Somersby's Cheltenham target

it will probably be decided the day before declarations are due knowing henrietta.

Depends which days the owner can attend doesn't it?

Wasn't the owner suffering from a serious illness?

If so that's a bit uncalled for.

I didn't mean it to be unpleasant, though reading it back it could be taken that way, for which I apologise. You are right that the owner's medical treatment meant she could attend one day of the Festival but not another, which is why he ran where he did this year.

I.e. the owner has other considerations above which race the horse will run in, which mean it may not be aimed at a particular race in the conventional way. So the horse is a poor antepost bet because its plans have a big, extra uncertainty.

I still think Somersby is a two-mile horse. Just not quite a top notch one. Does not improve for 2m4

Cheltenham will probably announce a 2 1/4 mile championship race soon, so all not lost yet.

cant we have an all grey horse race at cheltenham. always good when you are pi55ed

I still think we should have a race with alternating hurdles + fences, over two and a half miles, with the course heavily watered in some places and artificially dried in others. And instead of going just left handed, they do the first mile and a quarter right handed, do an about turn and finish as per normal

This would define the ultimate all round horse imo

^ No flaming hoops to jump through? Disappointing

Somersby's best form is right handed with victory in the King Henry V111 Novice Chase. I'd go to the Tingle Creek, King George, miss Cheltenham and take in Punchestown over 2 miles to round off his campaign.

that henry V111 novice chase run takes high rank in my list of "races where you first thought that you had seen a budding new champion .....but didn't " race

actually...this is an idea for a thread of it's own.

I still think we should have a race with alternating hurdles + fences, over two and a half miles, with the course heavily watered in some places and artificially dried in others. And instead of going just left handed, they do the first mile and a quarter right handed, do an about turn and finish as per normal

This would define the ultimate all round horse imo

Apart from the 2.5 miles bit, you've just defined the Velka Pardubicka that I had the pleasure of attending in the flesh a fortnight ago.

It's just nuts!

BTW There was flat racing there on the Saturday with the Czech St Leger the main race. Guess who is plying his trade out there these days?

Only Gary Hind!

Somersby has no form to speak of around Cheltenham, other than his 2nd to Sizing Europe in the 2009 Arkle, but the winner aside the strength of that race can be questioned.

Not one i'll be giving any consideration to around Prestbury Park this season, and agree with 'booster', if you want to catch this horse then look at right handed tracks and small fields. Price is sure to be reflective however so you won't get rich following him.

king george written all over him.

dwm767 Joined: 07 May 06
Replies: 555 26 Oct 11 11:43   


Somersby has no form to speak of around Cheltenham, other than his 2nd to Sizing Europe in the 2009 Arkle, but the winner aside the strength of that race can be questioned.


Sizing Europe beat him in 2010

Would run him in the Ryannair myself,after a bash at the King George.

Did ok today,not sure how good 1833 is,but he beat him readily enough.

Ah yeah, cheers Howdi.

No hope in the QM so boys (33's)

I'd shoot this habitual loser..horse doesn't want to know.

He will never win a top prize this rechid beast..

Every time the gun is put to his head he makes a mistake..

Get the shot gun out..put those poor punters, who believe henrietta, can still train out of their misery..

pr1ck

Lol- needs trying at 3m atleast

Very interesting horse for the KG in my opinion. Was at Sandown when he won the Henry VIII and right-handed (Sandown & Kempton) seems to suit.

Around 20/1 I think for Boxing Day.

Great opportunity for this horrible horse to win a good one tomorrow...

But will he find a way to lose it and throw it away???

These are the questions we have to ask ourselves...

I'd say this habitual loser will find a way.... he always does...

harry it's clear being a habitual loser is a trait you and Somersby share in common.

He'll win tomorrow though

^ They do say you can never hate the flaws of others as much as you can hate them in yourself!

And yes, I think he wins here. Hardly the horse's fault that he's been running in Grade One races over the wrong trip for the past 18 months.

ooh dear what a poor show

what are they gonna do now?

watching that it ll be the 4 miler !! how he had the speed to run well in the 2m novice hurdles i ll never know. looks to me like a big, lumbering,gangly slow old boat now. ive always liked the horse and he is stunning to look at in the flesh but that didnt look great...the weather with the high winds dont help but im afraid he ll now be ticked off my punting list.

Tomdeane and (you know your stuff Mr Mischief)...i will accept an apology mischief??

Well this rechid horse has found a way again...

Awful awful horse this thing..

As soon as the pressure was applied 3 out, a mistake, he doesn't want to know...

If there is a way to lose, this habitual failure will find a way...

I pity those that still believe he is a good horse...a rogue this thing...

Still if you a layer..thank you very much...

Well, what can I say? He was very disappointing. You're right - he went from tanking to nothing and then plugged on again when it was too late.

I had convinced myself he just couldn't go with the speedsters when they kicked over two miles and still don't believe he has that turn of foot that you need over that distance. But, no excuses today - he either didn't want to know or wasn't good enough.

I do not know what is wrong with this creature?

I agree he looks like a good horse, until he is put under the maximum pressure..

There is only one plausible thing I can say, either the horse is an absolute mut, which is likely or he runs to me like a horse with a breathing problem. Have seen it in many, they hit the flat spot then run on again..

Now if this proves to be the case and he proves to be the horse everyone thinks he is (except myself) then I will hold my hands up..

But for now, he is tripless, chucks it in when pressure is applied and is trained by a woman who shouldn't be training..

I would love to be proved wrong as I was with the rotting corpse that was Pigeon Island..

Keep believing....

yup needs to be moved to a decent yard

i dont think somersbys remotely ungenuine , ive always said hes a tripless one pacer but of a high grade.i would say that the nearest thing he has to a trip is 2 and a half miles but i think hes still gonna have just the single pace, hes not always the greatest of jumpers either is he.it probably doesnt help that hes been highly overated from day one.

i dont think somersbys remotely ungenuine , ive always said hes a tripless one pacer but of a high grade.i would say that the nearest thing he has to a trip is 2 and a half miles but i think hes still gonna have just the single pace, hes not always the greatest of jumpers either is he.it probably doesnt help that hes been highly overated from day one.

there is a chance that he is really an out and out stayer. He might want 3 miles 2 furlong plus up to 4miles. Hen is just such a scaredy cat and won't stress them

it was clear from the Arkle he needed a trip and he shoulda been running at 3 miles plus ever since. He might not be one paced at those distances

He did finish 2nd to one of the best 2m chasers i have ever seen,so he must have something.

Never thought this horse needed more than 2 miles myself, just not up to the top level. Perhaps the Charity race on the Thursday is his best chance for victory

Somersby e/w in the King George is my Xmas present to u all! Will no doubt be mocked for this but will pop back on the 27th with a smile :) Get on now at 16/1, won't be out the first 3 and will go very close to winning. Then head to Cheltenham Gold Cup (or even Punchestown as probably would suit better)

I may be wrong but I suspect Somersby is crying out for 3 miles. On his dam's side there is Presenting - sire of two Cheltenham Gold Cup winners (Denman and War of Attrition)and a Grand National Winner (Ballabriggs). There is also Over the River, also sire of two Gold Cup winners (Cool Ground and Cool Dawn).

I think you will see a big improvement for stepping up in trip. I just hope that the race on December 8, his third of the season, hasn't knocked the edge of him.

Can write off last week's run. Will be very very close on Boxing Day!

Continues to be backed for the King George this horse...lets hope the punters have deep pockets..12-1 now should be 20's..

Just one bit of advice, get out in the run, cause surely this rechid horse will find a way to through it away...

I'd say it is 4-5 he makes a mistake 3 out and 5-4 the second last...

But he may well have downed tools, before this point however...

each way money surely?

i actually don't think he's ungenuine it's just when he makes a mistake he immediately comes under pressure and takes forever to run on again......i wouldn't be surprised if there is something ailing the horse....his novice win at sandown was a jumping joy....and when he made a mistake late on he rallied superbly up the run in....his finish behind sizing europe in the arkle was top drawer as well.....different horse now.

On decline without doubt, wouldnt back him with stolen at kempton?

His last run was poor thats for sure, but other than that he has been a most consistant horse. He's only 7, and Irish bred, far too early to say he is in decline imo.

As much as I admire Hen Knight, I don't think she has campaigned this horse very well. She has changed her mind numerous times on targets, preferred trip etc. Like a lot of people I think he should be running at longer trips than he has been. A flat, RH course like Kempton are ideal conditions for him.

Do they still run the dog race at the Festival.

Be odds on favourite for that.

His last run he got his tongue caught on the bit and couldnt breathe..... is 2-2 at kempton, crying out for 3m, has been looked after while he grows and matures, placed 15 times in 17 races (other 2 he was 4th and 5th) with Sizing Europe and Master Minded (2 best at the 2 trips) winning the last 5 he's lost.... 14/1 is value

How is value?

Has the horse any serious form at the top level?

A couple of placed efforts at Chelters but not a lot else.

Excuse horse - end of

2nd in an arkle to the horse than went on to win the queen mother aswel :/ all his form is over 2m and 2m4f against top class horses, constantly placed. if his optimum trip is 3m or further which i think it is, then that form is even better. 15 placed runs from 17 means 14/1 is value for an e/w bet :/

It does look like being a small field - maybe only 7 or 8.

I realise that some punters feel that 3 miles will be this rechid horse's trip but when the pressure is applied what will he do?? We all know what will happen..................nothing...no response...

With 7 or 8 runners there really will be no excuse...

Paul number 4

You say he is 2-2 at the track and that means he must be a course specialist i take??

Well those 2 runs were in quite a weak novice hurdle although the second horse has proved to be a 130 merchant over hurdles brilliant!!

And then in a weak 2m 4f Graduation Chase, he struggled to beat a long term Grand National project by 3 lengths off of level weights...sweating his nuts off in the process...

If the rechid creature was worried about that 3 runner race, I'm not sure the King George is the race for him, do youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu????

or looking at it a different way he has run a decent prep for the Ascot race which would have been the first target of season where he got very close to beating Master Minded. hardly gona be prepped to full fitness for all 4 runs before xmas is he?! :/ i guess we'll see come boxing day, maybe he is below top class

Henrietta Knight has revised her initial plan of going for the Gold Cup with Somersby following his creditable fourth to Kauto Star in the King George VI Chase.

The Lockinge trainer said: "I think the distance of the Ryanair Chase is the right one for him."




So there you go...the horrible horse has his target...would have to have a chance again...

but we all know what is going to happen...should hit 5 in the run and then hit the wall 2 out and then plug on again when its all over...

lets hope he goes off 20 but some faithful punters will surely force the rechid beasts price down yet again...lets hope they have deep pockets...