General Chat

[nortonscoin200]

There was a feeling the race threads went up too early last year so these will go up at some point once the season is in full flow, I think the consensus was that Christmas ish would suit best.
The early fancies thread is still the place for festival discussion, I guess in a few weeks there's a case for the 'novice hurdle/chase/championship threads' to reappear as they seemed to work well in past years.
It's Kev's call, and he's busy dismantling hot tubs these days....

I'm very much in favour of individual threads for the novice and championship races being up and running by early October.

It's much easier to refer back to previous posts relating to one specific race once these individual threads are in place - rather than wade through page after page of general chat.

The danger with not having individual race threads until Christmas-ish is that the forum will drift for three months and become a bit of a glorified talking shop.

We all want to get on at the best Cheltenham ante-post prices - which usually means backing horses early to stay ahead of the pack.

So if we are to drill down into the detail of every Festival race and the likely contenders - something the FJ forum does brilliantly - the very least we should do is give each of these races its own thread nice and early.

If it was up to me I'd probably put up the handicap threads in October too.

Maybe they wouldn't get much traffic this side of Christmas but so what. It would be worth having them in place just to find the odd nugget which could then be discussed in more detail than is likely in a general chat thread which currently runs to more than 520 pages.

The case for an early thread on the Pertemps is particularly strong because of the qualifiers.

 

[Atlantic Viking]

Novice hurdles in particular can be clumped together in one thread for me til maybe the DRF, it's more likely than not that we aren't going to know where the likes of Facile Vega end up for example til game day is round the corner. Just end up having the same discussions on 2 or 3 threads otherwise. Maybe a thread for the AB, candidates are a bit easier to pin down even if the winner isn't! Don't see the harm in Championship races having their own threads at the start of the season or anytime now really.

Handicap threads are largely getting ignored this year til a few days out unless there's an obvious Mullins G1 type lurking, i'm determined to finally learn that particular lesson :highly_amused:

 

[Eggs]

….Stable Tours tend to identify one or two specific targets but more interestingly which horses are going novice chasing or staying over hurdles. We’ll also get a trainers current thoughts on distance.

Things will start ramping up soon and it’ll be good to have threads at the next level.

 

[Spectre]

I'm with NC, and would much prefer to have individual threads relatively early. Even the novice hurdles. Yes there's some cross-over but even so I'd prefer to see what was talked about for the Supreme Novices in retrospect and be able to find it, whereas one thread is just a big mess.

I don't think it was coincidence that traffic increased significantly as soon as the individual race threads went up last year either.

 

[archie]

Novice hurdles in particular can be clumped together in one thread for me til maybe the DRF, it's more likely than not that we aren't going to know where the likes of Facile Vega end up for example til game day is round the corner. Just end up having the same discussions on 2 or 3 threads otherwise.

:encouragement:

 

[Dandrew99]

Could we not do both options here?

3 threads for the individual races, where we can discuss entries in particular race pointers or mentions in stable tours (etc etc) and a fourth thread which is just a miscellaneous novice hurdler thread where the target is more unclear?

If it's a choice between the two I'd rather have the separate threads up. I'd rather information gets repeated than have it in one thread where it could easily be missed.

 

[Odin]

Another alternative would be to have "speedy" novices (supreme/Ballymore types) and "staying" novices (ballymore/Bartlett types) sections.

A lot of the repetition last year surrounded jwm who was never gonna go to supreme as he wasn't a speedy horse but could have gone either Bally/Bartlett. Dysart dynamo/sir Gerhard were never gonna go further than Ballymore distance either so having the speedy section so would have covered them as well. GDC as a staying novice chaser would also have been covered if there was a similar section for chasers. I'd like to think this way would also allow people to search through the threads to see what was said earlier in the season.

As an aside, despite the above I'm in the individual races camp. I just didn't some of the debate after I'd had enough of it but was fine with others continuing to discuss.

 

[Quevega]

Another alternative would be to have "speedy" novices (supreme/Ballymore types) and "staying" novices (ballymore/Bartlett types) sections.
.

This is subjective for many though.

What about a Realism thread and also a Fantasy thread for each race.
Like a parellel universe of antepost betting

One based on sound logic, facts and what's staring you in the face. :encouragement:

And one based on stubbornness, wishfull thinking,Thoughts and Fucking prayers and personal bets already made. :highly_amused:


Before anyone starts, we're all guilty of it, just some are worse than others (You know who you are).
In a made up poll, gamblers formed the largest percentage of fantasist's of any social group in modern society. Catholic priests were second.


But before anything's decided ....

Do we need a thread to discuss what threads to start and when ?? :highly_amused: - and when do we start that ?

 

[Odin]

This is subjective for many though.

Agree, but with the exception of Appreciate It (I had down as Bally/Bartlett) I can't think of any horse in the last few years that hasn't gone for one of the two more obvious races for them - can you?

 

[Quevega]

Agree, but with the exception of Appreciate It (I had down as Bally/Bartlett) I can't think of any horse in the last few years that hasn't gone for one of the two more obvious races for them - can you?

not off the top of my head. But there will be some. And again this will be subjective (I only backed appreciate it for the supreme)
but the point is that it didn't stop a lot of people speculating and commenting (some even eulogize) on the prospect of various horses end destination anyway :cower:

your idea is actually a reasonable suggestion.
Me and you can police it though and throw a label on any Fantasy.

 

[isitmarchyet]

I don't really mind what we do, I have no life so plenty of time for me to read everything and see what I missed. :very_drunk:

You've really got to decide if you want several threads with more sparse (but maybe repetitive) posting but easier to find info or fewer threads with more posts but potentially getting a bit cluttered making info harder to find if you're short on time. Best make a poll! :glee:

 

[Eggs]

….I think I’m of a view that in the first instance we drop down a level from ‘Early Fancies’ to ‘Novice Hurdles’, ‘Novice Chasers’ & individual threads for the Championship races as they are a little more certain.

Its only a step, but I think it helps navigation and good housekeeping. We can then put all the individual threads out when most of the candidates have had a run or two.

 

[Saxon Warrior]

….I think I’m of a view that in the first instance we drop down a level from ‘Early Fancies’ to ‘Novice Hurdles’, ‘Novice Chasers’ & individual threads for the Championship races as they are a little more certain.

Its only a step, but I think it helps navigation and good housekeeping. We can then put all the individual threads out when most of the candidates have had a run or two.

Absolutely the right idea Eggs

The Paul Ferguson book is out next week.

The Mark Howard one, maybe a week later.

The Stable Tours will be next month through various channels.

We need to be ready with threads beforehand on Novice Hurdlers, Novice Chasers etc, or even Supreme, Ballymore.....

It's only the Handicaps that should definitely be clumped together as Handicap Hurdles and Handicap Chases for now (given we don't have a clue what Handicap mark any horse will have until a lot lot closer)

 

[HesTheOne]

For first time reader, which book would you recommend as a purchase Jumpers To Follow or One Jump Ahead? Or do they each have their own added value and get both? Any strong opinions out there like to share

 

[Atlantic Viking]

For first time reader, which book would you recommend as a purchase Jumpers To Follow or One Jump Ahead? Or do they each have their own added value and get both? Any strong opinions out there like to share

I like and have bought both again, but I've found OJA to be the more valuable of the two from an antepost perspective. I tend to feel like I'm already pretty familiar with most horses in JTF and when it lands on my doorstep I use it mainly to, hopefully, reassure myself I'm on the right track :congratulatory: Whereas last year I felt like I learnt a few bits from OJA. Both are useful for reference as the season ramps up.

I think it's worth reminding myself that both books cover the National Hunt scene, not solely the festival, horses are allowed to and frequently do win other races :highly_amused: but we all know what we're primarily here for.

 

[ComplyOrDie]

Individual race threads for Championship races (as well as the Ryanair) are now up, along with threads for handicaps, novice hurdlers and novice chasers

 

[Lobos]

Sky Bet trimming a lot of horses...........why today??

Maybe because FJ have their individual race threads up and they are running scared:welcoming:​​​​​​

 

[Ice]

Sky Bet trimming a lot of horses...........why today??

Maybe because FJ have their individual race threads up and they are running scared:welcoming:​​​​​​

They removed my free bets concession yesterday as well so they're obviously on a mission ! :emmersed:

 

[Lbur4288]

Ian Ferguson has bought Notebook. Not sure if he will move from Henry to Gordon in terms of training but the intention is to go pointing and XC chasing. I'm requested a price now as I like Notebook and want to make up for the 5/2f third in the Arkle when I got 50s.

 

[ComplyOrDie]

Ian Ferguson has bought Notebook. Not sure if he will move from Henry to Gordon in terms of training but the intention is to go pointing and XC chasing. I'm requested a price now as I like Notebook and want to make up for the 5/2f third in the Arkle when I got 50s.

Going to be trained by Gerald Quinn now.