think he just about finished that Sandown race there now.


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Who's a little smart a$$ then?

The horse started the season as 2nd favourite for the Champion Hurdle.

He injured his back and was off for almost a month and was just back in serious work the last time he ran.

Daryl Jacob was disappointed but said he felt he ran well until blowing up and knowing Nicky he'll be a different horse on the day.

Unbeaten as a Juvenile and a winner at the Festival, trained by the man who has had more winners than anyone at the meeting

You discard any horse with that sort of record in a Champion Hurdle of this low calibre then be prepared to look like a muppet

and we can do without your snide remarks you fuckwit
 
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