Every chance I'd say. Don't think he will fluff his lines today though. Reckon he'll go fav for the CC after today's race. He had an incredibly rushed preparation for the Fez and then was unlucky to fall at Punch when he was about to open up and pull away. Hoping we'll see the real superstar we've all been waiting for this afternoon.
That was her first run at 2m in an open grade 1, and she was up against the best of his era on a speed track. Since then she has been trained as a 2 miler as opposed to the 2 1/2 miler she was before.
Next race ran over 2m4f, next race 2m4f, made all in a poor Morgiana, December Hurdle wasnt strongly run, Irish Champion strongly run and came second, lacked concentration early, cherkpieces added for Champion Hurdle.
I'd partly agree on the concentration element.
Not disagreeing with any of that but she lacked concentration early in strongly run races. She was taken off her feet at the start of the race. Mullins admitted thats why the cheekpieces went on because she idled through first few furlongs in strongly run 2m races. The Christmas Hurdle is one example and the Irish Champion Hurdle before the festival was another.
Well if shes not concentrating at the start she gets taken off her feet by the early pace in a strongly run raceI'd partly agree on the concentration element.
But like jim says, they are not metronomes and when running against horses of similar ability they'll get beat for various reasons.
Fitness on the day, positioning, jumping and pace of the race are all factors.
The jockey is there to help gee them up at the start and get a good position.
So he's opted to hold back as a tactic cos he thinks the pace is too strong.
He certainly made no effort or asked for more from her in the Irish Champion until the home bend.
She definitely has the speed otherwise she would not have the turn of foot people mentioned when winning the Champion this year off a steady gallop.
It was the "taken off her feet" comment that started this
Her five highest RPRs all came last season over 2m. Three of those runs without cheekpieces. She has been trained to be a 2 miler and was better than ever last year. She was 4-5lb better with the cheekpieces on so could argue they improved her slightly, though she is also a mare who seems to improve at Cheltenham anyway.
I'm ok with not concentrating at the start, jockey and horse mind you.
She would have won with or without cheekpieces as it wasnt run strongly imo. She was able to quicken up the end. Mullins was worried enough about it being run strongly to put them on. Everyone has opinion its why this game is so great
Somehow I was on ROR at huge odds that season so was quiet happy when the Fly got turned over.A good example of a horse losing a champion hurdle because of poor positioning at the start is when Hurricane fly got beat by Rock on Ruby.
One of Walsh's worst rides.
Ffos las or Cheltenham depending on the ground. I presume they want good ground which might mean Cheltenham - which would be good news for those going next week.
