Cheltenham Festival
There is currently 1 person viewing this thread.
Anyone else think 4/6 to beat SDG is ridiculously short given what he's achieved so far? Aside from the fact his running style leaves minimal room for jumping errors, his form is the thing that would concern me most.
He's fell twice from 6 starts over fences. I didn't read too much into his hurdles form as he raced trees. I was impressed with his first 2 wins over fences, beating Smashing by 12 lengths and then Clarcam/Gilgamboa by 15 lengths. However I can't be the only one who wasn't overly impressed with his victory in the Arkle beating Gods Own by 6 lengths and his next run at Punchestown where he beat Just Cameron by 3 lengths (ground was blamed on this occasion).
Sire De Grugy is by far the most difficult opponent he's faced and I'm amazed UDS is as short. I'll probably look like an idiot if UDS beats him well but I'm not so sure.
He's fell twice from 6 starts over fences. I didn't read too much into his hurdles form as he raced trees. I was impressed with his first 2 wins over fences, beating Smashing by 12 lengths and then Clarcam/Gilgamboa by 15 lengths. However I can't be the only one who wasn't overly impressed with his victory in the Arkle beating Gods Own by 6 lengths and his next run at Punchestown where he beat Just Cameron by 3 lengths (ground was blamed on this occasion).
Sire De Grugy is by far the most difficult opponent he's faced and I'm amazed UDS is as short. I'll probably look like an idiot if UDS beats him well but I'm not so sure.
sort by:
Show
per page
Replies: 92
|
By:
I think he's a bit overrated over fences, although that could change after today. Like you say, fell twice, and the only time I have ever been blown away by him was the Irish Arkle, that was a proper wow! performance.
I suppose you're being harsh by crabbing a 6 length Arkle win, but I was a little underwhelmed by his Arkle run too, but that was probably our expectations were too high going into the race after his last run. Time will tell, but I don't think he'd get near Sprinter at his best, but all opinions like that are subjective and I'm sure people will have a counter argument. I took the 5/2 on him and 5/2 on Faugheen on Laddies Black Friday event, but can't say I'm overly confident. Definitely wouldn't touch him at near evens for the QMCC anyway. |
|
By:
SDGs best ever run was in this race two years ago and he would need to run close to that level here to beat UDS,i can't see him recreating that performance again even with today's optimum conditions.Just a race to watch for me.
|
|
By:
Just the fences for Un De Sceaux to jump in the Queen Mother then...
|
|
By:
Traffic Fluide one to watch for the future though, but surely this years CC is too soon for him to topple the favourite.
|
|
By:
Willie says will come on for the run. Better on better ground. They will need to put a huge fence in his way looking at today coz no horse will beat him!!!
 |
|
By:
Best performance of his career that. He's a lot more likely to win the Champion Chase if they hold on to him abit more like today, rather than letting him tear off at his own pace, and put in huge leaps. It was a bit less heart in mouth, which is what he's been needing.
|
|
By:
Fair play to him today, looked the real deal.
|
|
By:
Did Willie Mullins say he is better on better ground Robbo? I've always thought that he's better on today's type of ground and thought connections did too. I think his form also shows that to be the case and for me is the main reason he might be vulnerable at Cheltenham, as on better ground I think Sprinter Sacre can give him a race there. I say this despite being a massive fan of UDS since watching him dot up in those early hurdle races in Ireland. Expect I'll back him on the day if I've had a good Tuesday but the ground assuming it's good is a worry
|
|
By:
the only question, same as it was last year, is how far he wins - for me sprinter sacre was over rated, there was nothing to beat during his two years at the top, and UDS is under rated, the occasional fall did not stop dessie, kauto or moscow flyer from being great horses and hopefully UDS will demonstrate his class few more times yet
|
|
By:
I'm a little bit surprised UDS isn't shorter on here than evens. For me there's only two things that can beat him in the CC - himself by falling or Sprinter Sacre, and hand on heart I just can't see Sprinter being good enough anymore. Sprinter at his best would have eaten him alive though.
|
|
By:
and UDS has beat ?
|
|
By:
I won't be surprised if Sprinter comes there tanking and looking the likely winner going to two out but don't think he'll find much whereas UDS finds plenty.
|
|
By:
Gazo, what's he got to beat? It's a weak division. Un De Sceaux does likes it soft but reckon he'll be absolutely fine on better ground.
Expecting Sprinter to be the main danger now. Now he's getting on he'll really appreciate better ground, it'll only bring out the best in his jumping. Even in his pomp Henderson was always raving about good ground for him and Cheltenham will suit him as well. He has a squeak if he gets those conditions but just can't see him turning Un De Sceaux over. Agree with Tory, Sprinter Sacre at his brilliant best of 3 years ago would have chewed Un De Sceaux up, spat him out and laughed at him. Stone in hand absolutely minimum. That's not to undermine how good Un De Sceaux is but to pay tribute to how unbelievable Sprinter was. Unfortunately though his legacy has been tarnished since his return from injury where obviously showing he's not the same animal. |
|
By:
Walsh at his best today. UDS got warm in the preliminaries and he didn't want to do too much too soon. He wound it up from the front beautifully.
|
|
By:
i agree but i was asking gordon63 why he thinks uds is underated and ss was overated
|
|
By:
I didn't read that post. Sprinter Sacre overrated? I don't know where to start with that. I think I'll leave it.
|
|
By:
Too many UDS lovers in here for my liking so i will come on here (i know u lot will probably chew me up and spit me out after reading this) but i just cannot have Un De Sceaux on my mind for the QMCC this year!!! Especially after that.
He just got too many fences wrong, there was no fiddling, no being good enough to put in a short one. IMO any other jockey on board he would have hit the deck on at least 2 occasions today! Do that around Cheltenham in this prestigious race he will get found out. Ok he might still win, to be fair, he is the most likely winner of the race, but he needs it to run a bit like todays, he get's them wrong far too often for my liking and imo is lucky enough to stay on his feet, other horses you could use the fiddling word about but he just doesn't have that! There are far too many fences where he takes off and it's a leap of faith as to whether he gets to the otherside ok or not. Like i said, he might still win but he will have to do it in the same manner as he did today and against at least 2 horses that are brilliant jumpers, (Sprinter Sacre  25/1 and Dodging Bullets not yet backed)of which are far superior jumper of a fence that he is, he will need to!To take odds on about a suspect jumper is beyond even me! Much rather have 25/1  3 places and 9/1 3 places 1/4 than take 5/4 before todays race or 4/5 after it for the win |
|
By:
STS ? Have you been on the Crabbies again mate? He's just stuffed Sire De Grugy who made Sprinter pull out all the stops last time. And he did it Soooo easily... going away at the finish! Still, your 25-1 looks a great bet for place purposes buddy. Well done - but don't back Dodgy Bullets - save your money!
|
|
By:
Deadly serious delsie777, he wins if he stands up, but imo thats a huge if, i remember Moscow Flyer, and i was an Azertyuiop fan was like ferking kerching that year
|
|
By:
I thought he jumped fine today - like he does most of the time. Think you're being a bit harsh on a horse that's only made 2 mistakes in its career
|
|
By:
I think you're off you're head STS in relation to his performance today. If anything he was too careful, too 'fiddly' at his fences. There was one jump where he reached for it and it could have gone wrong, but otherwise it was a very safe & sound, if not at all spectacular, round of jumping.
You're bet on SS is very nice but like Delsie says, save your money on DB. He had the absolute perfect season last year - his prep went without a hitch, the best two 2 milers in open company where injured or coming back from injury, and he beat a load of average horses enroute to winning the Tingle, Clarence House and CC. Be beat Somersby by 1 1/4 lengths - I mean come on, that's rank!! |
|
By:
Apologies about the grammar - put you're a few times rather than 'your'!
|
|
By:
Only 1 time tory
|
|
By:
Cat and pigeons springs to mind
 |
|
By:
Your grammar is fine tory, nothing i noticed. TBH i left school with fook all so there yay go
i dont sh!t on people worse off than me but i will sh!t on those better off than me that say they are  However, like i said, UDS probably wins, but he screams Moscow flyer to me and i've been backing against these types for donkeys years! Usually getting place money, sometimes with pie on face but also a lot of times with full pockets |
|
By:
Can't have UDS as a superstar but there is so little to beat in this division that you can't really find one to beat him. So many "ifs" about the rest. It's seldom been a strong division but I don't see UDS as a real top horse, just one who is far too good for second class opponents. His cautious jumping today would have got him in trouble in a top class 2 miler, but none of this lot was able to lay a glove on him.
|
|
By:
Was working today and didn't see the race but do you not think a big performance is possible in the Queen mum
|
|
By:
Well UDS will probably take on the last 3 Ch Ch winners in March and if he beats them what will the doubters say. Also his time for the Arkle last year was 3 or 4 seconds faster than Dodging bullets time the next day. He has won 11 of his 13 races and has never seen another horse in those races. Show me a few more horses like that.
|
|
By:
Well that time is surprising was up early for the papers and don't remember any signs of rain and was staying near the football ground
|
|
By:
Thought it was decent performance off the back of a fall. Still open to improvement unlike the others it may be up against.
|
|
By:
I'm 100 per cent with cyclops.
It's not UDS which is making his price, it's the lack of opposition. Terrible division this year |
|
By:
Hes a proper professional now looks to me.
Not anywhere near as headstrong as he used to be. Once he has a couple of runs to get the fizziness out of him he don't even look like falling. He jumped well round Cheltenham last year and I would think no reason why he wont do the same this year. He has just comfortably beaten SDG...could have been more,and Sprinter the 2nd fav had to work extremely hard to just beat SDG. Yes horses can fall, especially 2m chasers where the margin for error is so small,and that looks the only way UDS loses in March. Just cannot see another horse passing him...it aint happened yet as far as I recall. |
|
By:
Not sure I could find to many negatives about yesterdays run, got in close to a couple but at no stage looked like falling ,quickend up and put a length between himself and the field after every 'slow' jump, still had enough in the tank to go clear on the run in.
Not many horses jump like Dessie or Sprinter did in their prime but doesn't stop them winning. The facts are nothing has got close to him when he's stood up, he will do for me @ evens.... |
|
By:
Will win if UDS stays up unless he makes a 'hollick' of the last fence like KV did in its last race - it is a binary bet!
|
|
By:
I think UDS is by far the most likely winner, having said that I don't think he's a true superstar, it's not his fault, but he's on his way up as the rest of the division seems on it's way down. I believe that he'd struggle to put up a performance over 170 int the CC and with 3 previous winners likely to line up it's become a bit of a sad race for me this year. Having said that if SS( the only possible threat IMO) could some how put up a performance in the 170s I believe it would bring the house down. So no offence meant against UDS or his fans, but I'll be hoping for that.
|
|
By:
Yeh,yesterday confirmed to me that UDS is head and shoulders above the opposition.
Cannot see SS running much better than he did against SDG,and he would have to to stand any chance. Hard to say what sort of rating UDS could achieve,unless hes allowed to do more than hes likely to have to do to win the QM. Might find out more next season if Douvan is up against UDS. That's quiet mouthwatering if Douvan lives up to his connections belief. |
|
By:
What is it that makes a horse a superstar?
UDS would have won the QM as a novice if they had ran him. SDGs QM win was against rubbish so was last years and Finnians Rainbows victory was a poor race so the QM race has been a turkey for a few years a few years now imo. |
|
By:
Hard to understand this dissing of the horse. I'm not sure what else he could have done yesterday to silence the doubters. He's yet to lose whilst standing up and possibly could have won the CH the year Jezki won it had he been given his chance. If he wins the CC by 3-4 lengths there will still be plenty saying that it's not enough for them to confirm him as a superstar. That's the price he has to pay for coming in an era directly after SS who was an absolute monster at his best. Is UDS as good as a peak SS? Probably not but he is still a high class 2 mile jumper. Certainly high enough class to understand why Mullins has steered Vautour away from this division. Next year should be interesting with Douvan joining the top ranks to compete against UDS.
|
|
By:
After watching Douvan there have to say although he was 1/14 he would beat UDS imo.
And i never said UDS wouldn't win, i think he will win, but i still think his jumping is very suspect. Like Moscow Flyer in so many ways, his form at the end is going to be 111F11F111F1F or something to those effects and if Douvan don't race him down the line. In fact on that subject, i can't see it happening to be honest. Think they try stepping Douvan up in trip myself And also as said above, i will always be against the real shorties! Especially at the fez, this horse wont change my mind on that one. They don't all win! |