Cheltenham Festival
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Montbazon - Supreme Novices.
Montbazon - Supreme Novices.
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Replies: 122
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Dont do flashy when it comes to the Supreme,that today is how i like them in the build up.
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We don't need to get too carried away with this race , The Fly and Quevega will hopefully oblige
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The race today was actually the same one as what Al Ferof won last season prior to the Supreme.
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Think if ok from fall Colour Squadron may reverse placing at Festival, was travellling slighty better imo.
But have both onside for Supreme at nice prices,in wide open race. |
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i liked the performance , he jumped better and settled , he can only improve for the hurdleing experiance , a fast run race at cheltenham will suit and can see him traveling well down the hill , it will all be about him staying up the hill , a very strong condenter in my book , also darlan is a massive threat to all , ive backed both so hope the fall didnt harm him in any way
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I was at Newbury and after strontium's comments I've had to watch the race again.
Having done so I am still with my initial impression that Montbazon only assumed control in the final furlong and it was his stamina that won him the race. In fact I can seriously see him running a very similar race race to Al Ferof and time will tell if that is good enough |
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I was at Newbury and after strontium's comments I've had to watch the race again.
Having done so I am still with my initial impression that Montbazon only assumed control in the final furlong and it was his stamina that won him the race. In fact I can seriously see him running a very similar race race to Al Ferof and time will tell if that is good enough |
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sorry for the double click
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That's true Roobuck, and I firmly believe that stamina is important to win any Festival race. But I thought/think Montbazon stayed on well rather than finsihed strongly (if that doesn't sound stupid). He looked like he was treading water on what must have been pretty good ground. As you'll say, we'll see. I don't have a strong preference for the Supreme yet and he might be the one - but he wasn't outstanding.
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It's interesting that King thinks he wants better ground. For me, when he made his hurdling debut behind Colour Squadron, he travelled and jumped really nice of the official Soft ground.
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He jumped and travelled like the best horse in that race but couldn't pick up in the soft ground which was why I backed him for Cheltenham. Very interesting King's post race comments re his instructions to the jockey. The horse has been ridden as though he was Shergar in every race but they taught him more this time and I think he was better for it and they now know how to ride him.
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ALAN KING has indicated that Montbazon, who kick-starts our Cheltenham Festival raid in Tuesday’s curtain-raiser, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, could be one of our best chances of the week.
Expressing himself “very happy” with the form of his squad for the biggest four days in NH racing, Alan said on Sunday: “Apart from Grumeti, who worked on Saturday morning, having had that little hiccup, all our Cheltenham horses had their last major gallop last Wednesday, and I must say that nothing is going there in better form than Montbazon. “Montbazon and Smad Place worked exceptionally well. Montbazon has improved so much since he won his prep-race at Newbury, and his work at home has been unbelievable, while, though Smad Place has it to do against Big Buck’s in the World Hurdle, his work has been a revelation compared to what it was last season, and he just seems a different horse. If he could finish third or fourth it would be absolutely fantastic.” Of the others, Alan said that Grumeti is back on track for the Triumph Hurdle on Friday, observing “he only missed one day’s cantering for that pricked foot, so there are no worries on the score of fitness, and I am very laid-back as to which Choc rides. He can decide Thursday morning if he wishes – Wayne (Hutchinson) has won on Grumeti and Balder Succes, so it does not matter which way ‘Choc’ jumps.” Alan also indicated that Medermit would “probably” run in the Ryanair Chase on Thursday rather than the Gold Cup 24 hours later. He added: “Medermit is 7-1 for the Ryanair and 33’s for the Gold Cup, so it makes sense to lean that way and unless one of the big guns drop out of the Gold Cup, I would think we will be running on Thursday. I am dying to try Medermit over three miles, but I am not so sure about three and a quarter at what is bound to be a furious pace.” |
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Fingers crossed!
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yep
its always good to get the festival off to a flying start with an ante-post winner |
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Alan King believes Montbazon, who runs in the opening William Hill Supreme Novices' Hurdle on Tuesday, is one of his stable's best hopes of success at the four-day Cheltenham Festival.
The Barbury Castle trainer has a decent team for jump racing's biggest meeting and reports his squad to be raring to go. "Apart from Grumeti, who worked on Saturday morning, having had that little hiccup, all our Cheltenham horses had their last major gallop last Wednesday, and I must say that nothing is going there in better form than Montbazon," he told alankingracing.co.uk. "Montbazon and Smad Place worked exceptionally well. Montbazon has improved so much since he won his prep-race at Newbury, and his work at home has been unbelievable, while, though Smad Place has it to do against Big Buck's in the World Hurdle, his work has been a revelation compared to what it was last season, and he just seems a different horse. "If he could finish third or fourth it would be absolutely fantastic. "Grumeti only missed one day's cantering for that pricked foot, so there are no worries on the score of fitness, and I am very laid-back as to which 'Choc' (Robert Thornton) rides (in the Triumph Hurdle). "He can decide Thursday morning if he wishes - Wayne (Hutchinson) has won on Grumeti and Balder Succes, so it does not matter which way 'Choc' jumps." |
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If Choc isn't on Grumeti I'll eat my hat.
 Hope Montbazon gets the week off to a flyer.  |
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Good luck Sint. Market speaking very positively for you.
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nice to see the trainer confident and ratyer bullish about his horse,gives me confidence in getting off to a good start.
bl00dy tough race though!! |
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Good luck with this one sint. With you at 20s and whilst he won't be my biggest winner in the race, if he wins it sure would be a good start to the week. Good early pick as well
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Im on at 12s but like others have said - this looks a very Tough race. Still the trainer confidence is positive - and I remember seeing the Morning Line a few weeks ago and someone mentioning Montbazon then, said it was possibly the King stables best chance of a winner.
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Have always had the feeling he'll get placed rather than win - just hope I'm wrong.
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That's my slight concern. He looks a decent battler though and won't shirk the hill (if he's close enough).
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Ante-post favourite Darlan will face 18 rivals in Tuesday's Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Nicky Henderson's starlet fell on his most recent start at Newbury but along with jockey Tony McCoy has recovered well enough to take his place in the traditional curtain raiser. Also taking part in the two mile contest will be Vulcanite and Hazy Tom, trained by former Henderson assistant Charlie Longsdon, whilst Paul Nicholls will saddle the Graham Wylie-owned Prospect Wells who will be ridden by Ruby Walsh. Philip Hobbs runs Colour Squadron, Alan King Montbazon and Donald McCain will rely on Cinders And Ashes as well as Agent Archie, with stable jockey Jason Maguire riding the former. A strong Irish challenge will be led by Jessica Harrington's Steps To Freedom, and includes Willie Mullins' trio of Midnight Game, Allure Of Illusion and Simenon as well as Distant Memories, Trifolium and Galileo's Choice. The field will be completed by David Pipe's Catch Tammy, Noel Meade's Dylan Ross and Tim Vaughan's Jimbill. |
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Could be right Uncle. He does have class but possibly there is another with more.
Reminds me of Al Ferfor in a way in that he stayed on strongly last time at Newbury so the quicker they go here the better. Good luck all. |
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fingers crossed for that sint
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Bit of a backtrack from Alan this morning:-
Assessing our “three muskateers” for the opening day, Alan said: “I have never made any secret how highly I rate Montbazon (Supreme Novices’ Hurdle), but equally I have always gone out of my way to stress that I am still not sure that he is yet the finished article and that he will improve again for a summer on his back. “However, there is no doubt that he has come on again since winning his prep-race so impressively at Newbury, and his subsequent work and schooling has been exemplary. “At the back of my mind is the feeling that at this stage of his career he just might find one or two too good, but I could not be happier with him and I will be disappointed if he is not in the mix at the finish. |
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I cannot fathom why he is half the price of Colour Squadron when the latter was going the better at Newbury and has already beaten him.
 Not saying he can't win but he makes zero appeal at the prices compared to CS.In a wide open contest I think value lies in Tetlami & Colour Squadron. |
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Went exactly as I expected - close but no cigar
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Did he get 4th ?
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Yup was 4th of course
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He was never jumping with any fluency today. Would have been much closer even won if he did.
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His jumping was very poor - he's such a nice physical specimen that he might be crying out for fences.
Wouldn't mind a tasty price (40/1+ say) on next years Arkle. |
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Doubt you would get 40's Uncle.
He didn't jump at least 3 hurdles very well and the last flight was particularly galling as he cost him a place. Beaten a head into 4th so absolutley gutted. Still, he has a fair engine to jump like that and go pretty close to winning. Might be one for the Arkle next year if he improves physically (most likely) and fences bring the best out in him. |
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I always felt he was lacking the star quality to win - mind you I'd have said the same about the winner. He also looks more of Aintree type so maybe get our money back there.
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Yeah possibly though they will need to improve his jumping. Lost a few lengths in total throughout the race from not being fluent. Definate future potential though i'd say.
Hoping Grumeti will get the money back tbh. |
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One day he's going to mature into a very good race horse but you don't win anything at Cheltenham if you can't jump and he's still learning.
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Unlucky re the place guys - I only had the win, same with Darlan
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Does anyone know what price he was in-running ?
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Hurdles or Fences for this beautiful beast? I noticed a few hundred quid has been matched at 90/1 for the Champion Hurdle.
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Sintonian, oddly enough I was studying some tapes watching this horse last week. The same question ocurred to me and I thought about you! Not sure he will be CH class, and he has scope to burn, so fences? In his bumper year he looked like he has speed to burn; less so I thought last year.
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