Cheltenham Festival
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Melodic Rendezvous
Melodic Rendezvous
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by all accounts the horse strained a muscle at newcastle so cunningham said today on 4
i think that confirmed him as a solid 160 horse now...whether he is just a much better horse in the mud is another matter, i'd stick my head on the block and say he is, but i also think hurricane fly is a much better horse in the mud he will look a decent long poke in the champion if he could get his ideal conditions, he just seems so natural when devouring the mud when others will/would be disadvantaged |
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good news is that surely he will now run in the CHurdle,so we have a runner,but yes,it seems clear he has to have it soft to have any chance.
Still, soft ground is possible. |
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Well it's never quick the first day of the festitval.
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cant wait to see this beast jump a fence next season think it will be the making of him, but he aint a bad hurdler for know an deserves his place in champ hurdle
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On the one hand I think he'll be better suited to a bigger field and strong pace as he travels really well and finds plenty for pressure, but the one caveat is that his jumping needs to improve - injured himself at Newcastle with a bad blunder and flattened the 2nd last today.
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Sometimes he jumps very well then his misses some, he pinged the last at wincanton at full speed.
I still think the faster they go the better he will perform, i can see him loving the champion hurdle pace, whether he is good enough that is a different matter but i can see him still well their around the final turn. |
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No chance in CH imo. Should have been sent chasing as he'll be 9 year old novice at Cheltenham when they finally get round to that next year.
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I was impressed again, this horse kinda went under my radar for a while.
I think he is a very capable animal but just short of what is required. they prob started the season with the idea of going the arkle but then he wins the elite then he gets an injury in the MTOY race and then wins again. churdle is now the only option. and imo wheres he going to finish 5th or 6th. if he had been campaigned as an arkle horse from day 1 and campaigned right he would surely be an arkle contender with a whole heap of options. |
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I'm in the unclepuncle/Ibrahima camp - absolutely love the horse, love his attitude, he's proved his Fighting Fifth running was not his true form now for me.
I think he has a serious chance in the Champion Hurdle and will continue to be underestimated by the market because of his unfashionable connections and the blip in the Fighting Fifth. Not even convinced that he needs soft ground but quite happy for the racing media to continue propagating that theory. |
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Was at Haydock Yesterday and he won really well and maybe would have won easier if he'd not missed 2 out. But, to my eye looking at all the form is that on heavy he is at best a 165 horse and that maybe pushing it. He's very good but a few pounds behind the real top. Def worth an entry and if it came up heavy, he could run into a place. Just my opinion.
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IMO Haydock is the trial you use if you want to keep the dream alive while knowing it isn't going to have a happy ending.
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settle down autocue
have you got a witch hunt on this horse? you must see he is a good horse on soft ground or blinkered to that as well? |
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Autocue has got it about right...he's talking about it being the CH not having a happy ending...still a good horse though.
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i know what he meant duffy
so he knows like you... that it won't be a soft ground CH or has he got no chance on that either iyo duffy |
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Who said he had no chance?....do I think he'll win...no, he's not quick enough...if it's a bog, who knows, but a typical soft ground race and he won't know which way HF goes for one thing, let alone any others...as I said though....still a good horse.
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you agreed with autocue said duffy in regards to it not having a happy ending meaning he can't win the CH...hence my response
does make me laugh sometimes on here, after all he is a long shot can say i've not even backed the poor horse and probably won't but these responses when ground conditions aren't known does tickle me |
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harry,
My response to autocues comment was that he had it "about right" that implies that there is a subtle difference, this being, he used "knowing" whereas I wouldn't go that far, because none of us know. I think you're over-reacting, saying it won't have a happy ending is not the same as saying it has no chance and it certainly does no imply a witch hunt, it is also not belittling the horse in anyway as you have inferred by using the term "poor horse", to make what I said more understandable, can I just add that, I don't think it will have a happy ending for HF, TNO, OC, JEX,either, but I certainly think that they have a chance, as does MR. We certainly do agree on one thing though, for whatever the reasons some of the responses do tickle. |
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Make my day Callaghan. I don't think the horse is good enough to win a Champion Hurdle whatever the ground.
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neither do I, they will rue not going novice chasing with this one this season believe me
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I was on him last season at fancy prices for the supreme ew. The way he's performed this season I don't think he'd have been out of the placings for sure. Having said that, I agree with the general concencious that he's a long shot in the champ hurdle at best. I hope he does get some sft somewhere in the going though because if you forgive his Newcastle run then he's the only real long shot with a chance.
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Yeah, I backed him after the Elite at 25's, and then he went to 50's after the Fighting Fifth
 The have been some bigger prices in recent times in or around the placings (Punjbi won 22/1, Overturn 2nd 20/1, Thousand Stars 4th 33/1), but I also agree with the concensus, in that if the others take each other on too early, he could sneak a place, but he is a 25/1 shot, so we're not talking about one of the favourites here. |
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Melodic to miss Festival unless rain pours down
By Peter Scargill 1:11PM 21 JAN 2014 UNLESS the heavens open in the days before the Cheltenham Festival, Melodic Rendezvous is highly likely to bypass the Grade 1 Stan James Champion Hurdle according to his trainer Jeremy Scott. RELATED LINKS Champion Hurdle betting The eight-year-old was an impressive winner of the Grade 2 Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock on heavy ground at the weekend and his preference for softer ground means Scott is leaning towards races away from Cheltenham. "He's come out of the [Haydock] race very well so now we are considering our options," Scott said. "He seems to relish soft ground and we feel that while that type of ground prevails we might as well take advantage of it and run him sooner rather than later. "The jury is out on the Champion Hurdle at the moment. We'll see how he comes out of his next run and make a decision from there but our thoughts at the moment are that if the ground is very soft at Cheltenham we would seriously consider it, but if not there are options at Aintree and Punchestown." A general 20-1 chance for the Champion Hurdle, 16-1 with Paddy Power, Melodic Rendezvous has options at Sandown, Ffos Las and Wincanton for his next run. Writing on his website, Scott added: "There's a Listed race at Sandown on February 1 or the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las on the same day. "Our other option is the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on February 15 which, timing wise, is perfect. But it will be a very competitive race with a lot of the big guns being aimed at it so we might dodge that in favour of one of the other options." |
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To be honest, I'm not overly disappointed by this.
I backed him NRFB, and if I had the choice I'd rather have my stake back on the day, and throw it on Quevega for a refund. If it does come up soft, then I'll go into the race with a horse that will relish the ground and has a chance at placing, so win win from my point of view. |
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If the weather doesn't relent, it could be proper soft. Be interesting to see how the ground rides on Saturday. It was heavy this time last year.
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Am I the only one to find it strange that Scott talks about possible races on Feb 1st & Feb 15th, yet makes no mention of the big pot, advantageous handicap mark and likely suitable ground at Newbury on Feb 8th?
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None of it makes any sense.
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Can anybody explain to me, why, after beating Ptit Zig by 4.5 lengths last week admittedly getting 4lbs, that the handicapper still makes MR 3lb 1nferior to Ptit Zig. Melodic 156 Ptit Zig 159.
Is it me? |
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I can sort of understand the logic them trying to win another soft race or two between now and Cheltenham while ground conditions are in their favour, but assuming he is still 100% on the day I'd have thought he should take his chance in the CH.
Don't see the point of waiting for Punchestown as the field will likely be just as strong their, and certainly HF and Jezki have shown they are better at Punchestown than Cheltenham, whereas MR has shown he likes Cheltenham. |
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Trainer looking to dodge the Kingwell as he thinks it will be too competitive. Says it all really. Muddled thinker IMO and should have sent him chasing like he said he would.
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Fair do's, 9 isn't an ideal age to go novice chasing, but he is very lightly raced. Captain Cee Bee was hot fav for the Arkle at 9, and would have gone really close but for bursting a blood vessel, as his form in Ireland was really strong.
No doubt he has the ability to win an Arkle next year, but as with every year, it depends on the quality of the opposition. Its fair to say that one of MTOY or Jezki will be in the Arkle next year, ao there's already one big hurdle (literally!) |
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entered in Contenders Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday - so is Un De Sceaux, wonder if they'll both turn up?
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Should wait a week for the betfair hurdle, it will be really testing ground and a massive pot to go for.
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Dear mr scott
Please run Melodic Rendezvous in the betfair hurdle, in his short career you will learn more than ever if you let him run in this race. I understand the wincanton option, but afterwards it is likely you will be in the same position, as you dont really know how good your horse is. So given we are in one of the wettest winters ever, go on, give it a bash. Even if you run well in the betfair and beaten it is still possible you may well run better at cheltenham. Yours thankfully A Fan |
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^
I agree, he isn't going to win the top hurdle race at the festival but this race would be a very good consolation prize, that nice long straight in the slop would be right up his street. Half or more of the field won't even act if the ground is that bad while it'll have no effect on him whatsoever.....they're not going to get the chance to win the best non festival 2 mile handicap hurdle race again.....it's a no brainer. |
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"We think it is better to make hay while this wet ground prevails that he seems to prefer. He's still a relatively lightly-raced horse, and the Champion Hurdle is still six weeks away."
That quote is referring to the sandown race he was going to run in, but should now hopefully apply to next week instead. |
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Would had gone mightily close in the betfair hurdle
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Dear mr scott
Please run Melodic Rendezvous in the betfair hurdle, in his short career you will learn more than ever if you let him run in this race. I understand the wincanton option, but afterwards it is likely you will be in the same position, as you dont really know how good your horse is. So given we are in one of the wettest winters ever, go on, give it a bash. Even if you run well in the betfair and beaten it is still possible you may well run better at cheltenham. Yours thankfully A Fan Completely agree with this. I'm a big fan of the horse and I'm on him for the champion. He needs to be tested before then however. Today's race was an ideal opportunity and would have put him right in the mix if he had won. Similarly after his win in the Haydock trial he said: "The jury is out on the Champion Hurdle at the moment, and after last year’s disappointment, we won’t be getting too excited about it. We’ll see how he comes out of his next run, and make a decision from there but our thoughts at the moment are that if the ground is very soft at Cheltenham we would seriously consider it, but if not there are options at Aintree and Punchestown" If Melodic doesn't have a go at the big one what was the point of keeping him hurdling? He's a 8yo so while he's lightly raced he's no spring chicken. Will surely only have a couple more years to fulfill his potential so they have to try and test him instead of going for Mickey Mouse trial races. |
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Missed a big chance today.
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massive chance, duffy.
I read the form as a simpleton and used Far West as a yardstick  |
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Well at least it looks as though we will get a run for our money now.
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