The Horse racing thread

[Mickey Linden]

Lads just a general question here. Staying in Bristol for the Gold Cup and was wondering what is the best way to get out to Cheltneham and how long would it take?

[sammymaguire]

Sweet Shock 1.05 told has strong e/w claims

[maddog]

Lads just a general question here. Staying in Bristol for the Gold Cup and was wondering what is the best way to get out to Cheltneham and how long would it take?

Its about 35 miles. Depending on where exactly you are you would likely be best to take the train and book it well in advance as its cheaper. These are the buckos to use

http://www.thetrainline.com/buytickets/?

[Donnellys Hollow]

Mikael D'Haguenet has had a few minor setbacks but he should be out in a beginners chase in the next two or three weeks.

Mikael D'Haguenet (FR) b g 2004 WP Mullins

Dec/Entries
Date Course Race
Tue, 29th  Leopardstown 1.25 Membership at Leop Beginners S`chase

[Mickey Linden]

Who do u fancy for the novice chase on stephens day Donnelly? Looks like its going to be a cracker.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Race of the day for me. The King George is all about one horse and I can't see the result of the Christmas Hurdle making the Champion Hurdle picture any clearer.

4 horse race for me between Sizing Europe, Osana, Captain Cee Bee, Sports Line. Whoever wins will deservedly be made outright favourite for the Arkle. I don't think anyone has priced up the race on Saturday yet but I would predict something like:

7/4 Sizing Europe
11/4 Osana
9/2 Sports Line
5/1 Captain Cee Bee
12/1 BAR

Sizing Europe is the likely favourite and he has done nothing wrong so far over fences. He's not been off the bridle yet and that remains a big question mark hanging over him. I'd be willing to take him on at a skinny enough price. Osana is a similar story. Roberto Goldback franked his form beating Cousin Vinny but I just have it in my head that he is not the most reliable sort. He bombed big time in the Champion Hurdle last year when he didn't get an uncontested lead. Sports Line hasn't the top class hurdles form of the other three but he is the talking horse from Willie's yard this year. He may potentially be very good but I suspect if Mikael D'Haguenet had ran already, not many would be talking him up. Captain Cee Bee would interest me at what potentially could be an e/w price. I was very impressed with him at Naas when not a lot was expected of him. He has clearly had his problems but when he is right he is a special horse. He was off the bit going nowhere at the top of the hill in the Supreme Novices a few years ago and he outfought Binocular at the back of the last giving him 8lbs.

I don't think its a race to get too involved in financially given the lack of collateral form. I wouldn't let CCB go unbacked at 4/1 or bigger though and I'd certainly be having a small e/w investment. I'd be more inclined to back one of them antepost for the Arkle before this race if you fancied them. I flagged up CCB at 25/1 with Ladbrokes on here a few weeks ago. He's is best priced 16/1 now and that may look very big after Stephens' Day. Sizing Europe is best priced 6/1, Osana 12/1 and Corals have Sports Line at 20s.

[sammymaguire]

having a bit of a stinker at the moment but radiator rooney is very good value in the lucky last

should give a good account of itself this afternoon

[Homer]

Hurricane Fly out of Leopardstown and "a major doubt" for the CH:

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/leopardstown-injury-may-rule-hurricane-fly-out-of-champion/665572/leopardstownfestival/

[Donnellys Hollow]

Fcuk it anyway. 

Hopefully Philip Fenton doesn't go getting any ideas with Dunguib now

[Mickey Linden]

Nightmare! Thats the dangers of ante post betting I suppose. Im with you Donnelly about Fenton. I know he has stated that he would prefer to go down the novice route but the way the champion hurdle is shaping up he could be tempted!

[Homer]

Fenton & Co. will have to seriously consider it.

[pebble-dasher]

Anyone for Down Royal on Sat?  Was on the website there and it says spectators entrance and area frozen at the min but there will be an inspectionon before Sat.  Hope it goes ahead because last day was a wash out!

[sammymaguire]

Fenton & Co. will have to seriously consider it.

no offense to those who have backed Dunguib but he could and probably would win the Champion Hurdle and I would prefer to see him run in that as I have backed Pepe Simo for the Supreme

[Donnellys Hollow]

I know I'm financially biased (even though I have covered my Supreme Novices stake with a Champion Hurdle bet at 33/1), I still think novices should stick to novice races. He may well be the second coming of Arkle/Dawn Run/Golden Cygnet and he may well win the next four Champion Hurdles but he has only had three races over timber and two of those were against a collection of old hounds who are only a rung up the ladder from the glue factory. He's never been asked to run or jump at the crazy gallop they inevitably go in the Champion Hurdle. There was a similar argument when Beef Or Salmon ran in the Gold Cup as a novice. Not many were complaining when Hourigan ran him but the horse wasn't used to jumping at that pace and he fell early on and was never the same horse after. Plenty of hurlers on the ditch who were silent beforehand came out and started castigating Hourigan telling him he should have stuck to the novice route. Dunguib is a penalty kick in the Supreme Novices even at this stage and I think Fenton would be mad to take a gamble on him being ready for the Champion Hurdle.

People have to remember that Dunguib is a box-walker so he is a very nervous excitable sort. Too much, too soon for a horse like that can sour them and put them backwards. They kept him in bumpers for an extra year because he couldn't jump to save his life when he first schooled over hurdles. They've also said that he'll always remain a hurdler because they feel fences will over-faze the horse even though he has the size and scope for chasing. Bearing all this in mind, I would be very surprised if he ran in a Champion Hurdle as a novice even though it does look like a very winnable renewal.

[goldenyears]

Hearing strong word for noble prince on stephens day