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2026 Novice Hurdlers

Paddy quietly clipping Mighty Park price for the turners.. shhh

I think, and I'm hoping this is the route they go with him!

I think he'll be similar to Final Demand in that he may find one too good but be their BANC horse next season!

This is JP though, he could also find one or two good in a Supreme and go BANC next season too!
 
I think, and I'm hoping this is the route they go with him!

I think he'll be similar to Final Demand in that he may find one too good but be their BANC horse next season!

This is JP though, he could also find one or two good in a Supreme and go BANC next season too!

Really hard to know for sure which way they'll go with him

Prior to yesterdays performance by OPS, I'd have said Supreme more likely, but will they opt to go Turners after seeing that performance

If we see him again prior to the festival and he puts in another wow performance beating better graded horses, maybe they will take on OPS.

Wouldn't like to be putting my neck on the line with 1 or other atm though
 
Really hard to know for sure which way they'll go with him

Prior to yesterdays performance by OPS, I'd have said Supreme more likely, but will they opt to go Turners after seeing that performance

If we see him again prior to the festival and he puts in another wow performance beating better graded horses, maybe they will take on OPS.

Wouldn't like to be putting my neck on the line with 1 or other atm though
I just keep coming back to his initial entry at Christmas, a trip was already in their mind.
 
Really hard to know for sure which way they'll go with him

Prior to yesterdays performance by OPS, I'd have said Supreme more likely, but will they opt to go Turners after seeing that performance

If we see him again prior to the festival and he puts in another wow performance beating better graded horses, maybe they will take on OPS.

Wouldn't like to be putting my neck on the line with 1 or other atm though
Can't see him running against much if he runs in Feb. Most decent novices are DRF bound. Maybe, Moscow flyer horses, like road exile and few handicap plot horses that will be out the back. He'd be a grand horse to hide a few behind for their 5th hurdle run😉
 
Same here - I'd be very surprised if they went to the Supreme
Whatever way they may of been thinking before

What the horse has now achieved over the shorter distance has surely meant they go Supreme
 
Really hard to know for sure which way they'll go with him

Prior to yesterdays performance by OPS, I'd have said Supreme more likely, but will they opt to go Turners after seeing that performance

If we see him again prior to the festival and he puts in another wow performance beating better graded horses, maybe they will take on OPS.

Wouldn't like to be putting my neck on the line with 1 or other atm though
Distinct lack of graded options now for novices outside the DRF. The Michael Purcell is 2m 5f at Thurles in February, or the Kingfurze over 2m but that is a week before Cheltenham. Most logical could be the Sheila Bourke at Punchestown that William Munny won last year over 2m prior to the Supreme and also won by Tullyhill the year before.
 
….365 cut Espresso Milan to a best 20-1 AB after that success.
 
Really hard to know for sure which way they'll go with him

Prior to yesterdays performance by OPS, I'd have said Supreme more likely, but will they opt to go Turners after seeing that performance

If we see him again prior to the festival and he puts in another wow performance beating better graded horses, maybe they will take on OPS.

Wouldn't like to be putting my neck on the line with 1 or other atm though

Prior to his debut I had him down as a potential for the Bartlett, this was based on his p2p performance and pedigree. Walk In The Park out of a Presenting mare.


I know you put little on breeding you prefer the eye test, but even on debut, despite it being over 2m, he just looked a relentless galloper, topped 31mph on the speed gun.

The thing is even if we see him again before the festival, what actual opposition will he face. Most will be turning up at the DRF, I doubt he'll end up there!

If he didn't have the class he looks to have I think he'd be Bartlett bound, but I'd put him in the Denman/Champ/Final Demand bracket whereby he'll end up in a Turners, find at least one too good, assuming all stand up of course and end up improving massively for going chasing.

Just my opinion though.

I've backed him for both, albeit favoured Turners as that's where my opinion is for.
 
Prior to his debut I had him down as a potential for the Bartlett, this was based on his p2p performance and pedigree. Walk In The Park out of a Presenting mare.


I know you put little on breeding you prefer the eye test, but even on debut, despite it being over 2m, he just looked a relentless galloper, topped 31mph on the speed gun.

The thing is even if we see him again before the festival, what actual opposition will he face. Most will be turning up at the DRF, I doubt he'll end up there!

If he didn't have the class he looks to have I think he'd be Bartlett bound, but I'd put him in the Denman/Champ/Final Demand bracket whereby he'll end up in a Turners, find at least one too good, assuming all stand up of course and end up improving massively for going chasing.

Just my opinion though.

I've backed him for both, albeit favoured Turners as that's where my opinion is for.

He wouldn't face top opposition if he goes again, but there will be at least a couple of 'substance' in those options for him

Yeah I did notice the speed he topped, seemed low enough for 2 but he was just hacking round at the same time, no idea how much quicker he could have gone if asked :ROFLMAO:

I'd say I'd be 65-35 Turners now

I certainly wopuldn't expect him in a Bartlett or anything, they thought he was a 2miler at home but in the mould of FD.
 
….365 cut Espresso Milan to a best 20-1 AB after that success.

Townend said on Racing TV: "He went through the race really well, that was probably the nicest part of it (the performance). He's a fine, big horse and the old cliche of hurdling and chasing... but I think he's improving away nicely.

"The step up in trip was no harm to him which we thought it wouldn't. Even if he's had a few runs, he only does what you make him do. He's a nice horse, I'm not saying he's the second coming or anything but he'll pay his way. Staying is going to be his game."
 
Prior to his debut I had him down as a potential for the Bartlett, this was based on his p2p performance and pedigree. Walk In The Park out of a Presenting mare.


I know you put little on breeding you prefer the eye test, but even on debut, despite it being over 2m, he just looked a relentless galloper, topped 31mph on the speed gun.

The thing is even if we see him again before the festival, what actual opposition will he face. Most will be turning up at the DRF, I doubt he'll end up there!

If he didn't have the class he looks to have I think he'd be Bartlett bound, but I'd put him in the Denman/Champ/Final Demand bracket whereby he'll end up in a Turners, find at least one too good, assuming all stand up of course and end up improving massively for going chasing.

Just my opinion though.

I've backed him for both, albeit favoured Turners as that's where my opinion is for.
Would be an extremely atypical winner of an AB being a 5yo with so little experience. Really wouldn't expect Willie to chuck him in there.
 
Would be an extremely atypical winner of an AB being a 5yo with so little experience. Really wouldn't expect Willie to chuck him in there.

No, I'm not about now, I said prior to his debut, basically from his p2p run back in April last year, and his page, would have had him as staying type. For all I knew at that point he went onto my list, Willie could have started him out in July or August and turned into a horse with a few runs under his belt. As it so happened he's only just come out, but I wasn't to know that when I put him on my list of horses. He could have also gone down the bumper route at the time too.

Jim also mentioned about them seeing him as a 2 miler, I wasn't privy to this information back when I noted him down.

Age wouldn't have bothered me.
 
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Doesn't sound like he's Festival bound does it.

….Townend;

He added: “Espresso Milan is a smashing horse and with him it is the old cliché that whatever he does over hurdles is a bonus. He even jumps hurdles like a chaser, but we won’t leave behind his hurdling career either.

“He’d have to improve again to win at the top level, but has probably earned a crack at one of those races now.