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trackside528

At the Start
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Remember Gal (possibly?) starting a similar thread earlier this year but coulnd't find it.

Anyway, the best part of a month away from Cheltenham and I can't help but feeling a shade bored. The Cheltenham excitement has yet to truly dawn (give it another week!!) and the racing around this time of year seems to always dissapoint (despite the Hennessy at Leop. etc.)

Would I be right in stating that's the general mood of the forum over the last few weeks (posts certainly down in that time?)

Going to cheer myself up with a maiden voyage to Doncaster this weekend...

Or am I totally wrong?
 
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Losing the best part of three or four weeks racing due to the weather won't have helped, tracks.

I know what you mean, though the malaise is generally restricted to weekdays for me - been pretty dull of late, I have to say.
 
Threads like these get started at this time every year on racing forums. NH nuts, although at other times decrying the massive (over?)influence of Cheltenham on horses' campaigns, still can't wait for the week to start. I don't think the racing fare's particularly disappointing 'around this time of year', because when else would it be more interesting? Surely not the Class 6 novice hurdles in mid-July? It's the NH season and all Bumpers ought to be looked at carefully for future stars, while debut runners are coming onto the scene at the proper time of year. There's plenty of interest if Cheltenham isn't always viewed as the right hand of God.
 
Not at all a criticism on the programme, Kri, as it's probably more interesting this year (especially mid-week fare) due to weather cancellations etc.

Just trying to gauge the general forum feeling ~ certainly my feeling this time of year.
 
But you said that racing around this time of year seems to always disappoint, which implies that the programme is crap! :( All that mane-plaiting and tail-braiding, and that's the best you can say about it? :mad:
 
Not suggesting there's anything more the programme could offer Kri :ninja:; merely that my interest typically starts to wane in there few weeks before Festival exciement is really ramped up...

Roll on Cheltenham!
 
Trouble is, you just don't have enough other diversions, such as trotters, Quarter-horses and Da Mules. That'd zest up your winter gloom!
 
I'm usually of the opinion that we're in the calm before the storm at this time of year but it's amazing what a couple of big wins - as I've had over the last few weeks - can do to your enthusiasm!

We're normally in the middle of the stage where horses with a real Cheltenham agenda are underperforming - read into that what you will - or are in hiding, and trainers are off on their winter break in Antigua. And normally I'd be in the same kind of mood as trackside.

I just wonder if the extended cold spell has forced a change in some agendas. The form I've been looking at still seems to be working out well. Obviously you need to keep an eye out for the ones that seem to need to protect their handicap mark and for those that might need to pick up a penalty to improve their chances of getting a run at the Festival or even the Grand National, in which if you look like being weighted with around 10-0 it could be a big gamble not to pick up a little penalty to make you safe.

I'm sure if I studied the all-weather I could get ahead on the punting side but I'm at the stage of life where I'm narrowing my horizons rather than broadening them, so the beach ponies don't really attract me.

Irish form is notoriously unreliable at the best of times. At this time of year it's a lottery best avoided.

So we're back to the decent races at Doncaster and Sandown this weekend. I've already done the big 2-miler at the former and there are some very smart, very well handicapped entries in it. I'm looking forward to doing the rest of the cards this afternoon.
 
Irish form is notoriously unreliable at the best of times.
Click to expand...

Ireland has a more limited programme than is available in the larger UK. If you have a horse that is fit and needs to run you quite often have to take your chances in a race where the track, trip or going might not be ideal.
 
Seems a long time ago I wrote this now!

Getting really revved up to the max about Cheltenham now - just moved heaven and earth (including virtually bribing a co-worker!) to be able to watch it.

I've booked Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday off. Where/how is everybody else watching?

Is it just the people I know or are there an awful lot less Irish heading across this year btw?
 
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I'm there for all four days, and will continue to be until Gillespie puts on a 5th day, at which point I will e-mail him to tell him to ram his 5-day, diluted Festival up his Ronson.
 
Over-Cheltenham

To be honest, I don't like this time of year much either. The RP, apart from its continuous eulogising of Paul Nicholls, is full of pre-Cheltenham rubbish.

I've never had much desire to attend the Festival and the Thursday in particular now looks weak in comparison and a stretch to 5 days will only dilute things further.

At least in a fortnight it'll be over and we'll have the Winter Derby to look forward to...
 
Regarding Irish form working out -its a matter of interpretation or maybe I just like the volatility of it.
 
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