Mares Chase 2021

[Dessie the great]

It doesn’t matter in any way whatsoever but I like to think of myself as one of the OGs for the Benie to the Mares Chase campaign on here! In fact, somewhere on this site on the day they announced the race being added nearly two years ago, I named Benie as the first winner of the race.

I love her. She’s a superstar. And there is no made in training that deserves to be the first winner of a new festival race for mares. She really really should be a three time Mares Hurdle winner and already a Cheltenham legend. Let her win the mares Chase and be the only horse to have ever won both of the big races for Mares at the festival.

Is this Rich Richie? She was beaten fair and square by a better mare in Cheltenham last year. Honeysuckle has won open G1s and Benie hasnt. Take off your goggles. If any mare deserves this distinction of winning both mares races it is Honey

 

[Al Boum Photo]

Is this Rich Richie? She was beaten fair and square by a better mare in Cheltenham last year. Honeysuckle has won open G1s and Benie hasnt. Take off your goggles. If any mare deserves this distinction of winning both mares races it is Honey

The only difference between BDD and Honeysuckle at Cheltenham last year was their rides, so to label either a better mare is unfair to the other. And BDD did win the French Champion Hurdle easily which is an open Grade 1.

 

[Middle_Of_March]

Is this Rich Richie? She was beaten fair and square by a better mare in Cheltenham last year. Honeysuckle has won open G1s and Benie hasnt. Take off your goggles. If any mare deserves this distinction of winning both mares races it is Honey

Benie won the French Champion Hurdle against the best French mare in years. That alone is more than Honeysuckle has done. That Irish champion hurdle honeysuckle won was a nonsense of a race.

I also think Honeysuckle only beat Benie last year because one was given a brilliant ride and the other was taken wide. Honeysuckle won but really.. Benie should have won that. If that’s fair and square in your eyes, fair enough.

 

[Dessie the great]

Honeysuckle has won two Hattons Grace and an Irish Champion hurdle (3 Grade 1s)??? Benie has done more than that? Take the blinkers off lads.

I disagree on your reading of last years mares hurdle. Better mare won, even jumped the last poorly and still won fairly comprehensively.

This talk of no mare deaerves to win the mares chase more than BBD is bulls**t to be honest

 

[Saxon Warrior]

Is this Rich Richie? She was beaten fair and square by a better mare in Cheltenham last year. Honeysuckle has won open G1s and Benie hasnt. Take off your goggles. If any mare deserves this distinction of winning both mares races it is Honey

Honeysuckle won because she had the pace to take a winning position, when it presented itself.

There was plenty of time left for BDD to make up that bit of ground if she was a much better mare, but she didn't.

Not sure there's a reason to see it another way.

They're both very good.:eagerness:

 

[billymag]

Benie won the French Champion Hurdle against the best French mare in years. That alone is more than Honeysuckle has done. That Irish champion hurdle honeysuckle won was a nonsense of a race.

I also think Honeysuckle only beat Benie last year because one was given a brilliant ride and the other was taken wide. Honeysuckle won but really.. Benie should have won that. If that’s fair and square in your eyes, fair enough.

Honeysuckle has a 100% record against an ageing Bennie though, which as a backer of Honeysuckle is what I find the most important stat

 

[Brital]

Don’t get the obsession with BDD :sleeping:

Beaten at the last two festivals, runs once or twice a year at most, so no chance to really form a relationship with the horse.

if you want a mare to go to battle for you surely PTKO, is the one to follow.
Gives everything and beats the boys at regular intervals to boot.

 

[Kevloaf]

Don’t get the obsession with BDD :sleeping:

Beaten at the last two festivals, runs once or twice a year at most, so no chance to really form a relationship with the horse.

if you want a mare to go to battle for you surely PTKO, is the one to follow.
Gives everything and beats the boys at regular intervals to boot.

:highly_amused: I'm trying not getting in to why there is an obsession with BDD (as I personally don't think there is one - she's just the next in the narrative of Willie having top class mares)...

but....

"beaten at the last two festivals" ignores how she was 'beaten' in the one that Roksana won. That is more of a story isn't it, she won with the race at her mercy, like Annie Power... it's easy to see why that would garner interest? People love a story where they almost won... it's part of what adds to the fun of it all?




Not sure I agree about Honeysuckle being amazingly campaigned either (not you specifically saying it), she's beaten the boys then at Cheltenham went for the Mares race.... BORING. Same thing can be said about BDD, I don't think it's the horse to blame though as the race shouldn't be there as a Grade 1 and we wouldn't have this as an option. You could blame connections....


Also, PTKO was put away for 4 months before the Arkle, after winning some egg and spoon races in the summer? Hardly able to fall in love with her so far.... she then won a bad race in grinding style and got outclassed and soundly beaten by two market rivals next time. Creditable, sure.... but hardly going to be ordering PTKO posters for the wall. Fortunately there aren't 2 mile Mares Chases for her (yet).... if she goes for this race, it's a (relative) tragedy.





Mares in mares races are boring anyway in my opinion. Finding out who the best mare is, isn't different to finding out which the best Grey or Bay horse is... not arsed. Certainly not obsessed.



Will be pleased to see a 'top' mare in this race though, which is the only reason I have any interest.

 

[Saxon Warrior]

This race is surely for horses that can't win a Festival Grade 1.

Maybe Grade 1 winners should be banned or given 7lb or 10lb penalties for even contemplating an entry. :welcoming:

 

[Kevloaf]

This race is surely for horses that can't win a Festival Grade 1.

Maybe Grade 1 winners should be banned or given 7lb or 10lb penalties for even contemplating an entry. :welcoming:

That'd make it better. I think Q mentioned yesterday, there's an actual feasible chance a novice could have to give weight to Benie Des Dieux... how bananas is that. :monkey:

 

[Saxon Warrior]

That'd make it better. I think Q mentioned yesterday, there's an actual feasible chance a novice could have to give weight to Benie Des Dieux... how bananas is that. :monkey:

It definitely would.

I know connections pay a lot of money for the horses and can enter them where they like, to get the easiest race to get owners some of their investment back in prize-money.

For me, I have much more respect for Annie Power, Epatante, Laurina, PTKO, Apples Jade, and their connections decision to run in open-Grade 1's on the big-stage of the Festival, than I do for mares who have stuck to the Mares Hurdles only at the Festival, when they are clearly talented enough to go for the open Grade 1 races.

At the moment I look on BDD as a "Rich-mans Roksana", and that would only change if she was ever a runner in an open-Grade 1 at the Festival - the Stayers being the option for her, which they have already wasted the chance of winning last year.

Be great to see Roksana and BDD step up from Mares Hurdle wins to their best distance and run in the Stayers Hurdle this year, but I appreciate that owners/trainers may have other easier plans.

Honeysuckle into the Champion Hurdle too.

Lets have more "Dawn Run" spirit, with the top mares in our racing.

The Mares programme is feeding more and more better quality mares into jump racing, all the time, and they cant all hang around in Mares-only races at the big Festivals. The best should progress into open company, thats what the 7lb Mares allowance is for.

Competition for the best vs the best is what we want.

What if the owners of the winners of the Championship (Leeds, last year) could turn around and say,
"No, I don't want to be promoted, thanks, I like winning easier Leagues, for less money, can I stay in the Championship next year?"

Its as farcical as seeing top quality mares ducking the competition of the Champion & Stayers Hurdle's, to stay in the lesser races.

 

[jonthehammer]

BDD has never been a lucky horse for me, backed her twice, she fell and finished second. Just one of those things I guess. I am on for the Mares Chase though so some of you will hope either my luck changes on her or she goes elsewhere :excitement::excitement:

Talking about that, have we ever had a thread for Horses, Jockeys or Trainers you can never catch right? Or even courses you cannot seem to win on.

 

[Imperial Commander]

I'm can offer Kauto Star as a horse I never won on. I remember backing him when he fell in the Queen Mother and also in the Betfair Chase when he lost at well odds on to fucking Snoopy Loopy! Every year for 5 years I tried to find something to oppose him with in the King George which was then usually hammered by a minimum of 30 lengths. Enjoyed the 2008 Gold Cup when the Tank put him in his place though! :smile-new:

 

[Bigfish]

By my slide rule BBD would be winning the Mares ch readily if not easily.

 

[Lobos]

By my slide rule BBD would be winning the Mares ch readily if not easily.

You are definitely in the majority there

 

[Bigfish]

Concertista wins the Mares Hd by 3L+. BDD wins the Mares ch by 9L

 

[Topofthegame2021]

Concertista wins the Mares Hd by 3L+. BDD wins the Mares ch by 9L

BF, I find you such an interesting character (as long as you’re not that Wayne bloke from the YT comments) Will you ever show us your workings and how you get there? :greedy_dollars:

 

[Middle_Of_March]

BF, I find you such an interesting character (as long as you’re not that Wayne bloke from the YT comments) Will you ever show us your workings and how you get there? :greedy_dollars:

Is Bigfish not the bloke who was adamant Elegant Escape would win the gold cup a couple of years ago? 90% sure it’s the same fella with a different character.

 

[Bigfish]

No, as I don't know how to upload it on this magic lighty box . I've asked my Mrs.BF how to do it and she's saying excel but its gobbledegook to me. If I take a screen shot that would maybe do it. Shes an accountant so were rich and happy , logs everything.
Basically Ive one master chart and 30 individual charts. Flat and jumps , 2yo to mature chasers. 30 + years and more of work .

 

[Bigfish]

Is Bigfish not the bloke who was adamant Elegant Escape would win the gold cup a couple of years ago? 90% sure it’s the same fella with a different character.

No, not me. You and that spooky seem to think I'm someone in another than the body I consume.