Cheltenham Festival
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Zaidpour - Neptune Novices Hurdle
Zaidpour - Neptune Novices Hurdle
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Replies: 337
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Did he beat anything of note,or was it a case of the horse doing what he should have??
At work,just had a quick look at the opposition form and did not look much to me.Very quick look though!! |
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Hurdling wasnt that great,room for improvement but some engine cannot back for either race at moment as no-one knows?
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Haven't seen the race myself bud, but 3rd horse rated 131 and fourth rated 126
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I'm fairly sure I read that The Shepherd King is highly regarded, and Perfect Smile is a nice sort.
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Fair point Bud - it did look a relatively weak renewal with Perfect Smile 2nd fav - he's a typical Noel Meade bridle horse - and on form it must be rated about 20lb's below Cue Cards run in the Bula. But the visual impression was rather striking.
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the best part of the race was after the last when not even asked to quicken up he was sprinting clear of them. he must be supreme bound the fast pace at 2m would suit more than the gruelling 2m5f race
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i'm trying to learn from the lessons of dunguib and many other irish performances in deep mid winter....he is a good horse that wins on the bridle in races that aren't run anything like he'll see at the festival....he'll turn up there with a string of 1's next to his name but will face a very different test in march.....i'd sooner take the view that cue card enhanced his reputation on saturday, certainly as far as running in the supreme goes and would much prefer him at the comparative odds.
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Evens was a surprise
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Isn't the difference between this horse and Dunguib that this horse has won over a mile on the flat so has flat bread speed where as Dunguib was a very quick National Hunt bred novice? Different breed of horse, I can't see Zaidpour lacking any gears over 2M. The Cue Cards and Dunguibs of this world have such a difficult task against the real 2 milers - How many Champion Bumper horses have even been placed in a Champion Hurdle, not very many if any.
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Rhinestone Cowboy??
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I take it WM has not said anything re plans,would be surprised if he has!!
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Not heard anything from WM on that.
What did you make of his hurdling, Budd? Good enough with a bit more practice for the SN, or might the Neptune be the more suitable option? |
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The owner was interviewed on ATR and although all options remain open (and with Mullins we won't know until the 48 hour decs!) he did suggest that the 2m trip looked to suit him ideally and there was no real reason to move up in trip.
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Just watched it AKA,thought it was ok jumping wise,bit hesitant at a couple i thought but still early days,and will get better i would think.Not really sure what trip to be honest,gut feeling says 2m,but no way would i be confident enough to back at this stage.Cue Card still in front of him at this stage for me over 2m.
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Really hope they stick to 2miles.
This horse is very special. |
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He will run over 2 miles at Leopardstown over Christmas all being well then he will run on Hennessy Gold Cup day over 2m 2f, and please god turn up on the Wednesday
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Like willie said not many horses have the speed to win over a mile yet have the pedigree to win over 2m1/2. Hopefully he doesnt turn sour like his brother.
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Yeah hopefully, although he seems to do things a lot easier than Zaynar did
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Thanks, Budd. That's broadly my impression of his hurdling on first viewing of the race. Room for some improvement, but no reason to think that won't come with a little more practice this season.
Cue Card I wouldn't want to oppose in the SN, I suspect, and at this stage he is still very much on my shortlist. If I have more than one bet in the SN, I usually try to get one on board that has a bit of proven flat speed, among other qualities, as the race can sometimes play to the strengths of a quick finisher. I am not sure horses like Arcalis or Ebaziyan were the best novices around in their respective novice seasons, but they were well placed to take advantage of how the races unfolded for their SN wins. Mind you, they probably didn't have anything of the standard of Cue Card to run against. |
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25/1 for the 2m5f
 Nothing on for the Supreme  |
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i've had a nightmare too. Backed Cue Card for the supreme and Zaid for the Neptunes. Think they will both go for the supreme but Zaid will edge it. A disaster all round i fear......
However the only glimmer of hope is that Willie does tend to send all his best to the Neptunes, Like Mikael + Arvika. So hopefully Richie Ricci wont try and pull his arm too much to take on Cue Card come march. |
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Triumph? Yes I think this could be this lads championship race alrite. Very Impressive so far..interesting to see Mullins fine record in the Neptune Investment/Ballymore:
2010: Quel Esprit 5/1 fell 2nd, well fancied 5/1 2009: Mikael D'haguenet won 5/2f 2008: Fiveforthree won 7/1 |
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You only go back 3 seasons what about the others?
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willie mullins record in 2m5f novice for 4yo's:
2007 Scotsirish 8/15 12/1 2006 No representatives 2005 Our Ben 3/20 33/1 2004 Sadlers Wings 6/15 9/2 2003 Mossy Green 15/19 33/1 2002 Ballyamber 5/18 16/1 |
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What about 5 year olds?
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excuse my mistake, ignore where I say for 4yo's
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Fundamentally the horse prefers soft ground. So it should be suited by the longer trip. You need a serious turn of foot to be winning the supreme novices, as its often quite a messy race as we saw last year. Mullins does prefer the longer race normally, and this half brother to Zaynar may not be an exception. Just cannot see it taking on Cue Card over 2 miles.
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Entered up in Grade 1 at Leops tomorrow...short price. Decent enough opponent in Hidden Cyclone..only 5 runner race so we wont likely learn that much.
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Mullins now has two very obvious candidates for the longer race(s) (Bishopsfurze and So Young) so unless he gets beaten I can't see Zaidpour going for anything but the Supreme.
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MONSTER
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Ran to quick after last run or has the train been de-railed ?
Deloitte Hurdle 6th Feb likely to be horses next race. |
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It's deffo his next race [;)]
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I would imagine the Tizzards are now going to enjoy the run up to the Festival now Zaidpour's bubble has been a little punctured. This horse will not beat Cue Card at any trip.
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Agree
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With Bishopsfurze showing himself incapable of lifting all 4 feet off the ground today I guess Mullins may now move Zaidpour up in trip - so those people with early bets on the Neptune might not be lost yet.
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Zaidpour's owner also has Ballyhaunis, which looks a 2.5 mile horse given some of the entries it had during the abandonments. Zaidpour for the Supreme and Ballyhaunis for the Neptune would seem a logical call from an ownership perspective, assuming Ballyhaunis is good enough.
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Agree, that's definitely the percentage call.
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For a trainer with such proven skill, Mullins seems to be adopting a pretty cavalier attitude lately. He seems happy to bring horses out fairly quickly and find out on the racecourse whether it proves to be too quickly. Many others would err on the side of caution.
I'd always forgive a horse one 'bad' race - especially in this case where connections rate the winner so highly. I'd happily take the odds about him for the Supreme if I knew that to be his target. |
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Apparently after Bishopsfurze had virtually fallen at every hurdle today Mullins said 'he did exactly what I thought he would do'
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I am so annoyed Willie Mullins rans Zaidpour so soon aster Punchestown. Is the man nuts! Just give the horses a little time to recover from their races please Willie. Hurricane Fly wants one more run before the Cheltenham Festival, not two!
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