PUNCHESTOWN 2012: Voler La Vedette V Quevega

Good stuff.

Now she's learned to settle, she looks a different proposition this season. I couldn't split them!

The way i look at it is that VLV's run behind BB will serve to provide a better price about quevega, i'm taking the view that the run greatly flattered her, before that race she was a decent mare that couldn't hold a candle to quevega, look what quevega did to her in the mares race at the festival and last year at punchestown, all the run against BB's shows to me is what a crying shame it is that quevega herself doesn't get the chance to race against him.

Lynch rode the perfect race to obtain a place, he held her up out of the race and at the end was able to go past horses that either did not stay or had run their race and she won't be getting any weight off Quevega either.....incidentally, it would be interesting if mullins will let zaidpour take on Quevega.

Duffy agree re the better price. I reckon Que is special.

One good thing to come from VLV run in the world hurdle might be providing QUE beats her comfortably at punchestown, it will serve to bring a direct formline between her and BB that certainly will get more debate about QUE running in the world hurdle itself next year.

Willie mullins keeps saying , why take her away from the mares race when it's made for her, well, i think that it is an insult running her in the race, she deserves better than that, the race organizers can thank their lucky stars that a mare of her quality runs in it because as soon as she's no longer there the race will look like a complete joke event as regards a cheltenham festival race.

It won't happen. Quevega won't beat Big Buck's and while I would still side with Quevega it is obvious Voler is a different animal this season

Bucksy usually only does what is required. VLV was cantering all over him it appeared, but as we know he is NOT for passing. Quevega might beat her in more stylish fashion, which would get the debate on big time.

They should give it a go at Aintree, then they would know for sure not to give up the easy pickings of the Mares race.

She runs twice a year why choose to lose. There is no debate she won't beat Big Buck's over 3 miles

There is always a debate, talking in absolutes in horse racing is never a good idea imo. Of course I don't think she could beat BB either, but it wouldn't be n/o BB and any price you like Q...

You just cant say no debate she wont beat big bucks
because nothings cast in stone in racing and much,much
stranger things have happened.
Although I personally would not back her to do so
Reminds me of the ''If Synchronised wins the Gold Cup,I,m
giving up posting'' type of comments lol

BB is for passing, the reason he doesn't get passed is because one hasn't come along that is good enough, it isn't because he possesses some sort of mystical ability thatallows him to conquer all especially if he can look them in the eye .....Quevega would give BB a test imo, as for VLV being a different horse this year, well i would have thought that she would have been able to sort out zaidpour over 3, a race that mullins was so unimpressed with he stuck 4 in the world hurdle and zaidpour wasn't one of them.

Duffy, it is plain for all to see that Voler La Vedette is a different mare this season. Quevega stuffed her in the mares and at Puchestown, but Voler La Vedette didn't travel over at all well for the mare's race, she couldn't even beat Carol's Legacy, a decent mare but no world beater.

Let's take the form of the Punchestown race in order to exhibit the improvement Voler has shown. She finished  6 lengths behind Mourad and a neck behind Carlito Brigante. This year she's faced Mourad twice in Ireland, and beat him just as easily (one could argue more easily) as Quevega did on both occasions. He couldn't get near her. Mourad was a whopping 37 lengths adrift of her at Cheltenham. He probably wasn't at his best but it nonetheless adds further weight to the argument that she has improved beyond recognition. As for Carlito Brigante, well he wasn't even thought good enough to contest the World Hurdle.

The race with Zaidpour was a complete farce, Mullins himself said so afterwards. As a means of evaluating form it's near worthless. If you wish to use this race well Zaidpour was only beaten 12 lengths in the Champion Hurdle on ground that wouldn't have suited.

Quevega may well beat her again, but in my opinion it is wrong to use Voler's form from season's past to back up this opinion.

It isn't open for debate because it will never happen. As Mayweather would say Big Buck's is a champion you muppets

let's see what happens at punchestown then?....i maintain that she was out the back whilst others were racing proper, she picked up the pieces....i'm probably being overly harsh, the point i'm making though is if the proximity to BB is a true reflection of her improvement!! then quevega should be even closer to him, unless VLV has somehow improved past her, i wonder why they didn't run against her at the festival. As for mourads disappointing run, that would be down to the fact that he was racing toe to toe with BB from a long way from home which broke him,the year before he stalked and came there with a chance at the final hurdle.

Mick Fitz explained it all on ATR two hours ago. When one comes back after a race the winner goes straight on into the winners enclosure and the placed horses turn left. There is no comparison between the two. The Quevega owners have been in the winners enclosure with her four times (not their only winner at the festival) and thousands of owners would give their right arm to get there even once. I reckon they have judged it correctly. I dont believe they should change their approach just to satisfy our curiosity. As it is we get two guaranteed winners every year so we should not complain. Besides I reckon BB would beat her anyway.

It's funny how different horses get different reactions from the public....best mate wins 3 gold cups but a common thread that ran right through his career was that he beat nothing and there was always criticism of his connections one way or another.

Here we have a top class mare who runs twice a year(yes, fragile i know) one at the festival that aside from her is an absolute joke of a race......and no-one says a peep about it.

well, almost no-one.