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2024 Stayers Hurdle

ComplyOrDie said:
I've only backed her for the Mares Hurdle and at the end of Skeltons latest stable tour in the two for the tracker he is quoted as saying "West Balboa has started her season very well and indicated she's one to follow in the big mares' hurdles".

He couldn't be more obvious than that, though it was suggested by some of here who have an ear in to the yard that the Stayers was the plan, I'm not and wasn't convinced.
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She was entered up over 3 miles until today, not sure which race it was.

Skelton said last month "She might go for the West Yorkshire Hurdle up at Wetherby or she might go for two and a half mile conditions race at Aintree the week after, and if we go that route then we would look to step her up in trip afterwards."

They went to the 2.5mile race at Aintree, and then had a 3mile entry so I wouldn't say its that obvious that she is staying over the mid trip.
 
Many Clouds said:
She was entered up over 3 miles until today, not sure which race it was.

Skelton said last month "She might go for the West Yorkshire Hurdle up at Wetherby or she might go for two and a half mile conditions race at Aintree the week after, and if we go that route then we would look to step her up in trip afterwards."

They went to the 2.5mile race at Aintree, and then had a 3mile entry so I wouldn't say its that obvious that she is staying over the mid trip.
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He literally said "she's one to follow in the big mares' hurdles". I'm not making it up.

What are the big mares hurdle races? The biggest is the mares hurdle at Cheltenham. Surely that is obvious?

Appreciate what he said previously was different and maybe he's had a change of heart and direction for her.
 
Frankely My Dear said:
The talk about West Balboa (Skelton's comparison to Roksana in his stable tour for example) seems to point her down the Mare's Hurdle route, does anyone think she still could come here? I know Saxon Warrior you have her tipped for this, are you still on that page?
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Yes, you can find comments to suit both angles.

The one about the Mares programme

OR

The one after her win 2 weeks ago, when he said 3M in the spring would be right up her street.

Also she is running in the 3M Long Walk Hurdle next, so any thoughts one way or the other will be much clearer after that race.
 
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Dan also mentioned that she would start at wetherby or aintree and if it was the aintree route then she would be stepped up to 3 miles afterwards. I think its the long walk next now and the mares hurdle route would have been taken if she'd begun at wetherby. Thats how i read it anyhow.
 
ComplyOrDie said:
He literally said "she's one to follow in the big mares' hurdles". I'm not making it up.

What are the big mares hurdle races? The biggest is the mares hurdle at Cheltenham. Surely that is obvious?

Appreciate what he said previously was different and maybe he's had a change of heart and direction for her.
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Don't think it was Dan's quote.......think it was the tipster at the end of the Stable Tour (Harry Wilson) ?

She's going for the Long Walk next so the Stayers would be the current plan . Will depend on how she does in that race and potentially what Kateira does next time as she'd be his horse for the Mares Hurdle if she steps up big time after hating the conditions behind You Wear it Well.
 
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Sir Gerhard entered for the G1 Jack De Bromhead Christmas Hurdle over 3 miles ! The dream is alive. Just need Gaelic Warrior to fluff his lines this weekend and we're back on track.
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Interesting to see Bob Olinger has no Christmas entries over fences. Neither is he entered in the Jack De Bromhead 3 miler. But he is in the 2 mile hurdle. Looks as though they fancy Bob as a short-midtrip horse over hurdles.
 
That leaves him a bit stumped for March then, unless he fancies the Martin Pipe. Avoiding Cheltenham next year??
 
BuckingThe Trend said:
Sir Gerhard entered for the G1 Jack De Bromhead Christmas Hurdle over 3 miles ! The dream is alive. Just need Gaelic Warrior to fluff his lines this weekend and we're back on track.
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The two are kind of linked though. If Gaelic warrior fluffs his lines and they decide to target the stayers hurdle with him, then that may lead them to giving sir Gerhard another go over fences since they'd already have their big stayers hurdle candidate in Gaelic warrior.
 
Frankely My Dear said:
That leaves him a bit stumped for March then, unless he fancies the Martin Pipe. Avoiding Cheltenham next year??
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The Pipe is attritional. I'd have thought the County would suit better. Or maybe run for places in the Champion Hurdle. I think it more likely he'd go to Aintree myself though.
 
I think the Sir Gerhard route is already mapped out tbh - this is from Sporting Life tour...

"I have a feeling we might be changing tack during the season and if his jumping doesn't hold up he's one I have earmarked as a Stayers' Hurdle horse."
"He has an official rating of 155 over fences and if his jumping holds up he's probably well handicapped so a big handicap mid-season might seem the plan - he could be a Thyestes horse and if that doesn't work out, the Stayers' Hurdle."
 
Exar Essay said:
The Pipe is attritional. I'd have thought the County would suit better. Or maybe run for places in the Champion Hurdle. I think it more likely he'd go to Aintree myself though.
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The Aintree idea sounds more plausible, could pick up some prize money off the ones tired from Cheltenham. Could be interesting in the Champion Hurdle, need to look at that possibility a bit further
 
Exar Essay said:
Interesting to see Bob Olinger has no Christmas entries over fences. Neither is he entered in the Jack De Bromhead 3 miler. But he is in the 2 mile hurdle. Looks as though they fancy Bob as a short-midtrip horse over hurdles.
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Yep. No festival for him unfortunately. There's simply no race for him over hurdles. Aintree hurdle a certainty.
 
riccirich said:
The two are kind of linked though. If Gaelic warrior fluffs his lines and they decide to target the stayers hurdle with him, then that may lead them to giving sir Gerhard another go over fences since they'd already have their big stayers hurdle candidate in Gaelic warrior.
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Not linked at all imo. The only race SG could possibly go for over fences at the Fez would be the Ryanair and the owners already have Allaho and Envoi for that. They don't need another one. He'll go to the Stayers. Willie is playing games saying they'll try him over fences one more time. They simply can't take the risk after getting injured chasing last time.
 
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He just doesn't seem to go all out to win the stayers though as much as he does other races, it tends to be just one good dart with Townend aboard and then maybe a roughie or two. So sending two of his big guns to it would be a little different, but could happen. I think Sir Gerhard could go for the gold cup if staying over fences, I wouldn't agree with it personally as I'd have enough doubts about him getting the stayers trip, never mind the gold cup trip, but Mullins himself has always spoke about the horse as if stamina isn't an issue so I don't think he'd be against going that way.
 
Looking at the current Stayers betting, if we take IEP (Going CH) out, Sir G sits joint 4th fav and the first in the list of Mullins horses.
 
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