Cheltenham Festival
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04 Feb 18
10:26
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08 Aug 02
looking through the races and you've got the worse example which is surely the champion hurdle.. the favorite, an impressive winner last year is already 4/7... then you look at the opposition against him and it's truly dire... melon is fifth favourite ffs...
then you look at the arkle and a similar picture emerges... footpad has been beating up weak and small fields in ireland, albeit impressively, and is already considered unbeatable in this race, but I guess that's mainly due to the lack of opposition against it- there isn't any. sceaux royal has done little wrong tbf to the horse but is on the small side for these formidable cheltenham fences and is under the same ownership as the favourite
then you look at the queenmum the next day, the two favorites are min, and a horse we haven't seen for months and then nothing after that
the gold cup looks competitive on paper but is short on quality.. are we seeing a growing trend of races that are completely uncompetitive?
then you look at the arkle and a similar picture emerges... footpad has been beating up weak and small fields in ireland, albeit impressively, and is already considered unbeatable in this race, but I guess that's mainly due to the lack of opposition against it- there isn't any. sceaux royal has done little wrong tbf to the horse but is on the small side for these formidable cheltenham fences and is under the same ownership as the favourite
then you look at the queenmum the next day, the two favorites are min, and a horse we haven't seen for months and then nothing after that
the gold cup looks competitive on paper but is short on quality.. are we seeing a growing trend of races that are completely uncompetitive?
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Lewisham
Could not agree more done thirty odd festivals am I looking forward to it? not at all, if I hadn't got the badge paid for the train tickets and hotel earlier I don't think wouldn't be going, think this will be my last
The problem for me is I get involved in around 12 races so the other 16 I have no interest in, roll on the royal meeting.
Could not agree more done thirty odd festivals am I looking forward to it? not at all, if I hadn't got the badge paid for the train tickets and hotel earlier I don't think wouldn't be going, think this will be my last
The problem for me is I get involved in around 12 races so the other 16 I have no interest in, roll on the royal meeting.
The horses might not be as good but its still a great 4 days, settee for 3 days and pub all day on the Friday
Disagree entirely.
Yes BVD is odds on but so was Istabraq for his 2nd and 3rd Champion Hurdles - soemtimes it's good to have an undisputed Champion.
The QM looks a perfectly decent renewal imo - there are 3 very decent horses at the head of the market and several half decent ones in behind. Don't see how it's any different to the year Sorinter Scare beat Un de Sceaux.
The Arkle very often has a red hot favourite - Azertyiuop, Sprinter Scare, Un de Sceaux, Douvan etc - doesn't make it a bad race. It looks a better renewal than when Douvan or Simonsig won.
The novice hurdles have several very decent looking horses (exact make up of the races yet to be determined) and the Triumph is shaping up to be a cracker.
Yes BVD is odds on but so was Istabraq for his 2nd and 3rd Champion Hurdles - soemtimes it's good to have an undisputed Champion.
The QM looks a perfectly decent renewal imo - there are 3 very decent horses at the head of the market and several half decent ones in behind. Don't see how it's any different to the year Sorinter Scare beat Un de Sceaux.
The Arkle very often has a red hot favourite - Azertyiuop, Sprinter Scare, Un de Sceaux, Douvan etc - doesn't make it a bad race. It looks a better renewal than when Douvan or Simonsig won.
The novice hurdles have several very decent looking horses (exact make up of the races yet to be determined) and the Triumph is shaping up to be a cracker.
i don't know how you can knock this years arkle trophy lewisham for me it is one of the best renewals of the race for many years class and depth wise
OP. I have to disagree. Just looking at the Irish trainers, Mullins and Elliott look seriously double and treble handed in some divisions. Throw in De Bromhead and Jessie H, more so if they come into the Festival in form. Henderson has is usual army to go to war with, this year the Simon Munir & Isaac Souede horses, they have the potential to reap rewards this year, and like JP spread amongst a number of trainers. Don't forget Paul Nicholls. He might be short of top grade horses these days but I think he is a major force in the handicaps these days.
The competitive the better. Don't forget previous Festival form either. You can only judge a Festival once it's all over. 5 weeks only on Tuesday.
The competitive the better. Don't forget previous Festival form either. You can only judge a Festival once it's all over. 5 weeks only on Tuesday.
How good will the Gold Cup be after that farce in Ireland? Killultah Vic looked the best of the bunch but Edwulf! If Might bite tries his tricks we could be in for a big shock. Is Monalee entered?
The one that always gets me is the Gold Cup; 9 times out of 10 when you look at the antepost betting for the following years Gold Cup during the summer it looks set to be an absolute classic then when the time comes its a poor renewal; this year looks similar
Agree on the Champion Hurdle as a race and possibly the Champion Chase; we seem to have stopped producing top quality 2 milers
Agree on the Champion Hurdle as a race and possibly the Champion Chase; we seem to have stopped producing top quality 2 milers
When Vautour (will he or won't he) and Don Cossack (promising) were around these two steered up major interest in the Gold Cup (GC) market; Don Cossack post winning the GC and Vautour suffered injuries, the latter fatal. Then appeared the bridesmaid to Douvan Sizing John (SJ) who won the Irish/Cheltenham/Punchestown Gold Cups when upped in trip; SJ then ran a dismal race in the Lexus 18 days later after a convincing victory over Djakadam - the GC bridesmaid and yardstick - in the John Durkan previously. But for that I think the Festival racegoers would be looking forward to an encounter between SJ and the young quirky pretender Might Bite (MB).
I do not rate the winners of the Irish GC trials ie Road To Respect and Edwulf; Killultagh Vic was tiring when he fell after jumping the last, I think.
I do not rate the winners of the Irish GC trials ie Road To Respect and Edwulf; Killultagh Vic was tiring when he fell after jumping the last, I think.
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