Mr Mole

Maybe a handicap plot. 2 runs(one good win and a defeat suprise suprise), a good break then a run on a lower key track like Foss Lass to get a handicap mark.

something like the county then you think graeme? no chance of this one turning up in the supreme?

Yeah it could potentially be a county horse, although many would appear to think Mr Watson is their county plot. I should forget about calling it an intentional plot, as in the second race the horse wasn't behaving himself, and his head was veering all over the place. It could be the case that if they settle him and get a decent mark for him, that he could be one to look out for.

agreed, nothing fishy about the run behind kings lad last time. Kings Lad is a horse i like a lot and his run behind mr watson on saturday was very pleasing considering he was the only horse to really try and go with the winner. the other placed horses came from way off the pace and Dildar who went with mr watson and kings lad approaching two out was legless on the run in.

You could get a good laugh if he went to Musselburugh, watching Mr Mole and Divers in the jockeys oscar actors category for non trier of the year awards.

jockey wont need to act on Divers. surely wont go a jot on this ground. which should be perfect to get him down a couple more lb's

'He doesn't act on heavy ground' is plot talk for we know the ground is gonnae be pish anyway, so we will use it as an excuse in the hope we can atribute any good performance to better ground. He acted on heavy in France, parle vous Francais monsieur ?

i see your point, but if this horse is going to win a competitive handicap at the festival he is going to need good ground. imo of course.

regarding his beating of Melodic....I went to Exeter that day with the intention of having a decent punt on MR, but when they came in the paddock he looked terrible, as if he had just been woken up in his box,his coat was dull and generally didn't look ready, it's a credit to him that he ran so well, JS had obviously left plenty to work on..I instantly pulled the plug and backed Mr Mole, but I wouldn't use that run as a form line,I'm confident that if they were to meet anytime soon Melodic Rendezvous would be well ahead...

does anyone know the record of first season hurdlers in the County Hurdle?? I don't know about anyone else but that is the last type of horse I look for in the County. It is a ferocious race where really you want a mixture of exposure,class,form.

sint - seem to remember desert quest winning it as a novice not too far back? and ouninpohja went close. both trained by nicholls so evidently likes to have a go at it.

Novices have won the County on numerous ocaasions,Sintonian.

What's the connection between Mr Watson/Mr Mole, Graeme83 ?

Different trainer/different owner imo.

No connection. Some people see Mr watson as their(the punters) county horse. I think he ran in white/pink silks or something. I can't remember.

They both have form with Kings Lad also Flyingbolt

No relationship between Derrick Smyth and Jp.Mcmanus??

Dunno, you tell me.
His name is Smith btw.

So pedantic about such a detail,yet no knowledge to back it up.

THEY are all connected fb

was entered for a handicap at taunton  cant remember his rating 131?

ok fair do's folks. I remember Desert Quest, 4/1 fav iirc.

He won well enough today at Tauton. He still looks a bit green, and he looks a chaser already. I'd say he might be a county hurdle sort to me, so it will be interesting to see what the handicaper does.

I agree with that. Especially liked the way he jumped the second last. Made a lovely shape and looked a horse with plenty left in the tank. Interesting to see what the handicapper does now

"looked a horse with plenty left in the tank"

You think???? One of the easiest winners of the season

He has been given a rating of 126 lol...even though he won doing handstands, whilst giving something like 9 pounds to a horses that is only rated 2 pounds below him. I'll need a little bit of assistance here. Would he need something like 130 to get into the county, or can they put them in there and jsut take the weight of a 130 rated horse ?

bottom rated for county last year was 132 i think

ADR i haven't backed many of the bottom rated handicappers before. Is it possible that this horse would be allowed to carry the weight of a 132 horse ?

if he were to get a run in the race then he would just race from out of the weights. but id be amazed if he were to get a run.

unless of course he has another race and goes up another 6 of 7 lbs.

thats my understanding of the situation, but im sure one of the older, wiser heads of the forum can confirm what i have said or call me an idiot.

He won off 126 on 7/2/13, surely going to go up at least 9lbs. (i would think more)

Thanks Ibrahima. I thought it was his third run over hurdles to get his rating.

up 10lb

thanks duncan

Cheers Duncan. Seems fair enough but I'm sure that's a workable mark. Looking forward to see where he is entered up

Still seriously well handicapped.

Very interesting horse. Not sure about Cheltenham but he looks tailor made for the Imperial Cup.

JP having a conference call late last year.

JP: Hello mr Henderson, what do you have to tell me?
NH: You know that horse that you purchased for 200k and we thought it was good, well its an a superstar, it will win the betfair and then the supreme in a canter. Plus Darlan will win the champion.
JP: Happy days
JP: Mr Nicholls ?
PN: Yes
JP: you know that top class novice you have, its now a handicapper.
PN: ok, no problem.
JP: I will buy you new french one.
PN: cheers.
JP: Can it take 2 races in 4 days ?
PN: Dont know enough about him to be certain, best to load up on the first race.
JP: Cheers.

"There's no great plot with Mr Mole. He's still very green and I don't think he's ready for something like the County Hurdle."





That's what Paul has said. Well, that's that, although i think he will be one to keep an eye on next season. I like the look of it.

So according to PN it wont be entered in the county hurdle, we shall see.....

Any developments on this Horse of late?

Entered in the County Hurdle....

I like Paul Nicholls. He is smart to the extent where you can never accuse him of lying, because he is just simply enthusiastic to the maximum. He is one of the reasons i will always like jumps ahead of flats. I'm a punters sort of punter, but i think it's time people should respect your nicholls and hendersons of this world. Without them the jumps go to flat..think about it. Without them the jumps go to flat .....flatline.

Charge !!!!

had to back him at 7/2 for the imperial. doesnt look to be much of a race after a glance or two.

9/2 Imperial on Tues morning along with 10/1 County NRNB cos if he dont win Imperial he aint turning up in County. I'm not sure I like the look of his weight in the Imperial though...

What a **** dog

Impossible to draw any conclusions from today. That ground was only just raceable.

Well,This is gonna be the Mole's season

Could be, trainer reckons he has plenty of ability, was given a breathing op in the summer.....

The dream is still on

feck me the dream is alive. Come on Adrian Mole

handicap mark wuined

Well happy with that,he's woken the QM up for me.

big player for me

yep,that was impressive for sure....and he gave them a bid lead at the start.

What do we think about SDG......Non runner??

I think he will run Budd.
Thought he travelled well yesterday. Obviously his jumping was sloppy but not having too hard a race maybe a bonus.

Well they will want to go for sure mate,but a late return to the track after setbacks and then jump like that aint good preparation.
Guess it depends how he is over the coming weeks,and if hes picked up a knock.

If Mr Mole does at the start in the QMCC that he did yesterday he has no chance; can't give the likes of Sprinter and Dodging Bullets that kind of lead.

If he's on his A game, he's a big player though.

Absolutely Chief,cannot be giving ground away like that in the biggee.
If he starts ok, as you say mate hes a big player.

SDG might repeat a Martha's Son.

Saturday’s Game Spirit Chase lost its principal player when reigning champion two-miler Sire de Grugy, back from his injury-enforced absence, departed at the third fence from home, writes John de Moraville (Handicapper).

It was too far out to gauge how the 172-rated favourite, who had also clouted the previous obstacle, would have fared. But the race did confirm that the quirky but hugely talented winner, Mr Mole, remains firmly on the upgrade.

Despite shying away from the tape and losing ten lengths at the start, this thirteen-length defeat of Castleford Chase winner Upsilon Bleu represents another career-best performance from Mr Mole, promoting him to a new mark of 165.

By adding Newbury’s Grade 2 feature to his victory in last month’s Sandown handicap, Mr Mole was emulating the double achieved by his stable’s former super-star Master Minded seven years ago.

Master Minded (who, incidentally, had earlier unseated in the same graduation chase that Mr Mole won at Exeter in December) went on to annex the 2008 Champion Chase by a blistering nineteen lengths. It’s hard to envisage Saturday’s winner basking in victory at Cheltenham come March 11th but ratings suggest that he has every chance of making the frame.

The top 2m performance of the season so far was recorded by Mr Mole’s much-improved stable-mate Dodging Bullets, whose 171 in Ascot’s Grade 1 Clarence House Chase last month was gained at the expense of the returning 2013 champion Sprinter Sacre (168).

Back from an even longer absence than Sire de Grugy, it would be unfair to expect Sprinter Sacre to ever match his record-breaking achievements (and rating of 188) of two years ago.

But with that Ascot race under his belt, the Henderson star is the bookmakers’ favourite to emulate the mighty Moscow Flyer (2003 and 2005) by regaining the 2m chase crown in four weeks’ time in what promises to be a captivating showdown.

This beast should be fav

The atmosphere at chelt might just blow his mind! Certainly a fascinating renewal

I'd like to see him back up his weekend performance with another in a good quality race (which is likely to be the QMCC) before I get carried away with him.

He would have obviously won well, even if SDG and Uxizandre had stayed up, but I don't think his form is quite up to winning a QMCC yet.  Woolcome Folly was put up to 169 a few years ago.

I think he's short enough for what he's achieved so far, given his two races before his last win both involved beating Brick Red by 2 1/4 lengths both times.