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1. no
2. no 3. no |
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no these are not required to be "great horses"?
How else are you going to measure it? If the horses don't race, and don't get tested, how else are you going to rate them? |
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You can be a great horse at one given distance
It doesnt matter if there isnt another great horse the year a great horse is in training. Arkle would have been a great horse even if those others at the time were poor You dont have to carry weight to be a great horse that is just about a horses conformation. Stronger horses can concede weight than lighter framed horses it has nothing to do with greatness. Greatness is the qualities needed at a given trip and can be a combination of stamina and speed or just speed against contemporaries. |
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The Championship races are the acid test not handicaps
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John Randall. "The modern jumps scene would be almost unrecognisable to a time-travelling racegoer from the 1960's who saw the two greatest steeplechasers of all time, stablemates Arkle and Flyingbolt. Some have questioned the validity of the Dreaper pair's sky-high ratings but the reason for them is simple: they were forced to demonstrate the full extent of their greatness by conceding up to three stone (42lbs) in handicaps to rivals who were of normal Gold Cup standard. Modern champions do not run in handicaps, and are therefore not tested to that extent".
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I can't see what is going to test Galopin des Champs if he retains his form. L'Homme Presse is a decent horse but would not be sighted in most Gold Cups. Willie Mullins had the second and third on Saturday and I don't see either of those being able to test him over 3.25. That leaves Banbridge of the first 10 in the betting who has not previously been beaten by GDC. If he improves for going up to 3.25 he is a viable prospect but as they started him over 2 miles that is a big question. I agree about Arkle. He beat 2 previous Gold Cup winners out of sight. Those of us around at the time thought that Pas Seul was a good horse when he won the GC but he was way behind Arkle and Mill House.
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I can't see the Denman chase producing a Gold Cup hopeful. Djelo is top rated but surely he won't even stay 3 miles which is why he is also in the Game Spirit!. A shadow of the race it used to be.
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Banbridge is a very plausible contender, he's passed his first test stepping up in trip with flying colours and the french horse wasn't falling back into his lap, he had to do a bit of donkey work bridging that gap.
He'd be following in the hoofprints of A Plus Tard and Kicking King in having the class over shorter and being able to bring it to the longer distance, just imagine if he improves for the extra distance, won't lack for tenacity, he'd be very dangerous IMO. |
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Another is Sizing John. Next year perhaps for Bainbridge post Galopin Des Champs; Bainbridge could have a rehearsal in the King George at X'mas.
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^
Haven’t you got a comic to read, boy? |
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He's 6/4 best price for Punchestown next week, and I think he'll win. The ground was against him at Cheltenham; the opposition is inferior too without Fact To File or Inothewayurthinkin. And, 6/4 is a great price. I think he ought to be 4/6, and no more.
Another with a great chance of repenting is Teahupoo. He was greatly inconvenienced by the Cheltenham ground too. I think the easier ground anticipated at Punchestown will play to his strength. Constitution Hill will need to show up 1st of all. Then he'll need to jump the hurdles cleanly. With these two mega factors to overcome the safer bet would be State Man (7/4) here at the moment. The rest of the Gp1 card is for Mr Mullins's benefit. |
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Long may you hold a funded account implausible
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Are we confident Mullins will run GDC ? Temperatures due to soar to 20-22 next week, ground will dry out. 6/4 looks a great price from Billy Hills, they are longer than others but have kept Spillanes on their side.
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Off the bridle after 100 yard and had an extremely hard race.
Good luck with this venture |