Right lads here's a few of the horses I have backed.

Gold Cup-Neptune Collonges (Barber Shop E/W)
Triumph Hurdle- Starluck
World Hurdle-Fair Along
D N Mares Hurdle-Quevega

Quevega very impressive in Punch and at 6-1 looks a good bet but if you are really looking to back any Irish horse,the bet of the year is Starluck.

Maroonie (Westmeath) - Posts: 105 - 25/02/2009 11:42:47    217692

would Mikael D'Haguenet not be a cert for the ballymore ? Willie says the ground should be fine for him now. Ruby will be riding too , need to back him now though as he'll probably be very short on the day ..

HongKongPhooey (Antrim) - Posts: 93 - 25/02/2009 13:57:20    217853

Sublimity WILL be placed
Osana WILL win or come second

1- Osana
2- Binnocular (on the bridle at the last)
3- Sublimity (on the bridle comin around home turn)

rossytilidie (Wexford) - Posts: 300 - 25/02/2009 14:09:52    217866

Sorry to correct ya loyal but need to point out that captain cee bee won the supreme novice last year not binocular. Binocular blew up going up the hill when looking all over a winner. In my opinion that is why he will not win the champion hurddle this year. Id be a big Osana fan. at 10/1 way over priced. binocular would be my lay of the week at present at that price

galwaylegend3 (Galway) - Posts: 22 - 25/02/2009 14:31:32    217901

galwaylegend3
County: Galway
Posts: 17

217901 Sorry to correct ya loyal but need to point out that captain cee bee won the supreme novice last year not binocular. Binocular blew up going up the hill when looking all over a winner. In my opinion that is why he will not win the champion hurddle this year. Id be a big Osana fan. at 10/1 way over priced. binocular would be my lay of the week at present at that price

I am well aware who won every race over the past three Cheltenham festivals so I don't need correcting on anything. Im not sure why you think that I need to be told Binocular didn't win the Supreme last year.

I will be backing against Binocular but will be prepared for him to win. His current price of around 11/8 is right I think, certainly wouldn't be a lay. I agree he didn't look to find a lot coming up the hill but in a way, that is just clutching at staws. Every horse comes up the hill, its relative to what they are racing against what worries me and how will they cope with the hill against this standard of oppostion. Bar one reason, what else would make Binocular "the lay of the week"?

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 25/02/2009 18:11:25    218253

gianfranco
County: Offaly
Posts: 29

217646 Really cant see Harchibald winning the Champion Hurdle. He will be doing well to finish in the first five and only then if the ground comes up good. Everything fell his way in this race in 2005 and it didnt happen for him, he is 4 years older and the field this year is far more competitive than then. Dont get me wrong, it would warm my heart to see it as he has been a much maligned horse, who isnt ungenuine but who I think gives everything on the bridle and doesnt keep a little in reserve like most horses, but sorry cant see it happening.

Ireland will be lucky to get a horse placed in this years Champion Hurdle although I am a fan of Jered especially if he gets good ground.

If the ground is good, there is not a horse in that race who is near as talented as Harchibald. Your comment that he will be lucky to finish in the first five confuses me. If he has his conditions, he'll be in the first two. If he dosen't, then he probably won't run. How did everything fall right for him in 2005?

I agree this year its much more competitive but there's nothing here that comes near Hardy Eustace, Brave Inca or Macs Joy in their prime. All those horses would laugh at this lot bar maybe Binocular who sill fits into the could be a superstar bracket.

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 25/02/2009 18:15:19    218257

kauto star
County: Sligo
Posts: 33

214518 sam gave tatenhan a terrible ride there at christmas and i think that was the last time sam rode him mabye not, if im wrong there then fair enough. sam should av got 2 work on him sooner before the last and didnt push him out to the line either. Tatanhan is like denman for my money a galloper from what i seen of his first 2 races this season and a real prospect but sam realy didnt ride him well or to his strenghts either that day.

Complete nonsense. You obviously lost money on the horse and are just looking for excuses. The horse was given a perfectly adequate ride, he just wasn't good enough. "He should have got to work sooner" - he is pushing along from before the turn for crying out loud! "He didn't push him out to the line" - Again you must have been watching a different race to me?

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 25/02/2009 18:17:45    218264

Air force one for the gold cup - denman not going well an Kauto star not the horse he was - Air force one was at 50-1 in the bookies anf 84 on the exchanges few weeks back - has come into 28 on the exchanges and 25 in the bookies - racing post was saying alot of irish money is being placed on it

DON (Dublin) - Posts: 120 - 25/02/2009 20:23:50    218378

Harchibald is now 10 and has had alot of hard races. He couldnt win the Champion in 2005 when he was 6 on good ground when the race was run to suit. That day Hardy Eustace set a strong pace, pressed for the last half mile by Brave Inca, both horses were sitting ducks for a closer like Harchi. Harchi as you remember travelled supremely well in the last furlong but couldnt get on top. I myself think it was stamina that found him out as the year before in the County Hurdle, 2004, when he went off a well backed favourite, almost the same thing happened when he faded out of contention when it looked like a quation of how far he would win by. Athough he is a course winner when he won beat Intersky Falcon in the Greatwood Hurdle or something like that in Autumn of 2005, I think but that was a poor enough race and I think Harchi is better on tracks such as Kempton and Newcastle, speed tracks.
I was delighted he won at Kempton over Christmas but if Punjabi had not fell at the second last he would have won. Remember Punjabi put Harchi in his place at the Punchestown Festival on good ground last season. Snap Tie who Harchi beat by half a length was very disapointting at Haydock next time out while Blue Bajan who was a length behind Harchi is a good handicapper but no more. Meade said in the RP that he was actually considering putting Harchi over fences before the race.
If you are to back Harchi Loyal, if the ground is good, you might want to consider doing it on the exchanges where you should back him to win before the race, and put him up as a in running lay as Im sure he will be travelling well from 2 out. This way you might lock in a small profit.

gianfranco (Offaly) - Posts: 100 - 26/02/2009 09:02:08    218669

sam definatly didnt push him out and should have got to work sooner. i had no monay on him just think that horse has a lot of potential so was watching him run. i obviously was watching a race different to you because you have missed the fact that he wasnt pushed out the fact that he wasnt pushed out. thomas let him settle too much and didnt ask enough of the horse

kauto star (Sligo) - Posts: 42 - 26/02/2009 10:54:10    218784

Bumper entries out there five minutes ago. Among them is MEATH ALLSTAR and RITE OF PASSAGE - my two main protaganists. I count 14 from Willie Mullins. In total there are 51 entries, 26 of which are Irish trained. The bumper looks set to be coming back across the water. Who is Willie's number one? In my opinion, he dosen't know himself but Meath AllStar has a leading chance. As does Dermot Weld's Rite of Passage. Very exciting - my favourite race of the festival along with the County.

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 26/02/2009 12:39:00    218914

Well loyal if you read back on your thoughts on the supreme novice you wil read the following paragraph:
'10 of the last 17 winners of this race were Irish trained so that does not bode well for our nighbours across the water. The success of Binocular in this race last year, however, does give the 4yo Torphicen a chance should he turn up here. The Henderson pair of Ainama and Mad Max hold place claims at best whilst Red Moloney is extremely soft in my opinion. I watched him loads of times at Dundalk last year lose races he should have won. Those are the main contenders but there is probably something lurking out there who will run a big race at a big price.

So that is where I got that from loyal. Reasons he is a lay. 1) Katchit was the first 5 year old for years to win the race. They have a bad record in the race, 2) untested jumping hurdles at this speed all season, 3) how can you underestimate the hill in cheltenham? course form is always a big factor in cheltenham and although he came second there last year there is question marks over that form even seen as captain cee bee was well beat in aintree the following race. At 11/8 way to short for me

galwaylegend3 (Galway) - Posts: 22 - 26/02/2009 14:54:52    219084

I would reckon 2 favourites to oppose are Binocular - because of his price - and Diamond Harry (may not still be favourite on the day anyway). Diamond Harry won his races easily but those he beat have let the form down big time. Master of Arts won his only hurdle race easily and is a possibility for the Triumph. Ground or no groud Harchi does not like the Cheltenham hill and his chance was missed 3 years back. I get the impression the Meath supporters view their horses (mainly N Meade's) the same way as they see their football team. This can be very expensive when it comes to horses which should never be backed with the heart.

lochgarmanabu (Wexford) - Posts: 1022 - 26/02/2009 21:22:48    219519

Possibly one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read:

"Harchibald dosen't like (dosen't come up) the Cheltenham hill"

What nonsense! Maybe the Wexford poster who said this could explain to me how a horse could split two of the greatest hurdlers of all time up the said hill yet still "not come up it". Surely if Harchibald dosen't come up the hill, then neither does Hardy Eustace or Brave Inca? Also add in the fact that the horse is a Grade One winner at Cheltenham and you will appreciate how ridiculous the Wexford poster's statement is.

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 26/02/2009 21:59:27    219544

OFFALY What a statement the only problem with harchibald is that he finds nothing off the bridle but he can come up the hill no problem .

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 26/02/2009 22:06:00    219556

Well spotted Galway legend but what I meant was Binocular ran extremely well in the Supreme as 4yo so his success or his good run bodes well for Torphicen this year.

My own opinion on Binocular is that his price of circa 11/8 is about right. However I only back when the odds are in my favour, at 11/8, neither the punter nor the bookmaker are getting value. I certainly would not make Binocular a lay and your reasoning for making him the lay of the week is not great. For a start Captain Cee Bee was an injured horse at Aintree. Plenty of horses in behind in the Supreme have all come out and ran well. Numide won the Greatwood, Sentry Duty won the Ladbroke, Kalahari King is third or fourth favourite for the Arkle, Snap Tie beat the reigning Champion Hurdler and was placed in a Christmas hurdle, Blue Bajan also placed in the same race and Muirhead was second in an AIG. I kinda have funny doubts about his jumping - most likely ones that are wrong. He jumps his hurdles very fast and if say he was to catch the top of one, he could come straight down. But that is clutching at straws as he is such an excellent jumper. The whole he didn't come up the hill is nonsense too. He came up the hill and finished second in a Supreme Novices Hurdle. Personally I think he is easily the most likely winner of the race.

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 26/02/2009 22:14:11    219565

Humour me lochgormanabu, name two other jumps trainers based in County Meath.

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 26/02/2009 22:16:23    219566

kauto star
County: Sligo
Posts: 34

218784 sam definatly didnt push him out and should have got to work sooner. i had no monay on him just think that horse has a lot of potential so was watching him run. i obviously was watching a race different to you because you have missed the fact that he wasnt pushed out the fact that he wasnt pushed out. thomas let him settle too much and didnt ask enough of the horse

Give me patience. Here is the race here:

http://www.attheraces.com/VideoConsole/?va=LEO_2008_12_26_05_1425&vaff=17

Now take a look at it closely and please don't come back with comments like "he wasn't pushed out". Amazing some of the things people come out with sometimes.

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 26/02/2009 22:21:49    219575

lochgarmanabu
County: Wexford
Posts: 250

219519 I would reckon 2 favourites to oppose are Binocular - because of his price - and Diamond Harry (may not still be favourite on the day anyway). Diamond Harry won his races easily but those he beat have let the form down big time. Master of Arts won his only hurdle race easily and is a possibility for the Triumph. Ground or no groud Harchi does not like the Cheltenham hill and his chance was missed 3 years back. I get the impression the Meath supporters view their horses (mainly N Meade's) the same way as they see their football team. This can be very expensive when it comes to horses which should never be backed with the heart.


Cant get up the hill do not be foolish . The only thing that is wrong with harchibald is he finds nothing of the bridle . And still i would not have minded him looking over the stable door at me he has proved he is a class horse and won great prize money fact . What about tony martins gambles in england , ger lyons winning races world wide , there meath men think in future please .

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 26/02/2009 22:26:49    219583

kauto star
County: Sligo
Posts: 34

218784 sam definatly didnt push him out and should have got to work sooner. i had no monay on him just think that horse has a lot of potential so was watching him run. i obviously was watching a race different to you because you have missed the fact that he wasnt pushed out the fact that he wasnt pushed out. thomas let him settle too much and didnt ask enough of the horse


Are you serious lad like royal said watch it ..

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 26/02/2009 22:32:05    219593