Diamond Harry lacklustre RSA

timmy murphy

The rsa run was totally out of context for this horse both before or since the race.Harry was beaten before halfway in the rsa i struggle to believe that something was not amiss with him physically that day

he had too many races that season and couldnt jump well. came up against high class good jumping opposition and was found out

In that case he might aswell not bother turning up in the gold cup

hasnt had too many raqces this year and jumps better does he not?

He was ridden far more prominently in the hennersy which i think helped his jumping

yep id say so. seems to be the best place to be in the hennessy. tom segal said afterwards he thought it would have been close if dh and denners were at level weights

if that bad run had been ANYWHERE other than Chelt I would be happy to overlook but it it really is messing with my mind!

I think the trainer made a mess of him last season imo. Having two runs over hurdles & then having a rather rushed novice chase campaign really didnt help, especially as he runs so well fresh.

I am having a similar issue with assessing Harry's gold cup chances.  He has acting at the track over hurdles so I am less concerned than by Long Run's chances of repeating his exploits yesterday in the Gold Cup.  Winning that Hennessy practically on the bridle was seriously impressive and although the big 3 set a high standard, yesterday just reaffirmed my view that this year there will be a changing of the guard and one of the young brigade may win it. Harry looks the most obvious candidate, rain would help

I can forget his rsa run last year. I have watched it several times and he didnt go a beat, something was not right with him that day. Trainer thinks he is best fresh and as Reve says had too many races in the trainers opinion last year. Guess Timmy rode him wide to give him daylight to help his fencing.

We saw the real DH at Newbury lto, prominent, switched off, resolute.

Have also watched his Ballymore defeat to Mikael a few times. Travelled well but went up and down on the spot coming down the hill when trying to quicken, and also ran green, head up and had a look jumping the second last, stayed on for 3rd. To my eye he looked like he couldnt quicken on the ground that day, trying to get his toe in bendng his knee exageratedly. This run worries me more than his RSA. Travelled fine, just didnt find much under pressure before staying on. Trainer thinks he sent him for the wrong race, 3m hdl would have been his according to Trainer.

Ground concerns me tbh, however i cant find anything online from Trainer ahead of either festival run citing potential issues with good going. So that is encouraging for his backers.

I agree the ground is a concern because his best performances (Hennessey and Fixed Brush Hurdle wins) have come on going with fair amount of cut.

However, having looked through his form he has won all his races bar the following:

RSA Hurdle - travelled really well but as you say, went left at two out and then made quite a bad mistake at the last (head carriage didn't look great).  Only beaten by "machine" Mikael by 5 lengths despite that green behaviour.  The form of that race is outstanding with China Rock, Nightingale, Mad Max, Knockara Beau and Realt Dubh in behind.

Long Walk Hurdle - only beaten by Big Bucks by 6 lengths and this was the last race Big Bucks was off the bridle!

RSA Chase - clearly didn't perform and difficult to know whether the ground was not right or whether he wasn't fresh enough.

All in all, if you can forgive the RSA run, he is a serious player in the Gold Cup.  He seemed much less green in the Hennessey and its possible that he has matured mentally and physically this year.

josef k  i was thinking exactly the same as you about diamond harry but then  i thought back to that handicap hurdle he won with top weight and the n the hennesy  this is a seriously talented animal the time of the hennesey was exeptional  ,i backed diamond harry and burton port in the hennesy and after 4  fences i was thinking the way  diamond harry  is jumping and travelling as long as he doesnt make any serious errors he is going to be very  hard to beat he just seemed to enjoying himself and really travelling strongly  and jumping he never looked in any dangerto me  untill after the last but he was just ideling imo,daryl jacob seems ideal and the key to him is keeping him fresh and racing prominently he may be best on a flat track but he won at chelt over hurdles so i wouldnt let 1 bad run put you off as i say he had  quite  a few races last year and he needs to be fresh i have taken the 12s and 10s and will be going in again right up to the week of the race ,the dangers are imo pandorama if its testing (unlikely)  imperial commander as he loves chelt and has been there and done it but is no value at around 7/2 ,think denman has had to many battles and is 11 age catches up with everything so if you fancy  diamond harry back him  unless you fancy something more,i dont think his price will shorten much as kauto ,denman ,and imp commander are with more high profile stables and harry is not racing untill the gold cup back him when they go nrnb if you like good luck

Foyle I am praying for lots of rain (easy decision Pandorama) to avoid any more of a headache! I backed Imperial last year but am not getting the same feeling this year. I think I preferred it when he was the underdog (maybe those skinny odds are repelling me). Looking for big value I have still got half an eye on the Weird Al situation as I find the blemish on his chasing career much easier to dismiss.

Seriously guys please, do not dismiss Imperial Commander or Denman; granted 10/11 year olds do not have any sort of record in the race, but we're not talking ordinary chasers here, we're talking the cream of the crop! If it comes up soft them they are both strong contenders, well ahead of Diamond Harry, Pandorama, Pride of Dulcote and the like! I know it's probably right to look for the value in the race, but value is only reflective in a horses chance of winning the race, and while I think the three I mentioned are very good types, they're not in the same league as Imperial Commander or Denman, and their day will come once the pair are consigned to the field of legends.
It's very easy to over complicate this race, but the reality is if the big two run to only appearances this year they'll be very hard to beat!

Totally agree,have Denman at 15,and will back IC nearer the day,i really think if you back those 2 you have the winner.

I've got a lot of respect for Denman but being realistic how much faith can you put in a horse that has only won one race (admittedly monstrous performance) since Gold Cup 08?

he will be nice and fresh this year, and imo that and his GC jockey back will see him have a better chance than when finishing 2nd last year.Thats my thinking anyway.

have backed diamond harry in the gold cup but feel its wise to go in with more than one horse ,i cant help thinking that long run after his performance in the king george is a sound bet in the gold cup 7s at hills people are suggesting that he is a flat track horse /better at kempton ect,im not buying into it imo he ran an absolute  stormer last year in the r.s.a at chelt he bludered at the 6th and made several mistakes at key points in the race and still finished just 7lenths & a sh behind weapons amnesty  burton port (not bad form )the point is he was only a five year old if he didnt make those mistakes he may well have won the r.s.a he then ran third in p.power giving  weight  and making mistakes to decent horses ,then he goes and wins the king george by 12 lths, remember if the k.george was run on boxing day he would have still been a" FIVE YEAR OLD " he has had plenty of schooling before king george and his jumping has improved  as was clear to all on saturday ,and as he is so young there must be room for considerable improvement   he is 7s with hills in my mind this is too big imo and he is worth a good bet ,this is just my opinion, there seems to be a lot of negativity concerning the horses ability to act around cheltenham but too me he has done nothing wrong there ,good luck

he has done wrong there though,he aint jumped well enough,you just said that above. (chelt he bludered at the 6th and made several mistakes at key points in the race )
Do that in the Gold Cup he has no chance.

extra couple of furlongs too. I reckon he will be in with a shout until the home bend where he looks round the corner at the hill and says **** that for a game!

Has run 4 times over fences, including PU in the RSA last year, only Dawn Run has won with less than 6 chase starts since 1963.
Has one run in November as his only start this season... Think Garrison Savannah is the only horse to do this.

if looking at the last time 10, 11 or 6yos won the gc the imperial commander, denners, kauto and long run have next to no chance

Less inclined to rule out IC, he's lightly enough raced for a 10yo, and the 2nd & 3rd were both 10yo's last year.

its all about the win[;)]

downstaller think you might find long run won 2 graded chases and a listed chase at autuille in france so he has actually had 9 chase starts

I was talking about Diamond Harry!!!!? Title of the thread...?

Last 6yo to win was Mill House btw.

downallstar, i humbely apologise