jono
Fat Jockey Patron (est. Jan 2021)
I quite like melon for fences personally, he looks built for the job. His Cheltenham record is good and will be one of the highest rated hurdlers going chasing this season. Think he’ll be a big player in the arkle/jlt
Melon will need to improve a lot for a fence as his form outside of cheltenham is a good stone or so lower.
So I personally think there's every chance that he'll still end up in the stayers, although this may also require Willie having a couple of other live chances in the Champion.
In any case, the current odds don't look tempting. I would want 33's or bigger to take this chance, so will wait and see how his try at fences goes. They definitely need to use a bit of imagination for this horse and possibly consider coming over here once or twice before cheltenham to.
Melon is a funny one. Those 3 runner up spots at the festival are basically the only reason his stock is as high as he is. Outside of those runs which are by far his best - he's become somewhat of a liability. After 14 runs he only has 2 wins to his name - a Maiden Hurdle and a grade 2. There's enough based off his 3 Cheltenham runs to suggest whatever happens he could and may well figure wherever he runs. Maybe fences just might be the thing that makes him click and turn him into a horse who not even wins but runs as his short odds have suggested he should. I'd be so anti Melon for any antepost bet though. I said plenty last year over hurdles and the same applies for me going chasing. Don't get involved until much closer to the time as he will get turned over at least once over the season. For that reason I can see your angle with the Stayers Q. I remember Mullins suggesting it loosely as a bit of a wildcard before the festival last year. That said he was still way too keen at the back end of last season once again and gave no real optimism for me that he'd be effective over 3 miles.
I think the Mares would be the number one target as it stands for BDD, and expect Mullins to come out and say this in the Autumn. Although I can fully see the temptation for stayers, I think this race would need to soften up a little for this to be a serious option.
Laurina may be the key to this, as she could go in any direction, in terms of potential or not, fences or hurdles, and trip, except staying at 2 miles maybe. She didn't really have a season last year and essentially had one 'bad run' or maybe that's how good she is ? Seemed to possibly be disadvantaged in the champion with going the extreme pace in the first half mile.
On Laurina - I think for now Laurina just has to be taken on going forward doesn't she in any race outside Mares only? The fact she is favourite in the Arkle, JLT and even third fav in the RSA is bonkers. I'm much more inclined to take that view going into the season and think she has lots to prove rather than thinking she had a bad run at the festival. Mullins has constantly downplayed the hype on her. Positive yes but no where near the levels the markets suggest. Too much surely made of the Mares Novice win and the owners push towards the Champion Hurdle. No doubt she'll take everything apart this season now i've said this! :highly_amused:
One thing with both Benie and Laurina - if they both run stay over hurdles then the Mares and Stayers paths will intersect quite a bit with the same races often being a good prep for either and I wouldn't be surprised to see both connections keep there options open.
Can you see them running against eachother in the Mares?