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2017 Bumper

Can't Catch Me said:
Can see why they are delighted but best Bumper horse around?!

Did they not watch Carter McKay? That was some performance for me.
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Didn't come off the bridle and never been in a race.
Beating average horses on the bridle looks impressive but will the horse find anything for pressure in March, and you win nothing on the bridle at the festival...
 
Joseph has been very open about where he thinks West Coast Blaaah was ... said he needs to win to even be considered for the festival. He didn't win and wasn't close to ... so with getabird out on the same day that Carter Mckay wins on the bridle I can see why the market has gone the way it has.

I have no complaints .... fav is shorter than he should be and the horses are bigger prices because of it.
 
To be fair Carter Mckay did find when he ran at Xmas these were the RP comments "Chased leaders, disputed 4th at halfway, improved travelling well to dispute 3f out and soon led, ridden and pressed inside final furlong, kept on well to assert closing stages" Looks like he found plenty from the visual impression
 
Definitely billy, and the horse could turn out to be a superstar, I just prefer to know that a horse I'm investing in will run his race and not cry off when asked for an effort.
The form of CM debut race is good but 20 runner affairs with traffic and jostling throughout require different skills, WR has proved he can handle that, experience in bumpy rides is crucial for March...
 
Long term lurker but first post so go easy! Western Ryder is a horse i've had an eye on for this race for a while, got a few small bets at 25/1 and more than happy with them based on this weekend's run, still looks overpriced to me at 16/1 or am i missing something?
 
Istabraq said:
Definitely billy, and the horse could turn out to be a superstar, I just prefer to know that a horse I'm investing in will run his race and not cry off when asked for an effort.
The form of CM debut race is good but 20 runner affairs with traffic and jostling throughout require different skills, WR has proved he can handle that, experience in bumpy rides is crucial for March...
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:encouragement:

What price do you think he'll go off at. Will there be a late surge of money do you think? OR will it be a long and steady trickle? OR neither...
 
CauseofCauses said:
Long term lurker but first post so go easy! Western Ryder is a horse i've had an eye on for this race for a while, got a few small bets at 25/1 and more than happy with them based on this weekend's run, still looks overpriced to me at 16/1 or am i missing something?
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Gooooood horse to mention for your first post CoC ... you'll find nothing but love on this forum for this one :highly_amused: Good user name too... which shouldn't matter but it definitely does haha.

I think 16s is too big still based on what I've seen. Even it it was for place claims!
 
haha cheers, had to name after favourite horse, backed it last three festivals so been a lucky horse for me, no doubt will be backing it whichever race it turns up in this year. As for WR, fully expected it to be single figures after Saturday so happy to go in again at 16s, may double up with ukwimh!
 
Warren Greatrex is confident the frantic nature of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at next month's Cheltenham Festival will suit Western Ryder down to the ground.

The five-year-old, who is part owned by golfer Lee Westwood, finished second when trying to register back-to-back Listed race victories at Newbury on Saturday.

Despite that defeat, Greatrex believes Western Ryder can feature prominently in the Grade One on March 15.

He said: "I was extremely pleased with that run. To give 21lb to a mare (Daphne Du Clos) Nicky Henderson thinks a lot of and only get beaten just over three lengths, you have got to be chuffed with that. I think he will improve on the back of that run.

"Although he had already won a Listed race, the other day was just a test to make sure he was ready to take to Cheltenham and I think that he showed that he is ready.

"This horse will thrive on the fast-run race, the hurly burly of it and the big atmosphere - he goes there, I would have thought, with a leading chance."

Western Ryder looks set to be joined at Prestbury Park next month by stablemate Boite, with Greatrex earmarking the County Hurdle for the seven-year-old following his mid-division finish in the Betfair Hurdle

He added: "I thought Boite ran really well on Saturday and he will probably go for the County Hurdle. Tom (Greatrex) did nothing wrong and I thought he gave him a great ride and the horse ran up to his mark.

"He is probably more of a two-and-a- half-mile horse, but the stiff finish over two at Cheltenham will help him."d
 
Kevloaf said:
Warren Greatrex is confident the frantic nature of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at next month's Cheltenham Festival will suit Western Ryder down to the ground.

The five-year-old, who is part owned by golfer Lee Westwood, finished second when trying to register back-to-back Listed race victories at Newbury on Saturday.

Despite that defeat, Greatrex believes Western Ryder can feature prominently in the Grade One on March 15.

He said: "I was extremely pleased with that run. To give 21lb to a mare (Daphne Du Clos) Nicky Henderson thinks a lot of and only get beaten just over three lengths, you have got to be chuffed with that. I think he will improve on the back of that run.

"Although he had already won a Listed race, the other day was just a test to make sure he was ready to take to Cheltenham and I think that he showed that he is ready.

"This horse will thrive on the fast-run race, the hurly burly of it and the big atmosphere - he goes there, I would have thought, with a leading chance."

Western Ryder looks set to be joined at Prestbury Park next month by stablemate Boite, with Greatrex earmarking the County Hurdle for the seven-year-old following his mid-division finish in the Betfair Hurdle

He added: "I thought Boite ran really well on Saturday and he will probably go for the County Hurdle. Tom (Greatrex) did nothing wrong and I thought he gave him a great ride and the horse ran up to his mark.

"He is probably more of a two-and-a- half-mile horse, but the stiff finish over two at Cheltenham will help him."d
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Topped up on WR with a 2pt win at 14/1. This will be one hell of a happy forum if WR takes the Bumper
 
I've gone in again on Western Ryder today at 14/1. Price just seems plain wrong. Think he's probably a 6/1 or 7/1 shot on the day and we know this is his target.

Each way bet to nothing for me, even if I've a nagging doubt he may just find one too good.
 
You have prompted me to do the same CCM but I think Greatrex could get a nice e/w double so I have paired Western Ryder with Cole Harden in the Stayers. Not likely to beat UKWIMH, but is a former winner and ran a solid race in Cleeve Trial on softer ground than he would have liked. Got 12 & 14's with Boylesport. I also have WR doubled with in a couple of horse's running in the Foxhunters. Hopefully one will provide a nice return.
 
A quick google search for Western Ryder's fan club brings you to this thread! A similar search for Carter McKay just leads to a picture of me alone on an island!
 
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How's your beast BOF ?
Doesn't like a journey though does he ?
Punchy ?
 
Istabraq said:
How's your beast BOF ?
Doesn't like a journey though does he ?
Punchy ?
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He didn't even like going to Naas! Unfortunately, his sacrum locked up last week. The initial trauma could have happened any time over the last few months and probably accounts for his performance at Naas. He's taking it easy for a little while and we'll see how he goes.
 
OK cheers BOF.
Sounds like he'll have a long Summer picking grass, come back better next year...
 
Bayoffreedom said:
A quick google search for Western Ryder's fan club brings you to this thread! A similar search for Carter McKay just leads to a picture of me alone on an island!
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Hahaha :highly_amused:

I did see Patrick quoted as playing the form down a little for Carter Mckay.... price seems a little false to me because of timing more than anything (won same day Mullins lost the perceived 1st string) but CM was mentioned positvely earlier on in this thread and I believe people have some very nice prices... Maybe it was billy? I will go back and check and edit soon
 
Kevin Blake (good name) ....

Published 20th February

Even before he became the all-conquering power that he has been in the last decade, Willie Mullins was considered the go-to man when it came to bumpers. Ever since he trained and rode Wither Or Which to success in the Champion Bumper in 1996, he has added seven more victories to his tally, never going longer than four years without success in Cheltenham's only flat race.

That said, with the emphasis in the Mullins camp undergoing changes that see him concentrating on proven horses off the Flat and from France that are not eligible for bumpers, his number of runners and winners in that sphere have dropped somewhat. Indeed, if he fails to win the Champion Bumper this year, it will be the longest he has gone without a win in the race since his first success in it 21 years ago.

While the market has honed in on Carter McKay as the apparent Mullins first choice for the race in the aftermath of the injury to Getabird, he is anything but a solid proposition having won two slowly-run, small-field contests that will bear little resemblance to the test he will face in the Champion Bumper.

It may pay to look outside of the Mullins representatives in search of better value alternatives and the one that makes the most appeal at this stage is the Warren Greatrex-trained WESTERN RYDER.

The son of Westerner is from a fine National Hunt family and was bought by his current connections for €40,000 as a three-year-old. Clearly held in high regard from the outset, he was sent off favourite for his debut in a bumper at Ffos Las in May and showcased a fine turn of foot on his way to winning in great style.

Western Ryder promises to be very much suited by the test the Champion Bumper presents. The left-handed track and stiff finish promise to play to his strengths and the experience he has acquired in his four runs will make him better equipped than most for what can be a rough race.

He made his return from a summer break in a bumper at Market Rasen in November and while he was beaten by a short-head, it was an easy defeat to excuse. In contrast with the waiting ride he had received at Ffos Las, Western Ryder raced quite freely off the steady early pace and ended up in front with over five furlongs to race.

However, the main contributor to his defeat was that he looked uncomfortable going right-handed, with him hanging badly left in the straight and doing well to get to within a short-head of Infinite Sun in the circumstances.

His next run came in a Listed bumper at another right-handed track at Ascot, but a return to more patient riding tactics made a significant difference to his performance. Well covered up towards the rear with a view to getting him settled, he looked to have a big task on his hands when still in rear with a wall of horses in front of him on the turn for home, but as soon as the gaps opened he quickened into them bravely prior to seeing off the determined challenge of Imperial Eloquence by two lengths.

His most recent run came in a Listed bumper at Newbury in February and while he was beaten, again it was an easy defeat to forgive. The early pace was steady which resulted in him racing quite freely under restraint. He travelled into the race stylishly, but while he did his best in the resulting sprint for home in the straight, he couldn't match the turn of foot showed by the highly-regarded four-year-old filly Daphne Du Clos to whom he was conceding no less than 21lb.

Western Ryder promises to be very much suited by the test the Champion Bumper presents. The left-handed track and stiff finish promise to play to his strengths and the experience he has acquired in his four runs will make him better equipped than most for what can be a rough race.

While the market is likely to focus on the sexier, unbeaten types, Western Ryder has very solid credentials and is overpriced at 14/1.
 
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