Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Heavy and hot - Cheltenham 2018

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    #26
    Originally posted by jwdd27 View Post
    Altior, who was always going to win, apart from the 90% of the race when he looked like he would lose. Time for another underwear change.
    Good summary.

    Comment


      #27
      Missed Altior thanks to Merseyrail, but did get to see Tiger Roll come home and put me back in credit for the week.

      Meetings all day tomorrow so will be catching up on TiVo unless I can sneak out to the bog and watch a race on my phone...

      Comment


        #28
        Bad day yesterday. Elegant Escape ew kept the damage respectable.

        I always back Un De Sceaux and will do again. He never let's me down. I really fancy Bacardys in the Stayers, so advice is to stay away from that.

        Comment


          #29
          It's been a tough week so far, but I'm absolutely 100% sure that Benatar, Lovenormoney, Penhill and Guitar Pete in an e/w accumulator - with a side order of Drumcliff in the 4.10 - will deliver the goods.

          Comment


            #30
            Originally posted by johnr View Post
            Benatar
            A battlefield?

            According to the Grauniad live blog 12 year old Cue Card won the Champion Bumper in 2004. How did that happen then?

            Comment


              #31
              They've just spent a few minutes with a couple of 'new-to-the-team' twats, talking to people about make-up and hair. It's racing's greatest festival, this...

              Comment


                #32
                Yes, a development which didn't ease my winless despondency. It might have made a smidgeon of sense for Ladies Day yesterday, not for the Irish pish-fest Thursday.
                Give it back to Channel 4.

                Great riding from Davy Russell for his wins, especially on The Storyteller, which I backed. I was also on Laurina, who looked like she would have been better off racing against the boys in the Supreme. Maybe next year.

                The Elliott/Mullins domination is a bit tiresome, but the best trainers get the best horses and jockeys, and because they're successful they get more good horses and so it continues. It does go in cycles though, I remember 10 years ago when Paul Nicholls was boss trainer, now he's king of the also-rans.

                Comment


                  #33
                  After a blank yesterday, today, I'm going for:

                  Redicean
                  Flying Tiger
                  Our Duke, with an e-w on Total Recall
                  Caid du Berlais (though an earlier winner might tempt me into having a dabble on Foxrock too)
                  Bouvreuil

                  I think Might Bite is the classiest horse in the Gold Cup, but I don't feel like I can trust it.

                  Comment


                    #34
                    What an absolutely terrific race that was.

                    Comment


                      #35
                      Richard Johnson wins a second Gold Cup, 18 years after his first. He's never won the National. AP never won a Gold Cup and only won the National once, and yet the two of them were first and second in the Champion Jockey table 16 years on the trot. Just goes to show the almost random luck involved for the jockeys at least in winning the big National Hunt races.

                      Comment


                        #36
                        Terrific Gold Cup and the Foxhunters was an excellent race, too.

                        Comment


                          #37
                          Foxhunters was a good race, I wish I'd kept faith with Pacha, would have done but I didn't know/trust the stable girl who got the ride.
                          The Gold Cup was OK, but as I wasn't on either horse it wasn't exciting.

                          A disappointing festival by my standards, just about broke even. Mrs D ended it up £40. It seems that following the sport avidly, closely studying form and knowing virtually every horse, trainer, jockey and owner is no match for picking out a name you like.

                          Comment


                            #38
                            Minella Rocco heard I was considering backing him for the National so knew there was no fucking point in even turning up.

                            After hours of study, I have little idea what to back. Can find negatives for all of them. This is the problem of having followed the sport for the last three or four years closely, so now I can find reasons for something not to win, but few for something to win. I ought to be all over an old friend Tiger Roll, who I backed at Cheltenham in 2017 and 2018, but even with Davy Russell on board, have serious doubts about his jumping and having recovered from the cross-country. I've been a Blaklion fan but didn't back it last year due to doubts about the distance. With nine pounds more this year it makes his task very difficult.

                            I was about to conclude that Minella Rocco's only negative was the ground when it was withdrawn. Arse.

                            Insert unusual opinion: The most fascinating bit of the race is between four out and two out. Watching replays of recent races emphasises that.

                            So, I may go for a very small e/w saver on Gas Line Boy.

                            Rogue Angel in the Topham today at a big price also appeals.

                            Comment


                              #39
                              Blaklion ticks a lot of boxes but that weight scares me. Beau Des Iles looks like a National winning horse but might be a year too soon. Could see Houblon des Obeaux plodding round to a place finish.

                              All said though with the heavy ground it might be one of those years with very few finishers and something like Chase The Spud ends up winning largely through managing to stay upright.

                              Comment


                                #40
                                Chase The Spud - a tenner each way at 33/1. Picked because one of my dogs is called Spud and its also the nickname of our vegetarian daughter.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X