Quevega to stay on mares hurdle route.

if you were the owners wouldn't you like to take a shot at the big boys.
could never understand the way she was campaigned.
they dont seem to be interested in the breeding side so why not have a go, nothing to lose.
she will never go down as one of the greats in my book for this reason.

Mullins prob thinking Zaidpour and Micky D as well as Mourad can all realistically have a chance to win it now.

Mullins gets asked about her campaign at cheltenham every year and has to trot out the same answer, the horse is fragile, suffered a serious injury the first year they had her so they just keep her for the festivals. I understand perfectly the decision to stay with the mares race, they have a penalty kick at the 5 festival wins in a row - the first since Golden Miller afaik - why risk that going for the harder race? Regardless of how you rate her, thats a shot at history. And all being well she'd be back for the sixth, still just 10, in 2014. Like them, i wouldn't be rushing to change a winning formula either

Mares race my ars#! 

going to run in both as she doesnt run too often in the year

The reason the Mares is a penalty kick is because it's a Mares race and there is f-all competition for Quevega. Disgraceful chicken**** attitude which really just makes a mockery of the sport. Where is the glory in winning a second-rate Mickey Mouse race like the bloody Mares Hurdle. It's blasphemy attempting to compare 5 wins in that rubbish to a horse which won 5 Gold Cups, the absolute pinnacle of the sport. Jesus, the Mares race isn't even in the Top 3 races on Day 1 of the Festival, that's how far it is from the pinnacle of the game.

Bring back the 3-day Festival when horses couldn't avoid each other by running in **** like the Mares or the Jewson or the Albert Bartlett. All they do is dilute the achievement of winning a Festival race - what's next, a Maiden Hurdle?

The last 2 Albert Bartlett winners have gone on to win the RSA the next season, i think it's a good race. As for the Jewson i think that will progress into a top festival race too, look at last years first 3 home, Sir Des Champs challenging for Gold Cup favourtism, Champion Court and For Non Stop who hacked up in the Old Roan. Think they are good additions personally.

A bit ott db1974 but i also think they should give her a shot at the big one

The diluting of the festival has destroyed national hunt racing, so many different races to choose from, lets all wait and see where x is running and y will take the easier option, triple entries are almost the norm just hours from the festival.

Hurricane Fly the defending Champion ran one race before going for a 2nd tilt at the Champion last season, might run a few more times this season now that his aura of invincibilty has been well and truely shattered.

The 3 protaganists from the International hurdle will be lucky to get one race in between the whole lot of them before the Champion, ok Quevega is a mare but most National hunt stars have no stud prospects whatsoever but you'd swear they were all potential Northern Dancers such is the amount of cotton wool they're wrapped up in.
What happened to the days of the 70's, 80's and 90's where the stars took each other on all through the season, fear of defeat never even registered because they had no balls, their owners enjoyed them.

The Racing Post Chase use to be one of the most competitive races in the calender and often produced winners and placed horses in the Gold Cup, and this race was run at the end of Feb just over a fornight from the Gold Cup, nowadays not one trainer would even dare contemplate an entry for his Gold Cup fancy in the race, as such the Racing Post trophy has become just another run of the mill handicap.

Much tougher breed back then, race hardened veterans.

I think the lads that own her are under fierce financial pressure that could force their hand.

Yes OTT db1974, not sure why you sound so angry about it. I wasn't saying I'd favour the Mares route if I owned the horse, just that I can understand if that's how they want to approach it. Nor was I comparing Quevega with Golden Miller, just saying that was last time i think a horse had won 5 times in a row at the festival. It goes without saying there's a world of difference between the achievements.
I share your view on the dilution of the once great 3 day festival, but mullins or owners of quevega didn't create that situation and are perfectly entitled to do what suits them best without being abused for their choice. Hope you're able to contain that anger when the festival is enhanced to 5 then 6 days

The stars in my post do make it seem a bit angrier than I had originally intended. The general feeling remains the same though. Quevega has nothing left to prove in the Mares race. We all know she is the best mare in training so what does winning another Mares Hurdle actually prove. She's shown that she can at least compete with the boys at Punchestown so why not try for the biggest prize of all.

And yes, I will probably flip out a bit more if/when the Festival goes to 5 days

There is history that matters and history that you shouldn't give a flying **** for. Golden Miller's five timer matters. In my opinion Quevega will run in the World Hurdle but Mullins will not tell you that now as it would expose him as a coward.