Yeh,i realise that Joist,but thanks.
Must confess i aint seen him run,im not a flat fan really,so am waiting for him to show what he can do re jumping.
As you say its all hype at this stage,hopefully we will see what the fuss is about soon,although it seems it wont be this weekend.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm another week to wait then , this is getting VERY EXCITING

You seem really intelligent, OnTheSnaff. I was stating why there is hype over him, not my opinion of the horse.

When are we going to see this creature?

Thanks in advance.

Minsk is on course to make his eagerly awaited National Hunt debut at Fairyhouse later this month.

The Dalakhani gelding is a 10-1 shot for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham next month, mainly down to his form on the Flat. He won his last three starts for trainer John Oxx, culminating in the Irish Cesarewitch, where he romped home by five and a half lengths.

Owner Barry Connell sent Minsk to Dessie Hughes to be trained for a hurdling campaign, with the Triumph the target should all go well, and it looks like the Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle at Fairyhouse on February 25 will be his only public outing before Cheltenham.

"He's good. He's going to Fairyhouse for the Winning Fair on the 25th," said Hughes.

"That will probably be his only run before Cheltenham. It might be enough. It just depends on the company he faces and how he runs.

"I expect him to be in top form for it. He likes the hurdles, but we'll see how he takes to them when he runs."

i read in the racing post today they asked B.Geraghty, a couple of tipsters and trainers if they thought that G1 juv hurdle winner had a chance in the triumph and one of them said i "i don't think we've seen the triumph hurdle winner yet!" neither do i because the winner is MINSK!!!

If Nichols trains this years triumph winner, as he did last year, the winner is dodging bullets imo , as i do not know what the stats are, but is it true that nichols tends to bring out his juveniles in ability order every year? I.e worst - best in yard

That would be either

Zarzal, Shamar or Kayalar then But most likely Shamar, as he is entered over the weekend with other two entered on Weds OTS

Into 8/1 and just 8.4 on here and still we are yet to see him or be entered up for anything

GOOOOOOAAAAAANNNNNN CCCAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cammy you 100% this will line up for the Triumph? Not been confident the way Hughes is talking. I like the look of him but worried this aint the main target

It only seems yesterday that training connections were putting people away in the press saying Hardy Eustace was Coral Cup bound while backing him at big odds for the Champion Hurdle on here. Lets hope for Cammy's sake they arent up to the same kind of tricks again re targets.

didn't davy russell say he thought the horse was lame a few days ago ?

Lame a few days ago yet is heavily - ish backed on here without ever having seen him in public

coloum in racing post with owner didn't have a single word in it about horse ever being lame. he said that he'll be running on the 25th and if he was to win easily "which he could very well do" then it will be onto the triumph. he also said that his targets for next years flat season may include the irish ledger and possibly the melbourne cup. he's held in high by connections and i see him hacking up in both his debut next weekend and the Triumph.

will be kept for novice hurdles so, might let him off and then target something like the Newmarket Ces before going novice hurdling.

Davy was being sarcastic Graeme as Shark Hanlon put him up as his best bet for Chelt - he was nt being serious!

Thats wat i was told anyway, he was takin de piss out of Shark as Shark said he was the best irish bet of the whole meeting that he has heard great things about it. The Davy said he was lame messing

No idea how Davy would know wat was happening at Dessie Hughes and no1 else would so i assume he was takin the p

Posted on the Chelt preview thread there now - i was nt there so cant say 100% but would be 99.99% sure he is only rising Shark!

Guest Tom Seagull put it forward as an Irish Festival fancy when they were looking video of Irish Festival contenders. Dessie Hughes interview where he says they got it going with him since Christmas and he has schooled very well, the horse has taken to them from the first day he jumped them he's been fantastic, hopefully he'll repeat it on the track. Hoping he runs a good race in Fairyhouse.

Seagull confirmed indirectly that he does get privileged info for his day of race selections by saying re Minsk after Luck mentioned the use of reading trainer body language, vibes and reading between the lines (some of us have been doing that for years it is v important antepost to profile the trainers by the way) and Seagull confirming this tricky art to master but he thinks (as do I) that trainers give the best indication of how they rate horses this way and the vibes from Dessie Hughes is that this is a really, really good horse who jumps really well.