Ballymore Novice Hurdle 2020

[ryanh97]

I'd imagine they'd go for something at Punchestown given he had a nice break before Cheltenham. The it's all roads to the Arkle/JLT/RSA for which he's going to be bloody short when the markets open up.

6/1 Marsh atm

[JackieMoon33]

6/1 Marsh atm

Target will be tricky to predict and at those odds, I'm not sure he'll be much of a proposition ante post.

[DenmanSacre]

I'd imagine they'd go for something at Punchestown given he had a nice break before Cheltenham. The it's all roads to the Arkle/JLT/RSA for which he's going to be bloody short when the markets open up.

14/1 Arkle, 10/1 Champion Hurdle, 6/1 Marsh, saw RSA quote earlier but can't find it now.

[jack1092]

Envoi brilliant and as most will have seen a great run from The Big Getaway (good ride too). The usual he'll make some chaser + it would be realistic to consider him to have "Al Boum Photo" improvement i suspect.

[Hurricane fly]

Would love it if he does the same as Samcro and goes for the open 2m at Punch. Would think he will need to front run at that distance up in grade.

Think he will go Marsh/GC with him

[JackieMoon33]

Would love it if he does the same as Samcro and goes for the open 2m at Punch. Would think he will need to front run at that distance up in grade.

Think he will go Marsh/GC with him

Looking at that performance I think Envoi Allen could win over any trip, including the AB. As I never backed him this season I was able to remain detached and just enjoy his races. Great for all those that backed him this season but also great for racing in general as he could be the next Superstar that captures a wider audience.

[Kevloaf]

Well that was better than I remember! First time I've actually seen it on TV as I was there for the Tuesday (got a great video of Davy celebrating just for me )

I think The Big Getaway got a really good ride - was clearly a plan to increase the tempo down the back and let his stamina come into play. Notably steady early on. I am pretty confident Mullins has said he'll be up in trip next year and even without hearing/reading that you'd be confident based on what we've seen that would be the case. Definitely one for the shortlist for the RSA and he's a slightly bigger price than I'd expected (although probably right at 25/1). Would need to 'improve for chasing' which I feel like I've said in every post in the last 48 hours, but he does look like the right sort to and a festival placed hurdler improving means he could well be in the mix in March 2021.

***While I'm thinking about the RSA, I'm surprised Asterion Forlonge isn't priced up for the RSA in the same ownership.

I was even more impressed by Easywork though. He did so well considering how much he pulled. I've just gone back to look at his form which is where Asterion Forlonge popped back into my head from, making Easywork quite hard to weigh up. 33/1 for the RSA which I think is an interesting price. Shorter unanimously for the Marsh so that'll temper any enthusiasm I have towards a bet right now but he was good. The Ballymore looked good on paper before and he's a solid horse. Will watch with interest his chase debut as he could potentially slide under the radar compared to horses he beat....

Leading me on to The Big Breakaway who plugged on into 4th after getting outpaced. For me that marks him down as an RSA candidate for sure in terms of target, and to be fair he's 33/1 as well which may look a good price during next season. He will "need to improve" for chasing too, but it's well documented that he's a future chaser, I think Tizzard shoe-horned it into every single sound bite he had about the horse.

I'm already tempted to start a book for the RSA now as the prices are just quite tempting. I suppose it's because the focus is on the Albert Bartlett. Prices shouldn't be moving anytime soon though

Was really disappointed with Sporting John. I don't like that they couldn't isolate why he was lame after the race. Longhouse Poet also disappointed so both will have something to prove going forward to me, but I did like both beforehand so will be willing to strike a line through their runs during the season if the prices are right. Would be tough to back either for the festival though based on this.

Left Envoi Allen until last but there is hardly anything to say that hasn't been said. He's head and shoulders clear of his peers as a novice hurdler. I believe he'd have won any distance this season and whilst it's always important to try and pick holes in horses, it's very hard to do with EA and it's fantastic to have a genuine potential superstar. If he improves over fences he'll be unbeatable. If he stays at the same level he's already shown, he may well still be unbeatable. As a horse with a P2P background, who was bought to be a chaser, it's hard to imagine him not taking to fences. It isn't my style to build a festival around just one horse, but he's as close as I've ever been to doing that. I suppose if I knew the target I perhaps would...

[Saxon Warrior]

Sporting John was reported as lame behind, immediately after the Ballymore.

https://twitter.com/zoelouisesmithx/status/1237787781344235527?s=21

I’ve also read about this elsewhere since, words along the lines that he wasn’t travelling or jumping well from early on, and put a line through the form as he was found to be injured post race.

[archie]

The problem is that they couldn't isolate a specific injury. Consequently, they don't know what caused it or if it might recur in future.

[Saxon Warrior]

I’ve found Philip Hobbs quote from the Racing Post last week.

https://www.racingpost.com/news/colic-claims-hobbs-trained-2015-swinton-hurdle-winner-war-sound/432707

https://www.racingpost.com/news/colic-claims-hobbs-trained-2015-swinton-hurdle-winner-war-sound/432707

Sporting John is set for chasing and a reason for his disappointing performance in the Ballymore when seventh has come to light.

"The vet saw him straight after the race and there was definitely something wrong with his hind limbs," Hobbs said. "His hind legs were not working and they should be and he was uncoordinated behind. Nevertheless within a few hours he was perfectly all right again.

"It was extremely odd but there was definitely something amiss and it's extremely likely to have affected his performance. He's been perfectly all right since and we're looking forward to him going novice chasing."

[Faugheen_Machine]

Left Envoi Allen until last but there is hardly anything to say that hasn't been said. He's head and shoulders clear of his peers as a novice hurdler. I believe he'd have won any distance this season and whilst it's always important to try and pick holes in horses, it's very hard to do with EA and it's fantastic to have a genuine potential superstar. If he improves over fences he'll be unbeatable. If he stays at the same level he's already shown, he may well still be unbeatable. As a horse with a P2P background, who was bought to be a chaser, it's hard to imagine him not taking to fences. It isn't my style to build a festival around just one horse, but he's as close as I've ever been to doing that. I suppose if I knew the target I perhaps would...

Angus McNae did a very good piece on Mark your Card the following morning, where he compared the Ballymore against the Coral Cup. It's worth a watch and highlights just how special/talented Envoi is.

[FaugheenTheMachine]

It’s a shame we haven’t had Aintree and Punchestown for the beaten horses to run at just so we could check how special Envoi Allen is

[Scooby91]

The supreme looks pretty easy to me. To be ahead of the market.

I think if you've backed abacadabras.

And you have chantry house / shiskin with cashout.

Your well ahead of the game until willie plays his hand.

May I just say. They were 16s 33s and 40s when I posted this on 11th December.

[archie]

Of course you can. Well done.

May I just say, we are almost exactly 6 months ahead of the same point in time this season. Being connected with a horse that may end up in the Ballymore, I'd have to say that all the fudge factors are in overdrive this far out.

[Scooby91]

Of course you can. Well done.

May I just say, we are almost exactly 6 months ahead of the same point in time this season. Being connected with a horse that may end up in the Ballymore, I'd have to say that all the fudge factors are in overdrive this far out.

Best of luck archie, I hope kemboy is doing well, and If shanning is still in training, she could have a decent handicap pot in her too.

I don't have much of a view on the ballymore this far out, but willie looks to have a decent hand this year, compared to very recent years where Gordon has been ruling the roost.