The Horse racing thread

[bridgegael]

Dont look past Chane du Roy if u want a run for your money in the national today.

[Hardy]

First Lieutenant is my fancy.

[beer baron]

I've First lieutenant myself and Mon Parrain the monkey

[Donnellys Hollow]

Up Kilcullen

[beer baron]

Riding the Grand National winner 2 years in a row  Some achievement.

[Tony Baloney]

Dont look past Chane du Roy if u want a run for your money in the national today.

Had it e/w with Cause of Causes. The missus has each way money on the winner.

[Two Hands FFS]

Best day to go to Punchestown?? In terms of the best races?

[Donnellys Hollow]

Few heavy showers around today. Ground could be on the soft side for the festival if it keeps up.

[beer baron]

We going to get any of the hotpots overturned tomoro?
Was very impressed with Douvan in March and be very shocked to see him beat.
Champagne fever was 7/4 yesterday for the Champion chase but I'd expect 5/2 or 3/1 tomorrow morning, he's one ill oppose,not sure with who though,will have a proper look this evening.
Don Polis a hell of a horse but although he is the most likely winner tomoro I'd not be overly shocked to see him beat in a small field at Punchestown, i think Carberry should try front run on Apache Stronghold and make it a crawl and kick for home 2 out.

[macdanger2]

Quick question for the horse lads on here - how would Tony McCoy rank in an all time greats of jockeys?? And how would Ruby or any of the other current jockeys rank?

[beer baron]

Heading up tomorrow. DH you're the man with an ear to the ground,who's the one to be on in the opener?

[Donnellys Hollow]

There's no standout among the local hunters at the moment. Mtada Supreme was beaten by Ross O'Sullivan's horse in February but he fell up the north on Patrick's Day. If Rohan's Pride runs his race he should win but there's not much value in the price.

Watch out for the sister to Hurricane Fly in the bumper.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Quick question for the horse lads on here - how would Tony McCoy rank in an all time greats of jockeys?? And how would Ruby or any of the other current jockeys rank?

I always rated Adrian Maguire as the best rider I have seen but he was forced into retirement very early and we never really got to see him at his peak.

McCoy's achievements in terms of numbers will never be matched. To be champion jockey for 20 consecutive years is just an insane record considering how tough an occupation it is. He deserves to be considered one of the greats but I wouldn't necessarily elevate him above others like Walsh, Geraghty, Francome, O'Neill and Tommy Carberry.

For much of his career McCoy rode in an average enough era for UK based riders. I would argue the standard of jockeys in the UK now is a lot poorer than when McCoy was starting out. Back in the mid 1990s Dunwoody, Maguire, Norman Williamson and Mick Fitzgerald were all riding full time in the UK. Most of the top UK based riders around now wouldn't hold a candle to them. There are a lot more opportunities for riders in the UK and it is easier to gain prominence than over here where the competition is much tougher.

A lot of it is down to the culture of racing in the UK. Martin Pipe revolutionised the training of national hunt racehorses in the 1980s. Pipe was lightyears ahead of his time when it came to equine science and using alternative techniques to keep horses sound. This enabled him to train his horses harder than anyone else and get them insanely fit. They would all be able to be ridden the same way when they got to the track. The majority of McCoy's winners for Pipe were ridden for stamina. Steal a few lengths at the start, give them a squeeze into every obstacle, kick for home early and beat everything else through pure fitness.

That fitness culture still exists among British trainers to this day. Tom Scudamore who is jockey to Martin Pipe's son only knows one way of riding. Paul Nicholls always bangs on about how fit his horses are. What Nicholls apart from other trainers is that he understands when he has to back off his horses while others train them into the ground. They go a crazy gallop in most bog standard national hunt races in the UK. As a result the racing isn't as tactical as it is over here where the tendency is to go steadier and quicken it up. I think the average Irish based jockey is a lot more tactically astute than the average jockey based in Britain.

For my money McCoy was much more of a complete jockey during his decade with McManus than when he was stable jockey at Pond House. He rode the winner of almost every big race but then so did Walsh and Geraghty. What set McCoy apart was his hunger to ride every winner he possibly could. He would go up to Catterick or down to Newton Abbot for one ride in a thrupence halfpenny race. Compare that to Walsh and Geraghty who have never been motivated by the jockey's championship and regularly sit out meetings at the gaff tracks.

The man is a legend but if you had your choice of jockeys for a Champion Hurdle or a Gold Cup it would be Walsh every day of the week, for all that I wouldn't have huge time for him outside of the saddle.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Great weekend for Teofilo's progeny.

How much will the Sheikh fork out for Pleascach?

[beer baron]

Great weekend for Teofilo's progeny.

How much will the Sheikh fork out for Pleascach?

A pretty penny one would suspect. I wasn't sure she'd be quick enough to win yesterday after watching her run at Naas where she looked a bit tapped for toe turning for home over 1mile 2 but she did so and did it well. Any mention of her next target? Derby perhaps?