Cheltenham Festival
There is currently 1 person viewing this thread.
These 241 comments are related to the topic:
Rock On Ruby Champion Hurdle winner 2013
Rock On Ruby Champion Hurdle winner 2013
sort by:
Show
per page
Replies: 241
|
By:
No for the record I have no doubt that the best horse won the day last year, and won well. If RoR turns up in the same form and its similar ground, he will be very hard to beat. Looking at what he has done this season in comparison to how he was performing last season makes me think it a huge doubt that he will however.
In contrast to last year I think Zarkandar and HF are going into the race in better form. Zark may well not have shown 'speed' against the best on good ground, but last year was the only opportunity he has had to do that. He was only a 5yo, seemingly not looking his best after an already interrupted season and failed that test. This season he may well need to be pushed along further out than the other principals, but I am hopeful he will be able to keep tabs and then out-battle them. You are right if RoR does get a healthy lead and finishes his race, he probably won't be caught. |
|
By:
Old Course is nearly a furlong shorter according to PFN.
|
|
By:
Point being?
|
|
By:
That it is going to be less of a test of stamina, Roo.
|
|
By:
According to RP the New Course is indeed half a furlong longer, but there is only 3.5 secs difference in standard times.
And as a 4yo Zark covered the ground only 4.5 secs slower than RoR won the Champion in - Zark aint slow, just looks it at times as the jockey needs to encourage him a bit more |
|
By:
From memory the International took over 30 seconds longer than last season's Champion but he's run fast enough times elsewhere to suggest Zarkandar has speed.
|
|
By:
I thought Binocular improved significantly his champion hurdle run from 5-6. I know he came close when he was 5 but Punjabi was one of the worst recent winners imo and he corrected that the next year. Given any amount of improvement Zarkander should be right in the mix with no stand out candidate as of yet.
|
|
By:
bred by the AGA Khan, he is sure to have that blend of speed and stamina, he,s just a late maturing type. biggest danger to the fly imo dismiss him at your peril
|
|
By:
Reading some interesting stat re ROR
Form over 2miles: 4111112131 Form over further: 2233 Small feilds: 1/5 10 or more rnrs: 6/9 Lets hope their are lots of runners come champion day. |
|
By:
Definitely prefers a strongly run race.
|
|
By:
Good to see the stable in top form and a trainer who seems to know his horses and not afraid to tell us when he fancies one which then runs well.
|
|
By:
Zaidpour(if he runs) Cotton Mill or Countrywide Flame. One of these must surely lead the Champion field as they do not have the pace IMO if it turns into a sprint. So no worries for ROR on that front. Have backed him and think Grandouet is the chief threat.
|
|
By:
Read some interesting sectional analysis on Hurricane Fly's two Champion Hurdle runs. Stronger the pace the better in the race will suit Zark & ROR the best.
By my reckoning there are at least 8 certain runners at the mo, then there are likely to be one or two rags. |
|
By:
Thousand Stars may run to set a strong gallop for Fly. Think Ruby and Mullins are worried there will be a muddling pace.
Interesting Thousand Stars was taken out of World Hurdle and left in Champion. Zaidpour could set the pace too. |
|
By:
ahead of the defence of his StanJames Champion Hurdle crown a week on Tuesday.
With the recent improvement in the weather, Fry has been able to get his stable star schooling on grass for the first time since December's StanJames.com International having been restricted to an indoor barn. And he believes any further drying in the ground at Cheltenham will improve his eight-year-old's chances. In his latest blog for StanJames.com, Fry said: "Rock On Ruby is very well. Noel (Fehily) schooled him yesterday on the grass and he's as good as he has been all season. He's really coming into himself now and I just can't wait. It's 10 days away now and he really is peaking and it's very exciting. "I've said all season we're very lucky to have a horse like him and to be going there in a race like the Champion Hurdle with the form he's in with as good a chance as any, very very positive about his chances. "If it continues to dry, or if the ground's no worse than good to soft, I think we'll take an awful lot of beating." |
|
By:
just read the 123 ch fred, 6 out of 36 put ror in their first 3.
unreal, no surprise that only 5% of accounts win on betfair.  How the fook do you have a previous winner and a horse with a record at cheltenham to die for out of the first 3 ? |
|
By:
I know you are this horses number one fan mate but are you not worried that Darlan would have beat him easily lto bar that fall?
I know he is being trained for one day but i would be slightly concerned. |
|
By:
if something goes to the front and slows it down thats ROR,s race done, there is no overturn blazing a trail this year, to me this year he looks like he has no gears, he,s like an automatic bmw racing against 6 speed alpinas, what the horse needs imo is a pace maker burning it up this will blunt the gears of those around him, thoughts anyone???
|
|
By:
Yes, i still not 100% convinced darlan would had won that day, he was travelling all over him so. Nothing wrong with losing to a future champion in darlan imo.
But the people who dont even put ROR in their 3 must not really follow form, or are swayed by figures, trainers and wins..... they are basically saying ROR fluked it last year or being disrespectful. Still cant understand why ROR is not likely to improve but HF at 9 is going put in a PB. |
|
By:
He wouldnt be the first champion hurdle winner of recent times to win one then flatter to deceive the following year - sublimity, Punjabi, katchit etc.
I havnt got a bloody clue as to what will win. Hurricane fly is a joke price and I dont really like Zarkandar or Grandouet either. |
|
By:
I agree with Mr Eboue, really cant work this one out. I backed ROR last year, but I'd like to know what was going to ensure a strong pace before I did again, because a slower pace surely sets it up for Grandouet and/or HF?
|
|
By:
ive backed the fly at decent prices but im warming to zarkandar by the minute if there is a lack of pace (no overturn burning it up this year) he will be able to be ridden more handily, and if he gets to the front he,ll out battle anything imo
|
|
By:
Zarkandar needs the stiff track, grandouet, you are just guessing but he is the danger. HF needs it soft and slow.
I was going to be more aggressive mr e, but as you are a good guy i will try to make you think. The horses you posted above were all flat bred who won on decent ground, ROR 2nd in the neptune is top class form and he followed it into the next season. A champion hurdler needs to be top class at 2m4f/2m5f |
|
By:
jesus marychain, ROR can make it on his own ?
ROR was 2lengths behind the 'pacesetter' at the 2nd hurdle and throughout the race. Noel Fehily is in the top 2 imo |
|
By:
Yeah I could be underestimating him mate.
We'll see. I'm not sure I'm even going to bother having a bet in the race. |
|
By:
The horses you posted above were all flat bred who won on decent ground
is it easier to make a fast horse jump hurdles, or is it easier to make a good jumper run faster??? there seems to be more and more speed in the NH game in recent years imo, thoughts??? |
|
By:
Out of interest where do you rate NF ?
|
|
By:
thats a bit racist ibrahima
 |
|
By:
Its a hell of a difference running behind a pacesetter and doing it all yourself though imo, although Hardy Eustace is an exception that proves the rule. I still think the fact that Sizing Europe had to make his own running in the QMCC after Wishfull Thinking crashed out set it up for Finian's Rainbow. It was more that than the fact they never jumped the last that helped FR imo.
|
|
By:
i would agree with you first point 100%. but you just know someone will make it.
But the big plus is that, if no one does, he can |
|
By:
I'm a HUGE HF fan but ROR will unquestionably in my opinion be in the top 3. Has a huge chance to win as well
|
|
By:
I've been taking advantage of the PP offer and got a few people to back both Zarkandar and ROR with the money back if HF wins offer. I have it plainly between those three. Looking for more friends, wives, colleagues and whoever to get on for me. Very negative on Grandouet so don't see many threats to the bet
|
|
By:
I'm doing the same. Backed HF in here at an average of 5.24, will back again but covering on Zark and ROR with PP. will be amazed if one of those 3 don't win
|
|
By:
Why are ye ruling out Grandouet lads??1 run in 15 months and missing his prep I presume??
4lbs better off with Zark. from International Hurdle,Zark race fit and Grandouet making seasonal debut.The champion hurdle course suits speed horses more so than the one in International also.Drying Ground also in his favour. |
|
By:
back it then
|
|
By:
Yep, the entire reason. Start of the season there were two horses I was very keen on; spirit son and grandouet. I learnt the hard way last year that a horse going into the CH with a poor prep on the back of one run should not be backed. Have no doubt whatsoever he is a class horse, but could not back it under any circumstances
|
|
By:
especially not after seeing what Alleged has to say about NJH horses going into Cheltenham without a prep run (2 winners from 76 attempts)
|
|
By:
Glad to see I'm not the only one puzzled by the race.
I'm pretty sure HF is too short given his record at the track, but I can't figure out what beats him. ROR is a terrific e/w bet on paper, specially in conjunction with that PP offer. But as Mr E. pointed out earlier, it's hard to shake the lingering mental image of Darlan cantering all over him. And ROR had his ground that day. Zarkandar has youth on his side, but will the trip be too sharp? Grandouet has had no sort of prep. And how anyone could back Binocular at 10/1 is beyond me. Basically all the fancied runners have question marks against them. It seems like an open race and anything could happen. |
|
By:
Correct me if i'm wrong but Darlan is not running in the race. It's totally irrelevant how much he would have won by.
|
|
By:
To be clear, if Darlan was still with us and running, then ROR would be a 10/1 shot and even then i'd doubt i'd back him. But sadly Darlan is not here. ROR still beat a useful horse 3 lengths when prepping.
The only issue for me is how soft the ground will be. If it comes up Soft then you'd have to look at Zarkandar. I'm not convinced by the Fly at all now. He's been beating very little. |