The Horse racing thread

[Donnellys Hollow]

He has a retainer with Zarkandar's owners.

[beer baron]

I was thinking Monksland would be my World hurdle horse up until his last run when he was beaten getting weight off Dedigout which disappointed me a lot and i kind of had put him to the back of my mind but Dedigout went and won again last week and i'm starting to think  Monksland had excuses that day, Condon had never ridden him before and probably arrived too early on him and ground was apparently an absolute mess that day too. Carberry will be back onboard in March and they all have questions to answer. I can think of worrse e/w shots he's available at 16/1 and 14/1 but he should be that on the day anyway.

Robert Tyners horse Byerley babe who finished 2nd behind Foxrock off 134 in January has got a mark of 139 by Phil Smith and i'll have an eye on her in whichever race she runs in as she travelled very sweetly that day but was outstayed by a rapidly improving animal.

I can see a lot of punters going home without the shirts on their back on the Tuesday with all the talk i'm hearing of Mullins 4 'certs' on the 1st day and how many lads i've had telling me to get on the 4 timer as it's easy money  .
I just can't see it happening,there's none of the 4 hotpots  that i'd be overly shocked to see beaten,namely Douvan,Faugheen,Annie Power and less so Un De Sceaux as i think he is a bit of a monster and if handling the occassion and staying on his feet  he will win but  at the odds of 4/7 i can't back him.

I'm contemplating laying Douvan if he gets any shorter(doubtful)  and was going to lay Faugheen(if he goes under evens) if i'm honest but i seem to remember DH you saying you fancy Faugheen to win which has kind of made me think of avoiding doing so  as you're a lot better judge than I.

Before i finish up i'll throw another thing in here that'll be shot down pretty swiftly i reckon but what the heck  , Dodging Bullets to beat the 2 big boys in the Champion chase,do it 

[Donnellys Hollow]

Yeah those multiples are manna from heaven for the layers. It's Murphy's Law, something will inevitably go wrong with one of them. Douvan could indeed be anything and it does not look a deep renewal of the Supreme but he will face quicker ground for the first time and Henderson's horse has also done nothing wrong. The speed Un De Sceaux goes at leaves him vulnerable if he meets a fence wrong just like he did at Thurles. If he learns to relax and how to pop a fence when not on stride he will be a superstar. Annie Power will have been off the racecourse since last Punchestown. Much like Quevega before her she will have stones in hand of the opposition but you only have to think back to 2013 and 2014 when Quevega had to produce something special just to win despite being easily the best mare around.

Faugheen is the one I would be most confident about. I just can't come up with many scenarios that will see him beaten. Walsh will be kicking on at two out and there won't be anything that will be able to go with him. Apart from Sprinter Sacre, he is the most exciting national hunt prospect I can remember since Nick Dundee was tearing up novice chases.

Two I will be against will be Don Cossack and Silviniaco Conte. Far too short the pair of them. I wouldn't be keen on that Dodging Bullets either (sorry BB!). Those flat breds don't win many chases at the Cheltenham festival.

[bcarrier]

It will be interesting to see how Nicholls chasers get on this time around. He hasnt won a chase at the Festival since Kauto Star's Gold Cup in 2009. He will say that he has his best team since then but an awful lot of these horses DB and SC amongst them have been to the Festival before and disappointed.

IMO you cant keep horses peaked all season long and he has a broader pot hunting focus which means his horses arent solely primed for Cheltenham like virtually every other runner.

Mullins could clean up on Tuesday but dont think he will have it his own way after that. Djakadam could win the Gold Cup though.

There is a good Cheltenham Preview report thread here for the festival addicts http://www.fatjockey.com/forum/showthread.php?4814-2015-Cheltenham-Festival-Preview-Night-Reports/page7

[50fiftyball]

Getting close now!! This day week we will be digesting the morning line, CHELTMENTAL!!!

Here's hoping that a decent week will pay for a few guinness and a nights stay in dublin for Paddys day 

[Donnellys Hollow]

Richard Hughes to retire at the end of the season and embark on a training career. I wonder will he move back home and take over the yard from his sister?

[beer baron]

Rumour has it one of the owners from Hannons yard are  sending him a few 2year olds so must be setting up shop himself over there if true?

[beer baron]

Oh and shock horror Ruby has picked Faugheen.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Rumour has it one of the owners from Hannons yard are  sending him a few 2year olds so must be setting up shop himself over there if true?

The smart money would be on him staying put but Tinkler was one of Hannon's successful owners and he already moved most of his to Johnny Murtagh's so it's not like it hasn't happened before. Qatar are also looking to expand their Irish operation. They paid crazy money for a 100 acre stud farm down near Croom not so long ago.

An already long established family yard in one of the finest training centres in the world might be hard for him to turn down.

[screenexile]

Enjoyed this . . .

http://www.sportsjoe.ie/horse-racing/33-things-happen-cheltenham-festival-2015/16491

[Treasurer]

Not long now.................. gotta love it!!!!

[stiffler]

Is there a competition this yr ?

[beer baron]

Douvan to get the bookies off to a great start that's my first Premonition of the week.

[macdanger2]

For the horse racing lads on here - if you were to back one horse at Cheltenham this week, who would it be?

[illdecide]

Very quiet on this page...thought it would be buzzing today...Any of you Horse men any tips for today? Looked at the betting there for the Champion Hurdle and couldn't believe The Fly is 8/1. Why is this? Will the ground be too quick for him? is Faugheen that good and is the Fly now busted...still ran well in his last few races but prob wants the ground with a bit more cut in it (I think)