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Mares Novice Hurdle 2018

And on that news Laurina 1U @9/1 with bet365

Will halve if she wins today
 
Seems a bet to nothing.

If she doesn't win well then could easily cash out I guess.
 
Impressive enough for me, was Laurina.

Glad I had already added her to quite a few multiples too, after the doubts about Salsaretta.
 
I diddnt back her but wish I did.
Well played. She did it very well.

Bet365 making ante post a little easier with there cash out option.

In fairness to you, it was your post about Getabird before the Moscow Flyer saying it was a bet to nothing which has given me the idea.
 
I backed Irish Roe for this at 20/1 before today and I am very happy, and quite surprised 18's is still available on Betfair
 
Bet365 making ante post a little easier with there cash out option.

In fairness to you, it was your post about Getabird before the Moscow Flyer saying it was a bet to nothing which has given me the idea.

Is the cash out on bet365 something they're doing now? or is it some mistake? its mind blowing you can cash a bet out if you no longer fancy it on the ante post haha
 
Laurina most impressive winner of the day.

That said, I think she is now much too short to back for this. Difficult to know what she actually achieved beyond the actual style with the only real opposition bombing out. She also has a very rounded action which would suggest soft ground or even worse would be her ideal, maybe even a necessity. We all know that's unlikely in March. It's guesswork whether she will get away with it in a much better race.

Well done to all those who took a punt at the big prices.

Sadly, for her ante-post backers, it looked to me as if Maria's Benefit might have had one race too many. If she struggled to dominate a handful of rivals (with an easy lead) it is going to be massive task to do similar in March. Perhaps better ground might be a plus?
 
Don’t know how Maria’s Benefit has kept her price, but given the rumour Salsaretta won’t run, it’s unlikely apples Shakira and Stormy ireland will either there is definetly still value in the race.

From what I remember Shanning was impressive?
 
Iv made a mess of this race tbh. And injuries haven't been kind. Only have countister at 16s. With potential. she obviously needed her first run and de rasher counter gave her a little context to her form next time out. I'd be hopeful rather than confident.

Iv cashed out mystic theatre for damaged limitations and wrote off
dame rose 16/1
dame de compagnie 25/1
cap soleil 16/1 as poor bets on my behalf.
 
Sorry Jono, I meant where did he say that? RUK, ATR?

Sorry Rowebot - it was from the BetBright Cup launch at Cheltenham before the racing. In fairness that came from twitter, i'm yet to see direct quotes myself though there was the below released after:

Commenting on Salsaretta, the five-year-old French mare who hasn't run yet for Mullins but was talked about as a horse for the mares' novice which Ricci has won in its first two years, he said: "She's in training.

"You are at that point in the season where maybe you should just run her in graded races. We will have to see- hopefully she just stays healthy."

Whether they can get her out or not this season but sounds like they could look to do a 'Let's Dance' with her next season
 
With both Maria's Benefit and Laurina running within 5 minutes of eachother and the news on Salsaretta beforehand today looked like it was always going to give us some big clues in this race.

Well done to all who took the 9/1 before the race on Laurina. :encouragement: Now, at 3/1 best price and looking almost certain to be the Mullins and Walsh first string for the race it's a good position to be in. She was certainly more impressive than I expected today - Townend only had to give her a squeeze and she pulled right away. Her run at Tramore has had nothing come out of any note and I don't think this race will amount to much either. It was disappointing to see Crackerdancer fall but he was beaten at the time anyway.

Both Townend and then Mullins had good words to say after the race:

She was very good. She's a tank of a filly and is like sitting on a gelding

"She loved the ground and had the experience in France. She was showing us that at home and to be honest we would have been disappointed if she didn't do that.

"If they can keep her in one piece they will have fun with her.

It looked a very good performance. She's shown me that she's a nice mare at home," said Mullins. "In Tramore she did what she did but today looked a bit special to put away some very nice mares on that ground.

"I don't think she jumped particularly well during the race either. I think her jumping will improve and she can improve again. She's a nice mare to have. It's just experience, she was in behind with a lot of muck coming back in her face today.

"Paul just reminded me that she got a fright at the first at Tramore and he thought she was just remembering that today and then she settled into jumping.

"When he gave her a squeeze going to the last she opened up and ended up on top of the hurdle rather than jumping it properly but he was happy other than that. She has size and scope as well. It looks like she'll go for the mares novice at Cheltenham.

"They are probably as nice a bunch of mares as there are in Ireland. I wouldn't have any problem with her trip wise. After today she could go back to two miles.

I don't think she'll be going into this race with the best form in the book by any stretch, but the simple fact of her having Walsh onboard come March could well be enough.

I was taken with Maria's Benefit again today, this time her will to dig in when Irish Roe loomed up alongside looking like the most likely winner. Her jumping wasn't quite as slick as previous runs where there were a few poor jumps in there but it was still good on the whole. I certainly don't see why her price would have gone out after that win. It's also worth noting that her and Irish Roe were up against Mares outside of novices today. Dusky Legend is a good mare with solid form, noteably placing twice in the 2 renewals of this race - 4.5L's between Limini and 3L behind Let's Dance. She was well beaten today in third and you also had The Nipper way back in 5th. From a form basis she is certainly ahead of what Laurina has achieved to date.

My biggest worry with Maria's Benefit is her run style. Making all from the front has been working for her this season but to do that at a track like Cheltenham, at the festival on what will surely be better ground will take some doing. You either have to be an extremely good horse to do so or an extremely talented/experienced jockey who can get the fractions and pace of the race spot on. No disrespect to Gethings but for a jockey who only just rode out his claim today, and a novice on her first go at the track...it will be a tough task. It's very easy to imagine Walsh on Laurina and Geraghty on Countister being just 2 of the horses looming up alongside before the last.

Irish Roe is a stand out 16/1 with Betvictor still where as it is 10's or lower elsewhere. She was receiving weight from the winner today but there's not too much between the pair, certainly not the difference of 16/1 compared to 5/1 for MB. She finished ahead of MB at the Aintree festival and although she was 66 lengths back in 20th in the Champion Bumper, she has the experience of the festival and also has a course win in November 2016.

A little like Scooby the race isn't looking particularly great for me...

Fayonagh 6/1 - :sorrow:
Salsaretta 20/1
Dame de Compagnie 20/1
Maria's Benefit 11/1

In all likelihood that looks like it may be leaving me down to just the 1 runner. With that in mind, and when you take out Apples Shakira, Salsaretta, Daphne Du Clos, Stormy Ireland and Mystic Theatre from the top 8 of the betting it does make me tempted to take the 16/1 on BetVictor. Tough i'm probably more inclined to instead back Countister at 12/1 with WH. Particularly as this would be the only race for her so you would be getting money back if she wasn't to run. From Henderson's last few blogs she is the number 1 in the yard for this race. She was well beaten by Cap Soleil on debut at Newbury but she looked just as good as the winner before the last only to find little. She may have just needed the run but she made amends next time out and the form of that race has looked ok. The second De Rasher Counter won at Fontwell after and then looked set for 3rd place today at Cheltenham behind the smart Santini and Black Op before falling at the last. Clondaw Castle has also followed up with a win.
 
In hindsight, yesterday was probably the race to experiment with the tactics on Maria's Benefit. If it didn't work then they could revert. She might also have had an easier race doing it that way. She might be forced into something different at Cheltenham. Yes, Gethings is a concern.
 
I’ve made a mess of this race too. Relying on countister and cap soleil. If I have a good first couple of days then might add one of Laurina or Maria’s Benefit, but there are enough doubts about both really groundwise and at cheltenham that I wouldn’t go too big on either. I still haven’t given up on Cap Soleil, really rate the horse and hoping for a run for my money still.. form is mixed so hard to assess, and she likely wants further, but she did beat countister 7 lengths not so long ago so not a complete no hoper if they can freshen her up and get her back to that level
 
Is Stormy Ireland definitely going Triumph and not this?
 
Is Stormy Ireland definitely going Triumph and not this?

The owner has the fav laurina. And others at home that dont look like being needed for this.
Stormy ireland is a juvenile with a live chance in the spring juvenile. Would be almost certain she'd be going triumph.
 
Still think on good ground Dame De Compagnie will prove better than last time.