Tolworth Hurdle

Diamond Geezer

Diamond Geezer

Gone But Not Forgotten
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
13,884
Andrew Cooper tweeting "7mm today @Sandownpark - Soft/Heavy mix with more rain to come until at least Wed. Think we'll be ok for Saturday but will update daily."

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Opinions ?
 
I would be surprised if WPM sent Briar Hill over to take on the top English talent. More than likely he will throw in one of his second tier hurdlers to see where he lies. I haven't read anything, I just have a hunch.

Assuming BH doesn't run, I will be backing Irving to beat the Liquidator. The Ferguson and Ian Williams horses look good, too, but I was very taken with Irving the last day at Ascot.
 
Quite a few of these have the option of Cheltenham on New Years day so it'll thin out considerably.
 
Sandown's meeting beginning to sound as if it will be abandoned even though they won't decide until Saturday. Significant rain forecast in the meantime.
 
Vatour's limited form stands a deal of scrutiny, in my view.

His two French outings look useful, with Vizir D'Estruval and Black River both in their own way showing themselves to be decent in susequent runs, before he hacked-up from previous winners in his Navan maiden at the start of December.

If his entry holds and Walsh travels to take the ride, I will be having a decent dunt on this one on Saturday. I've taken 18 (Supreme) and 40 (Neptune) in the expectation of a bold-showing.
 
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Hamm said:
Did you not see Black River's last run?
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Don't think he was knocked-about behind Whisper (returned to hurdles) and it looked like a confidence-booster after his fall behind Valdez; still going well at the time, against a horse I have a lot of time for.

Black River shouldn't be judged too literally on either run, and on balance, I think he could be a fairly-smart horse.
 
Deep Trouble won a valuable race here last month, improving with every run, stuck on gamely when veering to the right when I really did think he'd got himself beat. Whilst he may not look as sexy as a few of the others, pound for pound this horse looks up for a challenge. He has the same grandsire as my favourite jump horse of all time Sizing Europe, not a bad hurdler himself, and it would be great to see a little trainer like Ben Case develop this horse. His sire Shantou not a bad jumps sire either. I think however they price him up he may out-run his perceived chance.
 
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I'm another who will be very interested in Vautour if he comes here. He jumped very well in his maiden hurdle and beat Lieutenant Colonel in a common canter. That horse won a maiden hurdle by 14 lengths at Punchestown the other day giving the form a boost.
 
Big if at the moment, but IF the meeting goes ahead and the principles stand their ground, this race could have a huge shake up on the Supreme market given that unlike many a year, there is no standout favourite for that race currently.

But people on here won't need me to tell them that a) the ground come March will likely be vastly different to tomorrow and b) winning distances are often exaggerated in deep conditions.

Between Irving and Vautour for me at the moment and while I'd expect the Mullins horse to be better suited to tomorrow's conditions, I could easily see Irving turning the form around in March.
 
Vautour's Navan run was on Good/Yeilding, Lee, suggesting he's perhapz more. versatile in terms of ground conditions than you think.
 
I don't doubt that Grass but Irving showed a smart turn of foot LTO which would be more suited to spring conditions - even after the taps have been on for over a fortnight ;)

So perhaps I should have said "better suited to tomorrow's conditions than Irving"
 
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Only five declared for the Tolworth (if it goes ahead); Johnny Og, Josses Hill, Prince Siegfried, The Liquidator and Upazo.

Upazo also declared for the Slaney on Sunday.
 
Not surprising that a lot of the good horses are swerving this, with the ground heavy and borderline waterlogged.

I wonder how many chances there will be for a horse to propel himself to a short price?

Reminds me of the year Arcalis won, when it was 13/2 the field in the opener.
 
It's an ill wind...........................
2 thoroughly decent AW class 2's to fit nicely in the breach. :D
 
BHA Press Office @BHAPressOffice
The Tolworth Hurdle from tomorrow's cancelled Sandown Park fixture will be rescheduled to next Saturday's meeting at Kempton Park. (1/2)
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Amore Alato, Creepy, Garde La Victoire and Zamdy Man added so 11 entries for the rescheduled Tolworth Hurdle on Saturday.
 
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