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Thread: Novice Hurdlers 2017/2018

  1. #301
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    I took some 8/1 (NRNB/BOG) Santini for the Albert Bartlett yesterday evening (rather than 12/1 without the guarantees).

    I'm not sure how reliable the times are for Saturday's racing but I have Santini and Black Op posting festival-winning times for their race (30lbs faster than Agrapart, for example).

    I'm not sure if BO is also targeting the race but it appears to be Santini's only entry and I am under the impression that he wasn't quite 100% yet at the weekend. BO had the tongue tie and might have been closer to full fitness, but that's really just playing hunches on my part.
    Last edited by Desert Orchid; 1st February 2018 at 6:37 PM.
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    Senior Member Bonjers's Avatar
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    Black Op will be going to Cheltenham according to George. Ballymore or the Bartlett, with decision to be made closer to the time.

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    Senior Member Perpetual's Avatar
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    DO - think you're right to play NRNB as there's a very good chance Santini bypasses the festival judged on the Hendo comments so far. For sure hes a novice chaser to watch out for next year...

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  6. #304
    Senior Member TheBear's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wilsonl View Post
    I've taken 12s for the Supreme to bits and pieces. Expect to lose it without a run for my money but I reckon the chances of him lining up are better than the disparity between the 3/1 NRNB and 12/1 AP prices.
    Just make sure no-ones filming you this year when Kennedy comes storming up the hill again.

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  7. #305
    Senior Member Grasshopper's Avatar
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    Cracking Smart is armchair-viewing in the Bartlett.

    Locked.
    "Beat the price and lose. It's what we do".

    SlimChance, March 2018

  8. #306
    Senior Member TheBear's Avatar
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    Elliott says Ballymore is still plan A for Samcro. For entirely selfish reasons that is good news.


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  10. #307
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    Unless it comes up soft or worse I'd imagine Bear. I have the same selfish reasons with two sizeable singles at 14/1 and inclusion in some nice looking multiples at the same price with the right horses. I'm praying for a dry week in the lead up, as many others are I'd expect.

  11. #308
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    For selfish reasons myself I'd rather Samcro go for the Ballymore. However, without looking through multiples etc, I have a On The Blind Side at 16s e/w in a few so they suddenly look a whole lot prettier.

    Once I get my head around laying horses and the percentages I'll be a whole lot happier.

  12. #309
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    I did a bit of unrefined sectional analysis of the recent Leopardstown meeting and was pleased that my findings were quite close to Simon Rowlands's. On the basis of those findings I started backing Rhinestone for the bumper and I'm planning on starting to chip away at Mr Adjudicator for the Triumph.

    I've just done a similar exercise with the Christmas meeting at the same track but only two races really lend themselves to comparison, which is a wee bit unsatisfactory.

    However, this is what I've noted so far:

    I’ve had a wee look at the Leopardstown race at Christmas in which Sharjah and Real Steel fell at the last when five lengths clear of the eventual winner Whisky Sour.

    In the same race Elliott’s Mengli Khan was disputing the lead when running through the wing two out. Mullins said later he thought MK was going to win but I suspect that’s a misdirection. Nothing was going better than Sharjah at the time.

    There’s more than that to the race, though. I’ve done another bit of neanderthal sectional timing and it tells quite a story.

    The next race was a decent 2m handicap hurdle so I did some split times to see how the runnings compared, timing them from the first flight. There were only two seconds (10-11 lengths) in favour of the novices’ race at the line but the winner Whisky Sour carried 15lbs more, plus the handicap winner Trainwreck’s 5lbs claimer’s allowance. Sharjah and Real Steel, though, were both five lengths clear of WS when they both fell at the last. Real Steel was flat out at the time while Sharjah was travelling very easily.

    But, as Jimmy Cricket would say, there’s more.

    Ignoring the fact that the novices got to the first flight fully two seconds (10/11 lengths) faster, which could be accounted for by mis-timing on the TV clock, they opened up another second by the second flight. That’s another five lengths. Already Whisky Sour was detached at the back. They were the same margin clear at the third hurdle but then they seemed to take off and by the time they got to the fourth the gap had opened to fully nine seconds, probably at least 50 lengths. By now Real Steel was being hard driven to stay in touch with the pack, a few lengths off them as the more conservatively ridden Whisky Sour started closing him down.

    The gap remained at nine seconds until three out with Sharjah going arguably easier than those around him. Two out the gap was down to 7 seconds and at the last it was 5 seconds for Sharjah and Real Steel or four for Whisky Sour. It was two seconds at the line but Sharjah would probably have stayed at least another second – five lengths – in front as he had not been asked a question whereas as Real Steel was keeping on for hard driving.

    It’s hard to know how true-run the handicap was. I don’t know how to do closing sectional percentages but that 50-length gap at halfway is ridiculous. It is no wonder the handicappers were narrowing the gap from three out. Sharjah and Real Steel are clearly very smart and, as I said before, may have been eased off in training in the light of this race thereby explaining their seemingly disappointing performances last weekend. Mengli Khan was still there two out but I would take a lot of convincing that he would have beaten Sharjah. However, he is clearly very smart too. This race could be the key to more than just the Supreme.

    Real Steel might be more of a Ballymore (Neptune) type given that he struggled with the pace, as might Whisky Sour who wasn’t even asked to go with it. The others who raced with the pace finished 19 lengths away. In the handicap, after they straightened for home only two or three lengths covered the first ten. By the last it was at least ten lengths and at the line the first two were six lengths clear of the third and fourth who in turn were another six clear of the fifth. A lot of those would have been slowing down.
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  13. #310
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    Whisky Sour stayed on well last week for fourth behind Samcro.
    With his big wins last Summer he is one to watch ew wherever he runs as he has big field form, is battle hardened and is so so consistent.

  14. #311
    Senior Member granger's Avatar
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    The Qatar horse has an entry this weekend.

    He could be a late Springer
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

  15. #312
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    Very strange decision to have him over hurdles in the first place IMO. He's 9 now and ran pretty shite on his sole start to date in this sphere
    Alcohol, because no good story ever started with "I was eating this salad..."

  16. #313
    Senior Member Kauto Abu's Avatar
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    Novice Hurdlers 2017/2018

    He was well held again yesterday.

    Has anyone heard anything on If The Cap Fits for Harry Fry? Last seen on St Stephen’s Day. I know they had planned to give him January off and the Supreme was his target after that. Anxious to avoid heavy ground. I assume it’s straight to the festival with him.

    Solomon Grey was 3rd in that Kempton race & won a handicap off of top weight yesterday. Simply The Bets was back in 4th & he was just denied by Beyond The Clouds in the Scottish Supreme Trial at Musselburgh on the sane day as the Irish Gold Cup, beating Claimantakinforgan in the process. Form is stacking up. I have If The Cap Fits at 33/1 for the Supreme so hopefully he goes there & not the Ballymore.


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    Last edited by Kauto Abu; 19th February 2018 at 1:19 PM.

  17. #314
    Senior Member Kauto Abu's Avatar
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    Espior D’Allen ruled out of the Triumph so presumably Apples Shakira is a definite there now ruling out any slim chance of a shot at the Supreme.


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  18. #315
    Senior Member granger's Avatar
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    Is he injured?
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

  19. #316
    Senior Member Kauto Abu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by granger View Post
    Is he injured?
    Still below par after the Leopardstown run according to Cromwell. Wont make the festival.


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  20. #317
    Super Moderator Diamond Geezer's Avatar
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    Ballymore nominated as Samcro's target

  21. #318
    Senior Member Kauto Abu's Avatar
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    Excellent news.

    From the RP.


    The humming and hawing is over. Samcro will run in the Ballymore rather than the Supreme at next month's Cheltenham Festival, while Apple's Jade will swerve the Sun Bet Stayers' Hurdle to defend her OLBG Mares' Hurdle crown.

    In his usual no-nonsense style, Eddie O'Leary revealed that the Supreme is no longer under consideration for the unbeaten Samcro and the Gigginstown racing manager said there is no chance whatsoever of Apple's Jade tackling the boys over three miles.

    O'Leary said: "It has always been our intention to run Samcro in the Ballymore and nothing has changed. He runs in the Ballymore and that's final. We think that he will be a nice chaser over three miles for next season so, even though he won the Deloitte over two miles, he won't be running in the Supreme.

    "We don't do hype so Samcro will have to go out and show us what he is made of in the Ballymore. Hopefully he will get there in one piece."

    Samcro was as short as 6-4 with a run for the Supreme. He is a top price of 4-5 for the Ballymore.

    Apple's not taking on the boys

    Having beaten Stayers' Hurdle favourite Supasundae over 3m at Leopardstown's Christmas meeting, there have been calls to let Apple's Jade take on the boys over that trip at Cheltenham but O'Leary is having none of it.

    "Apple's Jade will run in the mares' hurdle and won't be running in the Stayers'. That has always been her aim and nothing has changed. She's in great form," O'Leary said.

    While not as high-profile as the aforementioned pair, O'Leary revealed that Balko Des Flos will be Gigginstown's number one hope in the Ryanair Chase as they attempt to win the race for the first time.

    "Balko Des Flos ran really well at Leopardstown [when runner-up in the Christmas Chase] and he will go for the Ryanair. He is a good horse and we would like to think that he would run well in it. It certainly looks to be the right race for him," O'Leary said.

    Gigginstown's Sub Lieutenant was second behind Un De Sceaux in the Ryanair last year, while First Lieutenant chased home Cue Card in 2013. Balko Des Flos is 12-1 with BoyleSports who are top price.




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  23. #319
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    as a getabird backer, pleasing to read

  24. #320
    Senior Member granger's Avatar
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    Hope the fookers never win their own race
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

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