Cheltenham Festival
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Altior
Altior
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Kempton or Ascot.
Then Queen Mum. |
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Maybe Budget Airline.
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No Kempton for Altior says Hendo.
Don't know why yet. |
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I think it's prudent to leave the horse alone. There are just too many niggling issues this season with horse, and trainer (indecision). I hope he shows up at Cheltenham to defend his crown - he's a champion after all.
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Hendo wants a nice school round for the horse with little or no opposition, Nicholl's sticking Frodon in there isn't playing ball so it's a no go.
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I do not think Frodon was the instigator of his withdrawal for this saturday race because Frodon is a shadow of last season. I believe connections have had a change of heart ie no up-in-trip instead back to what Altior has been doing best ie 2m and Champion Chase. Next season perhaps if he's not retired; budget airline race is too demeaning to run him in at the Cheltenham Festival.
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Now now Duffy sir nicky loves strong competition before the festival Kempton especially put races on where his horses can be strongly tested.
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His only entry for Cheltenham will be the champion chase
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Perhaps he could have a spin round over hurdles in the "contenders" hurdle, now that is a hendo festival prep benefit race if ever there was one
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Personally I hope he's been put off running because of opposition,but I very much doubt any of those entries would have him doing that!!
I have a nasty feeling it's more serious, and I really hope I am wrong. Would love to see him trying to defend his CC crown,but that's looking more and more unlikely to me. |
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Just read that he's now got ten days on the easy list, not showing his usual sparkle.
So that obviously rules out this week and next week at Ascot. Now the plan is the game spirit at Newbury,and then he will have one entry at the festival, the CC. So all not lost yet. |
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You do sense a deal of concern from Henderson, I agree with budd, I wouldn't be surprised if that was it with him now with regards the festival and we don't see him there again.
The likelihood is that this years CC is going to be the strongest that he'd have faced (even without it being top class) to date and it comes when he's arguably facing problems and quite possibly on the decline, it doesn't bode well. As not necessarily an Altior fan but still appreciative of what he has contributed over the past few years if he was not 100% right to run in the CC I'd sooner him not run at all and I think that is what may well happen. |
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Well done to anyone who backed him at big prices for the CC but I would never back a 10yo for that race regardless of all of the other doubts about him.
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I think its the opposite and they dont feel the need to rush a prep in and if needs must hes good enough to go straight there and beat this lot of opponents.
pylon. |
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Have only a small bet on him at 6, but that was merely out of frustration post his scratching from The King George. But, I do not think he'll win this year though. I think he'd well be regressing the way he ran last season.
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no 123 as long as its in theqmcc he wins.
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I hope you're right. He owes me money this season!
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Last two years the horse has struggled to get there, what was it last year ? Came out on three legs. Then the year before it was a scare at the start of the week. No word before the races. now comes out with he has lost his mojo .....really ? Cant believe a word the fellah says, bit like the bha.
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I personally hope he turns up and smashes these horses that would not have got near him last few years.
Think that would make my Cheltenham. |
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After Altiorgate (missed Kempton 2x and Newbury) I'm treading very cautiously with Seven Barrows despite his price is over 3x last year. My utmost concern is he might not turn up.
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I agree that he only needs to be within 10lb of his best to beat the apparent opposition but Defi could still be improving as could the Irish contenders. They didn't experiment with a longer trip for no reason. He is clearly losing his pace as he gets older as almost every horse does.
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I know how he feels
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I think todays run over hurdles will tell us all we need to know about Altiors future programme and its recovery from a recent "problem"
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Mr Henderson very bullish about Altior working.
Here's hoping!!! |
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i found it a bit rich for him to say "we were under pressure to run him over further" Who from? Sounds like a huge does of hindsight to me. He may well win the CC but I can't back a 10yo. Saturday will prove nothing as he has 2 stone in hand on the others.
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It may prove something if he dont run well!!
I just want to see him run and perform well enough to give him a go at defending his crown. If he runs in the CC, then we will certainly see some proof of his abilty these days. |
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hobbs saying he will see how altior performs at the weekend as to where defi goes( owthe) ..by that not set in stone that defi goes champion . still likeliest scenario imo .
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or words to that effect ^^^
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if you have got a decent price for defi for champion chase i would lay some off,chacun pour soi beat him last season and if altior looks anywhere near his best he will be fav,so would not be a surprise if defi was switched to ryanair which may look a easier race
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Surely Altior will win nicely on Saturday, will it tell us anything though?
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I personally will be watching the horse very closely.
After the season hes had,and doubts surrounding him, I hope to learn that hes still a major force at the level required to win another CC. |
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“No horse in England would keep up with him, what he was doing the other day. If you blinked you would have missed it, but that is him
I don't see the need for Hendo eulagising so hard about his last piece of work, just let the horse do the talking on the track, it only serves to crank up the pressure needlessly,there's nothing to gain and everything to lose from such comments. He's such an emotional character that I think he was stung badly by his defeat to Cyrname amid all the chatter questioning Altior, he's really took that to heart and is almost trying to hard to stop all the questioning himself. The horse can do that on Saturday then all will be well. |
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Agree entirely Duffy. I think he feels this stuff very deeply. When he refers to the horses as person I don’t think it’s for show I do think it is heartfelt and as a result he loses objectivity at times. I hope not too many people have taken him entirely at face value.
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Will Altior be very short odds post The Game Spirit on saturday? Let's hope he's sound and delivers like a champion should. Otherwise c'est la vie.
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i think they showed a video of the gallop on racingpost site
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All systems go for Newbury tomorrow.
I shall be there to see him,looking forward to seeing him again. Hope hes on top form. |
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Enjoy Bud, is there any issue with the storms ?
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Oh yes, an impending storm could thwart the appearance of Altior. If so, another misfortune not the making of Altior but planning of connections, and nature. But. I hope not.
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Thanks Hibore
Nice sunny afternoon forecast with a bit of cloud and a nice 10 degrees. Nasty weather due Saturday night through Sunday. Looks a good card. Really looking forward to seeing Altior,seen him at home but surprisingly not yet on a racecourse,same with Might Bite too. Hope MB performs as he has done in the past, but if he don't at least I will get some photos to add to my collection, hes a fine looking horse. |
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No excuses today unless it is on the fast side of good by 2.25.
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