Sintonian, I didn't back him for March but did have a wack on at 5-2 with Hills for today and that hurt, I have to admit. Still, when you back horses every day, it's just one more loser. Realistically I couldn't carry on fancying him now but believe he'll prove top class in time and the most interesting bet I've heard on here is the person who's backed Spirit River for the Champion Hurdle.

Got to go now. I am going to have a really good study up tonight to try to work out which Grade One races Hendo is going to send Sprit River to at Chelts, Aintree and Punch.

Are there any Grade One chases on those cards where there arent any fences and where a horse that's probably worth about 145 at best can regualry win? If so I am steaming in on this Grade One beast and no mistake

You said he was a complete natural after his first race fall are you taking the p1ss?

Yes why not win egg and spoon races over fences rather than top handicaps over hurdles ... great idea.

He wont run over fences again this season.

its pretty obvious to me that his confidence was shattered with the fall at Newbury.Their is imo no other way of explaining the fact that he jumped well up to the fall,and has jumped slow and hesitant today and then falling again when probably tired.
bearing this in mind and that the horse has proved he CAN jump,i would not in no way give up on him.Trainer now has to earn his corn and get his confidence back,Now that may well mean a spell hurdling,makes sense to me,or a break from racing with a fair bit of schooling,and then bring him back over fences later in the season.Whatever happens i cannot see him in a chase at the festival,so glad i backed him for the RSA!! oh well!

Just feel sorry for the horse - confidence theory has merit - good reason why you should never back a novice chaser after a fall (especially if it happens in the horse's first chase) because you don't know the impact.

I won't be backing Robinson Collonges tomorrow for same reason (of course he could hose up). Probably should n't be that dogmatic about it anyway e.g. Wishfull Thinking had a soft fall fto at Aintree (slipped on landing) and then completed riderless, jumping every fence - that probably did his confience good!

Also Henderson said beforehand that he had n't had the opportunity to do much schooling with him since Newbury due to the weather - maybe that would have restored his confidence.

Hopefully he can go back over hurdles and enjoy some success - one of many likeable animals in that yard just now.

I also have to say that I don't understand those who gloat about the misfortunes of horses and their supporters. We all have opinions - we all get it wrong sometimes.

Well done to Booster for having the guts to admit a big bet on him today.

Of course, just realised that RC has won over fences at Herefrod since the fall at Wincanton - as I say, we all get it wrong sometimes!

Perhaps you should do a bit of research before you come on here mouthing off about other posters Reaseheath. It appears that you always get it wrong

Only a desperately inadequate, mundanely predictable bore would interpret my post as 'mouthing off' , Panto Ponce.

Agree totally wth your first line Masterminded - I thogh Eric/KSM was nanoying bt at least he, when he can get his head out of ar*e, has something useful and insightful to say.

Panto - given it's nearly Christmas haven't you got a day job to go[;)]. Mind you getting dolled up as one of the ugly sisters with lashings of make-up and a great big dress is probably more a year round thing for you. Thuogh give the amount of cr*p you spout on here maybe you'd be better off being the back half of the pantomine horse.

Excellent Uncle - very witty well done.

Not sure about gloating - simply pointing out that flyingbolt is a useless punter and a cynical guesser - not the shrewd judge that some make him out to be.

As for Masterminded this is a magnificent piece of insight:

i think spirit river may well be reverting back to hurdles unless he shows something at home schooling

Was it worth expending the calories to strike the keys to give us that trite piece of boier plate you mook? Are are you in fact Nicky Henderson? Tool.

Just tried to read this thread and had to sift through so much inane mindless crap I've almost lost the will to live.
Panto...Whilst Mr Bolt can be quite sharp in his replies to fellow forumites,its just that he does not suffer fools gladly.The fact that you regularly read and comment on his thread on the Competition forum shows that you are aware he makes selections on a regular basis,so please stop ruining threads with pathetic point scoring.

Back to the subject in hand, I was one of the "mugs" who took Hills 5/2 about him on Friday.At Newbury previously I thought he jumped superbly until BG asked him to stand off one and he didnt agree with him!However at Cheltenham he never jumped with any fluency and at no stage during the race looked happy.To see him tip up so horrifically when so far back was very sad viewing.
I would be amazed if he jumps another fence in public this year,but sincerley hope he returns at some point to fulfill the promise some of us think he has.

Wouldnt be surprised if he visitis Yogi Breisner for more work on his jumping.

hemsby - sayinig that someone 'doesn't suffer fools gladly' implies that they are imbued with some sort of enhanced level of judgement and insight - that that person is somehow better. cleverer or more worthy than others. Its normally used by arrogant older people who think they have some status and rights conferred on them based on wisdom and experience - its actually an arrogant caim (admittedly Flyingbolt isnt making that claim himself).

I simply don't accept that Flyingbolt is any smarter or better informed than dozens of far more polite , constructive and pleasant forumites on here. Furthermore those that do make reasoned, well thought through and often prospective judgments run the risk of being ridiculed or pedantically criticized over trivial insomsistencies. These outbursts add nothing to the debate.

That is all.

Flyingbolt does not claim to be better or bigger than anyone, he has an opinion.

That is it.

I would love to give my view on SR, but it is not worth the hassle.

I wouldnt be surprised if its running in 0-125 events for a different trainer next season.

Crozan mark II

all I am saying is Crozan was promising over hurdles (and was a decent novice chaser) and then lost the plot. I think Spirit River is the same sort of disappointing sort. I hope i am wrong but once Hendo's are gone they are usually gone.

Let's give it 12 months [;)]