Ok Guys, with the NH season properly kicking off with the start of the Open Meeting tomorrow theres a lot of questions to be answered. Having lost Deman, Master Minded and Kauto over the last couple of seasons who will take on the mantle as a superstar of the Chasing scene?
Is Spriner Sacre as good as we all think. will he win the QM and will he be able to step up and make a Gold Cup horse (after this season) or is he best left the two miles.
Will Long Run return to be a force at 3mille plus. What about the return on Imperial Commander., or will Sir Des Champ or one of the other new kids on the block step up and take the Gold Cup crown.
What about the hurdling division. Is The Fly going to come back to his best. or will we have new pretenders to the CH crown.
And wll anything get close to Big Bucks in the long distance hurdles.
All in all who are you looking forward to seeing? and whats your horses to follow for the year?
Season Ahead
posted on 15/11/12
DD
I have to disagree my friend, as you never saw the likes of Big Zeb, Moscow Flyer, Well Cheif , Azertyioup or Masterminded contest a GC. Granted Azerti & MM tried the KG but came unstuck.
Overturn looks very exciting, he could really get horses off the bridle if he can combine that blistering early pace with good jumping.
I agree about the GC, without doubt the most open looking in a very long time. At least 8 horses with viable shouts!
posted on 15/11/12
Several horses started racing in 2 mile chases who ended up running and in some cases winning the Gold Cup or being placed at the very least..in my lifetime horses such as Fortria,L'Escargot,Captain Christy,Dawn Run,Desert Orchid,Kicking King,Denman and Kauto Star come to mind...all had speed as well as stamina...Arkle of course had both in far more abundance than any other however !
posted on 15/11/12
I might add that Flyingbolt was originally a 2 mile chaser and he,like Fortria,won the Irish National too!
I am confident Sprinter Sacre will get far longer than 2 miles in time !
posted on 15/11/12
Galaxy am not saying he will get the KG trip, just saying it is more likely and easier to get than the GC trip.
AS I hope you are right, and you may well be, but I have my doubts, only time will tell.
Do you guys thinks any of the 'old' favourites will come back to take their crowns again? The Fly? Long Run? Imperial Commander? Etc....
posted on 15/11/12
I agree with KG mate, i'll be very surprised if he ends up in any GC though.
Long Run, very talented but let down by poor jumping, has a great chance with a clean round. The Fly not too sure, but i expect him to win this weekend all the same.
IC, has been off for too long and at 11 will struggle to make a comeback imo.
posted on 15/11/12
Agree with you on most of that Galaxy. Have to say it will be a very very interesting season ahead.
posted on 16/11/12
It is very hard to regain your crown once you have lost it though Kauto Star was fortunate he wasn't dealing with the same Denman as the year before,whilst I remember Comedy Of Errors regaining his Champion Hurdle crown at the expense of Lanzarote.
I included Long Run in my 10 to Follow as he is still young enough to win further Grade 1 races..as to whether that includes a Gold Cup,we shall have to wait and see.
posted on 16/11/12
I'm going to tick my nose in to your discussion here lads, I'm not sure how anyone can say Sprinter Sacre won't get the trip. He's hardly looked like breaking a sweat so far so who is to say he can't go much further. His cruising speed is frightening, much like Frankel on the flat, he seems to cbe able to just jog at about 90% pace where other horses just can't do that. Given Cue Card's impressive comeback over 2m 1f and the beating he got off SS, the signs look ominous.
I fancy Sir Des Champs this year to do well and My Tent or yours seems to be one to support this year also. Anyone got any fancies for today, I notice Dessie Hughes has got one runner today with Nina Carberry up in the last, well worth 8-1 each way punt I think.
posted on 16/11/12
KEIOC great to see you joining the debate. As i stated earlier i hope SS gets the trip and he may well in time. However my only worry is he has only tried up in trip (2 1/2 miles) once to date at ascot on his novice hurdle debut and he got beaten without excuse (his other defeat to al ferof at cheltenham he hit a hurdle very hard when still in contention). Although this was his first start over hurdles and very early in his career (ofcourse hurdling is different than chasing) my slight worry is if you struggle to see out 2 1/2 miles around ascot you have no chance getting the GC trip. I could be totally wrong and I know it was a reappearance after along break (feb to Nov) but it would be a slight concern for me.
I think your right about Sir Des Champs, he looks a very good horse and as i said earlier reminds me of Denman in the way he travels.
AS i am not sure why you have had to throw in a dig at Kauto Star in this thread, but I would be more than happy to debate the merits of KS and Denman and their respective GC victories on another thread if you care to start one. On your other points RE: LR and IC, i agree
posted on 16/11/12
I have obliged your request.
I await your comments with interest.