General Chat

[Lobos]

With Fact To File and Inothewayurthinkin in the same ownership, it would make sense for one of them to divert to the Ryanair. Corbetts Cross is definitely the most versatile so I like that as an ante post bet.
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Agree.

FTF......Gold Cup
Corbett's Cross..... Ryanair
Inothewayurthinkin.......Grand National

Nice split and a lovely Patent :barbershop_quartet_member:

 

[Deleted member 4957]

I’m not buying this Corbetts Cross Ryanair chat, if anything he’s a National horse.
Can see him going Gold Cup/National or they could get creative with his hurdles mark and go Pertemps/National, I’d be shocked if he’s running over a sub 3m trip come Spring…..

 

[darlojim]

I’m not buying this Corbetts Cross Ryanair chat, if anything he’s a National horse.
Can see him going Gold Cup/National or they could get creative with his hurdles mark and go Pertemps/National, I’d be shocked if he’s running over a sub 3m trip come Spring…..

Couldn't agree more Ista

We have to remember what outfit this is that we're talking about. Derek isn't going to be giving free info re. targets out willy nilly before the seasons even begun.

 

[Lobos]

Couldn't agree more Ista

We have to remember what outfit this is that we're talking about. Derek isn't going to be giving free info re. targets out willy nilly before the seasons even begun.

They were very open and generous about his NHC target last season so maybe they aren't talking shit ??

 

[darlojim]

They were very open and generous about his NHC target last season so maybe they aren't talking shit ??

Are you sure Lobos?

I'm sure it was charlie who kindly let us know the plan well in advance? and from post race reports I can't find anything about them targeting the NHC

....

Feb 9th after his fall Emmett at that point still hadn't commit to a target:

Mullins said no decision on his target will be made until nearer the time and his primary focus is the wellbeing of the horse.

The trainer said: "No decisions will be made about anything for a while. We'll see how he is in a couple of weeks. We'll take our time and let him come along."
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[Saxon Warrior]

Are you sure Lobos?

I'm sure it was charlie who kindly let us know the plan well in advance? and from post race reports I can't find anything about them targeting the NHC

....

Feb 9th after his fall Emmett at that point still hadn't commit to a target:

Mullins said no decision on his target will be made until nearer the time and his primary focus is the wellbeing of the horse.

The trainer said: "No decisions will be made about anything for a while. We'll see how he is in a couple of weeks. We'll take our time and let him come along."
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Yeah it was pretty cloak and dagger from Emmet last season.

JP has a good Gold Cup hand a.t.m.

Fact To File
Corbetts Cross
Inothewayurthinkin
I Am Maximus
Spillanes Tower

I would suggest that they all have that aim, until they prove otherwise.

No telling if all will be fit and in form in March, and easy to see him running at least 2 in it it they are both fit, as for 3 - why not.

Jonbon and Spillanes Tower, may be a Ryanair horse by then, for JP.

I did get Corbetts added to the Ryanair with one firm, after I watched that DOC video, probably two or three weeks ago, but wasn't impressed by the price.

Or how he ran in his 2 runs over shorter trips last season, which didn't scream Grade 1, but could have more to come from that sphere than he showed last winter.

 

[Lobos]

Charlie clearly got a nudge and spread the word with huge confidence. We didn't need to listen to anyone or anything else. The money poured in after that and the way Corbett's won you just know it was the plan all along.

 

[Lobos]

Willie has already confirmed that the GC would be on the agenda for both FTF and IAM and clearly GDC will be going for the Hat Trick. He looks to have some hand in that race next season!

 

[darlojim]

Charlie clearly got a nudge and spread the word with huge confidence. We didn't need to listen to anyone or anything else. The money poured in after that and the way Corbett's won you just know it was the plan all along.

That was my point, we knew due to Charlie sharing the info, but it most definitely wasn't known to the general public for the majority of the build up until he was taken out of the Turners and BANC.

Those connections will never be too 'out there' with their future plans,they hold their cards very close to their chest:anonymous:

 

[Lobos]

That was my point, we knew due to Charlie sharing the info, but it most definitely wasn't known to the general public for the majority of the build up until he was taken out of the Turners and BANC.

Those connections will never be too 'out there' with their future plans,they hold their cards very close to their chest:anonymous:

Isn't Charlie the general public?? Charlie......where are you? Where's he going this time mate ?

 

[darlojim]

Going to be a long old season on here..

nthego:nthego:nthego:

 

[Spectre]

This has more than likely been discussed already and I've missed (apologies if so) but Kevloaf has a cracking cameo in the Grand National episode of Champions: Full Gallop.

That was in The Parade Ring at Aintree on Grand National Day, when The King Of Ryhope went off favourite for the William Hill Chase. Kev thrust himself in so they couldn't miss him. They cut the bit when he took his shirt off and ran around the parade ring waving it above his head :highly_amused:

 

[somer1]

Any love out there for Baby Kate for the MNH. Just keep going back and looking at her.

 

[RoadToCheltenham]

Vibes are that an announcement regarding Cheltenham and changes to the Festival programme are on the horizon (and yes, there will be some changes for this season). The BHA have bought themselves time, interestingly, by releasing the 2025 Fixture List dates but not the programme book.

This is the current information I've received:

The Programme Book for January will be online before the end of October 2024, with the rest of PB1 available by early November.

So the full programme will be confirmed by early November but you'd imagine they'll need to confirm Festival changes long before then. The longer it goes, the bigger the backlash.

 

[Odin]

Vibes are that an announcement regarding Cheltenham and changes to the Festival programme are on the horizon (and yes, there will be some changes for this season). The BHA have bought themselves time, interestingly, by releasing the 2025 Fixture List dates but not the programme book.

This is the current information I've received:

The Programme Book for January will be online before the end of October 2024, with the rest of PB1 available by early November.

So the full programme will be confirmed by early November but you'd imagine they'll need to confirm Festival changes long before then. The longer it goes, the bigger the backlash.

Thanks for this.

Doesnt massively bother me from a betting perspective (might even provide some new opportunities) but it's absolute amateur hour if the changes aren't confirmed before most horses come in for pre-training imo. Not sure when that is, but I'm guessing September ish? Imagine competing in the premier league but not knowing how many matches there will be in the season, likewise the F1 and not knowing if you're instantaneously going to be ineligible for one of the grand Prix. Crazy scenes.
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[Deleted member 4957]

Vibes are that an announcement regarding Cheltenham and changes to the Festival programme are on the horizon (and yes, there will be some changes for this season). The BHA have bought themselves time, interestingly, by releasing the 2025 Fixture List dates but not the programme book.

This is the current information I've received:

The Programme Book for January will be online before the end of October 2024, with the rest of PB1 available by early November.

So the full programme will be confirmed by early November but you'd imagine they'll need to confirm Festival changes long before then. The longer it goes, the bigger the backlash.

I'm going to assume that even the BHA, being one of the most incompetent governing bodies in sport, have engaged with trainers and owners to gauge opinion on this.
The likes of Spectre archie Bayoffreedom and a few others may well have a heads up access on this....

 

[RoadToCheltenham]

I'm going to assume that even the BHA, being one of the most incompetent governing bodies in sport, have engaged with trainers and owners to gauge opinion on this.
The likes of Spectre archie Bayoffreedom and a few others may well have a heads up access on this....

Correct. Jon Pullin was doing the rounds late June/early July in many of the UK yards

From Kim Bailey, 5th July:

Talking of change. Jon Pullen who is Regional Head of Racing, South West and Cheltenham Clerk of The Course was here early this morning to discuss this year's Cheltenham Festival and what needs changing.. Jon is/has been visiting most trainers…. Jon will have much to digest me thinks!

 

[Saxon Warrior]

Vibes are that an announcement regarding Cheltenham and changes to the Festival programme are on the horizon (and yes, there will be some changes for this season). The BHA have bought themselves time, interestingly, by releasing the 2025 Fixture List dates but not the programme book.

This is the current information I've received:

The Programme Book for January will be online before the end of October 2024, with the rest of PB1 available by early November.

So the full programme will be confirmed by early November but you'd imagine they'll need to confirm Festival changes long before then. The longer it goes, the bigger the backlash.

The Programme Book of big NH races is never out until November at the earliest.

I have an Annual Diary Note for it, and have to chase the BHA up, most years to find out why it's not up on their website when the season is in full swing, during October.

I will post the link to it on Fat Jockey, as usual, as soon as I see it. :encouragement:

I do the same for the HRI Irish NH Programme Book, which is out before the first races are run.

I'd expect any Cheltenham Festival changes for March 2025 should be published on Racing Post and elsewhere, well before the BHA Programme Book is published - in the past thats been as late as early December. :dejection:

 

[Deleted member 4957]

Correct. Jon Pullin was doing the rounds late June/early July in many of the UK yards

From Kim Bailey, 5th July:

Talking of change. Jon Pullen who is Regional Head of Racing, South West and Cheltenham Clerk of The Course was here early this morning to discuss this year's Cheltenham Festival and what needs changing.. Jon is/has been visiting most trainers…. Jon will have much to digest me thinks!

I don't do social media so won't be aware of any 'chat' but I'm surprised there's not been more reporting of this by trainers/owners if the engagement has been as extensive as suggested.
The BHA have missed a trick here to update punters/spectators that could have improved their perception, worse still if there are fundamental changes such as a graded race becoming a handicap where an ante post market exists and bets have been placed, then they're effectively confirming their incompetence...

 

[Spectre]

I can confirm a number of Trainers have been consulted. Also a meeting took place to discuss the changes several weeks ago, and pretty much all the things you'd expect were discussed. No outcomes were agreed the last I heard, but I suspect that has move on now.

I genuinely fear that changes will be knee-jerk without truly understanding the heart of the problem, and that is the Graded races being dominated by a very small number of years. Sure things like the XC can be fixed easily, but changes to the graded to handicaps or removing just condenses the same problem into fewer races.

Imagine the NH Chase going, and the Turners becoming a handicap, Willie will just dominate the Arkle and Brown Advisory with his entries. It has the opposite effect to what they'd intend, when even more Trainers would look at Aintree instead, and Willie will have the top 4 or 5 in the market.

The XC to handicap is an easy fix.
Disallow novices from the open handicaps also is. If they want a sixth day, run 6 novice handicaps on the Saturday. Or run them around the Imperial Cup at Sandown.
Remove penalties for the mares in the mares races.
Move the NH Chase to the New Course (and maybe back to 4 miles), so it is sufficiently different to the Browns.
And finally either remove the Boodles, or make it a 0-125, so horses are pushed back to the Triumph.

Outside that, other than minor tinkering, anything else would be a mistake.