ANY NEW ON CAPTAIN CHRIS ?

Realy sick of hobbs now, i'vw wasted more money on his donkeys.

They say his confidence has gone and he is off to see Monty to get his action sorted out.  Read somewhere that Menorah is going with him?

Kept jumping way right and losing ground.Jockey decided to pull him up,and Hobbs said at least it stopped him from having a hard race with no chance of winning.
Guess they will see over the next few days if something is hurting him.

This could ironically be a blessing in disguise, it could have been the Festival . As mentioned he was pulled up early so didnt have a race. As with Long Run last season maybe Yogi Breisner can work on his jumping successfully in time for this horse to enjoy the spring Festival ground he thrives on.

yes sorry Yogi not Monty, thinking of someone similar 30 years ago LOL, seeing Monty P back has probably confused me too ;)

the way he drifted from 11/4 to 9/2 was abnormal...they knew their was something up pre race but im not sure what,maybe they knew he would be pulled up...i wouldent mind but i taught he jumped like a stag in the arkle last year and hope he make gold cup as im on a/p

Wasn't in the parade ring before they rang the bell and was last out on to the course by some time as well.

I hope they run him in the Ryanair, because I want my NRNB tenner back for the Gold Cup

I watched the race from the centre of the course at the final flight.

I waited to watch Captain Chris come in after the race had finished and the others had returned to the padock.  He was trotting up the hill quite happily, looked to be moving fine and Johnson didn't dismount.  He looked like he was on his way down to post without a mark on him

Thanks Well Chief. All very odd!

even as a novice he had the tendency to jump to the right. admittedly was more severe today but he has always done it

The market said it all, him coming out so late may have caused some of the drift but he was weaker in the market much earlier tthan that.

He may be remembering going right handed in the King George which he does naturally. He can go left handed v well also winning last years Arkle but probably needs 're-programming' to exclusively go back that way round by Breisner during the next 6 weeks.

They are saying he has lost his confidence, maybe he was acting up when he got to the course?

I think the way they have campainged the horse this season has been awful. Feel really sorry for him. Not sure if its the owners or trainers fault, but they've made a right mess of things imo.

Ryanair looks the more obvious target given where we are now.

why do you say this catch?

hobbs says that he is going for a chase at ascot in feb 2.5f, says the horse is fine ?

Two and a half furlongs?  Did he even get that far yesterday? :)

brandy.. he made his seasonal debut in the Haldon GC and Hobbs was quoted as saying he hoped to see him in the QM in March.

Then for some reason (presumably to do with the owners) they decided he was being stepped up in trip. Without ever competing over 3m he is pitched into a top class King George against the best 3 milers around. I think his target should have been decided earlier and him had a chance to run in a coulpe of lesser 3m races to establish whether this was the right option before being pitched into a Grade 1, where if he wasnt to get home, he could be bottomed out for the season.

sorry lads 2 miles 5 furlongs ..............

Sorry FW knew what you meant, was just being a smart arse.  Is it the Grade 1.  Could be the perfect race for him I suppose.  Forget Cheltenham.  Aim for Punchestown.

yes thieves grade 1 ,its on the atr website .......amazed they havent found anything wrong with him ,looked like something was hurting him to me !

Hobbs says he landed on the 2nd fence and frightened himself!

fair play

i always thought the gold cup was the target.didn't realise hobbs had stated that

i know they had a setback after exeter and probably missed their intended target before the george. for me the george is the best gold cup trial run in england so it would of given connections a sighter of where they are with their horse.

i know kirk says different but this horse has always struggled jumping and going left handed, in his first race as a novice last year at chelt his jumping was wildly to the right. even in the arkle he continued to jump to the right, it was only his engine and poor opposition that allowed him to succeed that day
my concern is even in the george this season going right handed his jumping was very poor.either not in love with the game, or is feeling something

not sure how they campaigned him this year would of made a lot of difference to him to be honest

Thanks for that Strong.
But, the horse unshipped RJ at Exeter, he barely jumped a fence at Kempton, now lands on a fence in the Argento, not ideal prep for a Gold Cup IMO.
So disappointing for the race if he doesn't go, it doesn't look a great renewal and I love the idea of the ocassional wild card with a chance, take CC out and what is there behind the front two ?

So he never stayed at Kempton and has jumped poor all season.
Forget the Gold Cup.

well you can only be dissapointed with that ! he wont win a egg and spoon race jumping like that ! somethings not right targeting a race at ascot in feb that will decide where he goes ,not looking good for the gold cup .still thankfully backed him non runner no bet so not all lost.