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Ballymore (Previously Neptune) Novice Hurdle 2018

Cracking smart deffinately runs, next destination is about the right timing. Really like them both.

Yeah clash of the season in the novice hurdle division so far if it happens.... unless I've forgotten anything?
 
Yeah clash of the season in the novice hurdle division so far if it happens.... unless I've forgotten anything?

Would be very good. Next destination would need to come out and back up his hurdling debut. That change of gear seemed to come from knowhere on his previous form. Cracking smart would look far and away the best novice who's already ran over 3. But would they want to run him in a bartlett? im not sure.
 
Would be very good. Next destination would need to come out and back up his hurdling debut. That change of gear seemed to come from knowhere on his previous form. Cracking smart would look far and away the best novice who's already ran over 3. But would they want to run him in a bartlett? im not sure.

I'm pretty confident they would if Samcro is fit and well.... despite NMH and DD in the last few years I still think Gigginstown and Elliott would view the Albert Bartlett as a decent prize with their philosophy... too much is being made of those two being beaten IMO
 
Brian Ellison has said that Ravenhill Road is going to Cheltenham for the 2m3f race on 29th Dec as they want to go up in trip with him. You can tell he thinks the world of him.
 
Brian Ellison has said that Ravenhill Road is going to Cheltenham for the 2m3f race on 29th Dec as they want to go up in trip with him. You can tell he thinks the world of him.

Doncaster, not Cheltenham Kev. He definitely rates him highly. An ideal horse for the AB I think.
 
Doncaster, not Cheltenham Kev. He definitely rates him highly. An ideal horse for the AB I think.

I thought he said Cheltenham on ATR? :highly_amused:
Really looking forward to seeing him out again.
 
Hi Nicky, confused by your plans for ON THE BLIND SIDE; Why are you looking at the Ballymore (2m4f) Thought the run in November was screaming for 3 miles? Stayed on unbelievably well!

If you were just looking at the Cheltenham race and took it literally, yes, you might be right but can you honestly say that he looked slow at Sandown? I will say that he had been getting a little bit of sore shins and my opinion was that instead of getting outpaced coming down the hill, I don’t think he enjoyed coming down it, as he was likely feeling his shins, so I said to Nico ignore Cheltenham and ride him a completely different way, ride him like he’s got lots of tactical speed, which he clearly showed he’s got. What we saw at Sandown, we simply can’t go three miles he’s not as slow as he made out, believe me! He’ll go to Newbury for the Challow and then we’ll put him away until March.
 
Hi Nicky, confused by your plans for ON THE BLIND SIDE; Why are you looking at the Ballymore (2m4f) Thought the run in November was screaming for 3 miles? Stayed on unbelievably well!

If you were just looking at the Cheltenham race and took it literally, yes, you might be right but can you honestly say that he looked slow at Sandown? I will say that he had been getting a little bit of sore shins and my opinion was that instead of getting outpaced coming down the hill, I don’t think he enjoyed coming down it, as he was likely feeling his shins, so I said to Nico ignore Cheltenham and ride him a completely different way, ride him like he’s got lots of tactical speed, which he clearly showed he’s got. What we saw at Sandown, we simply can’t go three miles he’s not as slow as he made out, believe me! He’ll go to Newbury for the Challow and then we’ll put him away until March.

The fact that he has suggested the Challow as his next target probably suggests he should run in the Albert Bartlett and this has historically been a poor guide for the Ballymore given it is usually run over 2.5m on soft/heavy ground.
 
The fact that he has suggested the Challow as his next target probably suggests he should run in the Albert Bartlett and this has historically been a poor guide for the Ballymore given it is usually run over 2.5m on soft/heavy ground.

As a Samcro backer, I'll be delighted if he wins the Challow and goes for the Ballymore, and I'll just hope the 'stats guys' are right and he doesn't win it :highly_amused:

Huge fan of the horse mind.
 
Next Destination has been nothing but impressive so far and I thought he was a Bartlett horse all over (have him covered only in that race). However, as the season progresses the more I think he'll end up here, what with the smart turn of foot he's shown. Am torn between covering him for this race or letting it be, and favouring the latter. Samcro is obviously my biggest winner here and he beat Jetz 12 lengths eased down at Navan in November. Over the same course, distance and similar ground, Next Destination beat Jetz 7 lengths last time out. We don't know what Samcro finds off the bridle, but my suspicion is he won't need to find much off the bridle as his cruising speed should have them all in trouble. Happy to have most of my eggs in his basket for this one
 
Sadly ON THE BLIND SIDE has banged a hind joint which has forced him out of the G1 Challow Hurdle @NewburyRacing on Saturday. Obviously it is a real shame but he’ll now have his mid-season break and we hope to have him ready for a prep race before @CheltenhamRaces.
 
Sadly ON THE BLIND SIDE has banged a hind joint which has forced him out of the G1 Challow Hurdle @NewburyRacing on Saturday. Obviously it is a real shame but he’ll now have his mid-season break and we hope to have him ready for a prep race before @CheltenhamRaces.

That'll be a positive for the stats/trends guys that don't like the Challow as a trial.
 
A shame for the race, and probably ends the possibility of him running in the AB.
 
With Might Bite winning the King George, I need Samcro to win for a 96pt profit
 
With Might Bite winning the King George, I need Samcro to win for a 96pt profit

That's excellent Ryan, obviously fingers crossed! Was anything else in it?
 
Just those 2!

Happy days Ryan. Fingers will be crossed for you, and me, and most other people in the world :highly_amused:


Challow Hurdle tomorrow.... 3pm Newbury

Previous winners include:
2016 Messire Des Obeaux (went on to place in Ballymore 3rd behind Willoughby Court and Neon Wolf)
2015 Barters Hill (Beat Politilouge and went off fav for Albert Bartlett, came 4th, 4L behind UNWIMH)
2014 Parlour Games (2nd in the Ballymore behind Windsor Park and ahead of Nichols Canyon)
2013 Captain Cutter (PU 7/1 in the Albert Bartlett, never raced again)
2012 Taquin De Seuil (Finished 6th in The New One's Ballymore)
2011 Fingal Bay (missed Cheltenham)
2009 Reve De Sivola (2nd behind Peddlers Cross in the Ballymore)

Quite a nice little list of horses there....

Tomorrow is actually quite interesting on closer look.

Fav is Kilbriken storm who has won over 15f then 23f just a couple of weeks ago in the Albert Bartlett trial at Chelt.
Poetic Rythem could frank the form of On The Blind Side who was only 2.5L ahead in the Ballymore trial at Cheltenham...
Dame Rose gets her 4yo and mares allowances and won impressivly at Newbury last time out
Way Back Then last run has produced a couple of winners although I admit I am not sure what the level is.
Dans Le Vent had a 3L second to Slate House and some good bumper form behind Fayonagh and Daphne Du Clos
Mulcahys Hill I don't know much about but won last time out as well...

So 5 of the 6 won last time out.

I'd maybe chance Dame Rose with the allowances and course form... but not a strong selection.
 
So Poetic Rhythm pays a compliment to On The blind Side. OTBS is surely a knocking good bet each way in the Ballymore!
 
So Poetic Rhythm pays a compliment to On The blind Side. OTBS is surely a knocking good bet each way in the Ballymore!

If I were certain he was coming here, absolutely!!

Is there ANY chance Samcro goes Supreme? Think he has the speed?

It's just I think the Supreme thus far looks bang average. Ballymore could be race of the week at this rate- would they sidestep?
 
I’ve been considering this too but I just don’t think Henderson is a ‘sidestepper’. I reckon Next Destination will be the one who sidesteps as, at this point, he’d look to be Mullins best novice and while Ballymore probably suits the horse best Willie will want ND going at whatever race he has the best chance of winning. It might sound ridiculous but I don’t think it’s out the question that ND goes Supreme... and if he did I think he’d be favourite.