Cheltenham Festival
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16 Mar 18
18:44
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Date Joined:
07 Sep 15
It is the best ever for me, and one to treasure for a long time. It has action from the start; jockeyship; competitiveness and constitution from both horses. A wonderful race to watch whether one is involved or not, and also punter friendly. Just a shame there can only be one victor.
Looking forward to more battles between these two horses next season (hopefully).
Looking forward to more battles between these two horses next season (hopefully).
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Might Bite
Native River Sizing John Presenting Percy I'd like to see that race  |
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Great ride on the winner - I thought Might Bite had a bit in reserve but the way Native River kept
going was just amazing. Smashing race. |
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Will never beat Long Run, Denman and Kauto turning for home in a line for me, but this was certainly up there.
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Agreed...solid display of jumping travelling and heart
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Would be nice that 4 turn up. On good ground top and bottom for me, otherwise the 2nd, if soft/heavy. If anyone is interested Might Bite is 4/1 with 'ok' koral' for the 2018 King George.
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Bl00dy brilliant.
Loved it !!! |
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Added to some brilliant novice performances from Footpad, Samcro, Laurina, Presenting Percy, Shattered Love etc - plenty to look forward to next year too.
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epic race-in reality a two horse race
so proud for both of them I hope it doesnt break mite bite.. |
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Don't think Will break any them,just expect weak bowl at Liverpool if trainer's have respect for welfare,it's not haydock heavy but they need time to recover
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A proper Gold Cup. I suspect the tables would be turned on better ground and here's to Presenting Percy joining in next year.
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Be interesting to see how NR is campaigned next year, you wouldn't really think the KG would suit him ideally, so could it be that he takes in the haydock race and then Ireland at Christmas?
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Why would they change a winning formula. Henrietta showed with Best Mate the way to win multiple races, as did Mullins with Quevega.
Only other race I'd consider for Native River would be the Hennessey off top weight like Denman did - he loves Newbury after all and would have 10 weeks off before the Denman Chase back at Newbury. Is there any race suitable for Might Bite before the KG, he can't run in the same Sandown race as this season. Maybe if they go to Ireland but I can't see that happening? |
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its not often you get a supposedly open looking championship race dominated by 2 horses so far out these 2 never saw another horse from miles out nothing landed a blow at them and although the winner a stronger stayer in the ground mite bite clear of the 3rd ,race was a brutal one and no knowing if both horses will be the same again so caution advised !
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The Gold Cup could be the last race this season for Native River, according to Tizzard. Then next season a .ace at Haydock and Betfair Chase prior to the Gold Cup again; if so, no £1m bonus or the King George (KG). I wonder if Might Bite is still available at 4/1 with 'ok koral' for KG.
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I watched the Gold Cup again, and amazing these two horses having a ding-dong battle right after the off. They matched each other stride for stride; fence after fence; jumps after jumps. And neither ever looked like falling.
What amazing athletes these two horses are? I hope the remain sound. I cannot wait for the battle between these two again in the 2019 Gold Cup. |
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I know that time ratings don't tell you everything about race merit but these figures are what the RP topspeed came up with.
Native River 167 Might Bite 162 Anibale Fly 158 Footpad 158 Balko des Flos 156 Altior 152 Un De Sceaux 151 Presenting Percy 101. So on the prevailing ground Native River was comfortably the best performance of the meeting. Sizing John last year had a topspeed of 158. |
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Silly Arse
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watched it time and time again today
might bite was not enjoying the ground native river was loving it when it came to the hill might bites memory clicks in from last year handy enough he gets a lead from the eventual winner ten metres from the line might bite flicks his ears.... plenty still in the tank |
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If they are at backable prices, I will be backing both of them again next year.
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The winner of the Gold Cup has not returned to defend their crown in the last three years (if memory serves) eg Coneygree, Don Cossack and Sizing John; Native River and Might Bite are 7/1 each similarly Presenting Percy.
Presenting Percy was a convincing winner over Monalee in the RSA,...the question is is Monalee truly a 3m Grade 1 horse? I do have my reservation. If all these horses turn up next year, even on similar ground (unlikely given history), another stonking prospect of a race in store, I firmly believe. |
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I agree that Percy is a viable contender but he has done nothing yet to justify being favourite. His speed rating was way below the Gold Cup and also well inferior to Footpad and Balko so it is only the manner of his win that suggests there is better to come.
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Our Duke, Gold Cup, form devalued
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You might guess I’m a Native River fan but I’m not sure Might Bite would have the heart to go past NR on any ground. I’m already back on at 8/1 which I think is amazing value if you don’t mind waiting 52 weeks to collect.
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I've backed Might Bite and Native River already, the former for the King George too. But the stats for a return of the Gold Cup winner to defend his crown are not good. Also, I'm envisaging a different result on less taxing conditions as I just cannot forget how easily MB was travelling at the penultimate and final fence.
If Sizing John and/or Our Duke run up to form at Aintree or Punchestown they will be formidable opponents too, I believe. |
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they rode might bite like they wasnt sure he would stay and he didnt,if the going is a bit quicker native river will go a bit quicker,so would expect same result
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If going is quick Native River may not even be placed regardless of Might Bite.
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Like last year
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I wouldn't be so sure myself, his hard schedule last year may well have accounted for him in last years GC as much as anything else.
I couldn't have MB in front of him now in a GC regardless of the ground personally, I'd also suspect that NR will come out of it the better. |
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Having watched the race again a couple of times, concentrating on MB instead of NR as I was doing on the day, I agree that MB faltered and lifted his head as they reached the point where he tried to run out last year. If he was mine, I would give him another run at Cheltenham before March and if he did it again, put blinkers on. He probably doesn't need them at other tracks. The rail stopped him trying to run out but he was definitely remembering it.
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Obviously we don't know for sure but I'd suspect that the inclination to go wondering off or acting out some form of quirkiness may well ebb away the more tired a horse gets, much more appealing I'd have thought to just keeping on putting one hoof in front of the other until the punishment stops....MB didn't look like he fancied getting up to any antics to me, he was knackered.
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a lazy and obvious view might bite would have won on good ground
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I too suspect that MB would've won on better ground, but that in no way detracts from what was an incredible performance by NR. In fact both horses deserve great credit, both were Denmanesque in the way they had everything else seen off a circuit from home. A classic match up that will be long remembered.
However, I don't think I could fancy either of them next year, huge efforts like that inevitably take their toll and I think I'll be looking elsewhere. MB will be 10yo too, albeit with low mileage, some great horses have gone into the race at short odds at that age and not won. The difficulty is that this years conditions will be unlikely to be replicated and so whereas normally I'd be all over a performance like Balco Des Flos or Shattered Love for the following years Gold Cup, I'm not sure how reliable a guide this seasons results will be next year. That said, there weren't too many surprises in the graded races and despite the advertised ground the fancied horses were fighting out the finishes. Whether it wasn't as bad as they were saying or whether class will out regardless of conditions is something that will require a good bit more consideration. |
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I'd be happy with PP and SJ against the field at this very early stage.
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At the present moment and with no further negative news about SJ I'd have SJ infront of NR based on last season's Cheltenham Gold Cup form on good ground; Our Duke infront of PP; MB infront of NR for the King George (good/good to soft).
I think the tacky ground was just as responsible for MB'S defeat at the hand of NR. But I'd be more likely to back MB over NR in next year's renewal on good/good to firm ground on present known form and well-being of both horses. |
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Highly unlikely to have the word firm in it. There would only be 2 runners! A year is a long time and I suspect that a fully fit Thistlecrack might have a say in it next year.
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I can't help but think Sizing John was a below average winner, proximity to the likes of Minella Rocco and Djakadam doesn't look that great. I know Native River was in there too but I think the race was an afterthought last year, and Native River has improved since then
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I'd not dismiss the chance of Sizing John (SJ) just yet; he beat Djakadam in the same manner as Don Cossack did the previous year. However, I believe Djakadam is no longer the force he was two or three seasons ago.
Native River (NR) may have improved since finishing 3rd to SJ last year but that's not a given either, in my opinion, as he beat a non stayer in Cloudy Dream. Also, the 2018 Gold Cup field apart from Might Bite (MB) and Our Duke (OD) the rest were not proven Grade 1 entities; Djakadam is on the decline. I still think Minella Rocco is no mug - he beat NR in a 4 miler 2 Cheltenhams back. But this year his jumping has left a lot to be desired. Will wait and see if the Grand National invigorates him otherwise he'd be a back number too. |
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Watch the 2016 National Hunt Chase and the 2017 Gold Cup again. Firstly, Native River was run from mid division in the 4 miler and was staying on hand over fist behind Minella Rocco. It wasn't until Aintree on good ground with Richard Johnson who kicked him from the front that he flourished. The Gold Cup in 2017 is his only defeat over fences since then (Johnson says he wasn't at his best that day ). In that race he was taken on for the lead by BDM, Champagne West and finally Djakadam. Not many horses would battle back after being softened up by 3 horses and still finish 3rd. You can mark up that run.
His game win over Might Bite has given him a rating of 176 with MB on 172. Sizing John is 8lbs lower Presenting Percy has a stone to improve to be a match. Minella Rocco is also a stone behind NR but at least should be suited by the extreme distances like the National. I'm of the opinion that 8/1 Native River who must be the gamest horse in training is a knock e/w bet.Sometimes the obvious is not that obvious until the result. |
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Not on good ground kid yourself all you like.
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