Great race tomorrow in the context of this one. Cap Soleil vs Dame Rose vs Countister. Cap Soleil's form looks rock solid to me, and with the form of FOB's stable at the moment, (and the soft in the going description that we're told she needs), i'd be disappointed if she doesn't take this
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Mares Novice Hurdle 2018
- Thread starter jono
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Great race tomorrow in the context of this one. Cap Soleil vs Dame Rose vs Countister. Cap Soleil's form looks rock solid to me, and with the form of FOB's stable at the moment, (and the soft in the going description that we're told she needs), i'd be disappointed if she doesn't take this
I cant pick, countister is a multiple graded mare also. Who ever wins and if one wins well they deserve to be fav for this race imo.
JackieMoon33
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Regardless of sex, this is probably the first novice race of the season where there will be genuine substance to the form.
Countister is a tough one to get a handle on. She's raced 13 times already, seems an improver, but then i saw the point raised as to why she wasn't tried over jumps earlier given that her her initial trainer is a top NH trainer.
If Countister goes close i wonder if they'd be tempted to give either her or Dame De Compagnie a shot at the boys
All very possible at this stage,
Countister could finish 3rd beaten 5 lengths and that form could still be stronger than dame de compagnies maiden hurdle. Such is the strength and depth of the race tomorrow.
I think you'd rather runs 2 in the mares race at this stage than go against the boys, especially with the investments jp has made in the ptp fields and bumper winners. Still has plenty to come out. Ie cool getaway, red jack etc...
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Cap Soleil as impressive as i've seen this season there. Any soft in the going description for this race come March and i'd reckon she'll carry the bulk of my money
Liam301287
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ComplyOrDie
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Yes, Cap Soleil looks very useful. A lot depends on how good the Ricci mare is mind, as he's won the only 2 running's of this race and I can't see him wanting to give it up lightly. But I certainly can't knock that performance by CS there.
Very good performance from cap soleil and I'm very happy with that. Gone back in at 10s which i wouldnt usually do. But that was a serious race. I honestly don't think she should be any bigger than 5/1 regardless of her trainer. Countister is an extremely useful line of french form through chambard and cut the mustard.
I'd be very bullish of her chances in any race coming up.
I'd be very bullish of her chances in any race coming up.
ComplyOrDie
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Fayonagh was about the only bumper horse in recent years I had come to have any confidence in, I usually avoid the Bumper winners, as for me, recent years haven't always chucked up good things for the festival, they instead seem to be less exposed/experienced horses from the PTP field or from abroad.
I don't know how the figures stand, winner wise for this festival, for bumper winners from either Aintree or Cheltenham but just looking through the years, there are clearly some quality horses, that haven't always managed to bring it home at the festival.
The last Cheltenham bumper winner to do so was Champagne Fever, who won the Supreme, and before him Cue Card, who won the Ryanair 3 years after winning his bumper, but honestly, aside from that there are more losers than winners.
The Aintree bumper is much the same, in fact most of these look even weaker, the exception in recent years being The New One, who went on to win the Neptune in 2013, but overall it doesn't feel me with confidence.
I'm pretty sure someone, somewhere on here said the placed and unplaced horses in the bumpers had a better record at the festival that those that won the Championship bumpers themselves, but I may need correcting on that?
Cap Soleil wasn't of course from one of these bumpers, but she won a listed bumper at Sandown, which is enough doubt for me currently.
I don't know how the figures stand, winner wise for this festival, for bumper winners from either Aintree or Cheltenham but just looking through the years, there are clearly some quality horses, that haven't always managed to bring it home at the festival.
The last Cheltenham bumper winner to do so was Champagne Fever, who won the Supreme, and before him Cue Card, who won the Ryanair 3 years after winning his bumper, but honestly, aside from that there are more losers than winners.
The Aintree bumper is much the same, in fact most of these look even weaker, the exception in recent years being The New One, who went on to win the Neptune in 2013, but overall it doesn't feel me with confidence.
I'm pretty sure someone, somewhere on here said the placed and unplaced horses in the bumpers had a better record at the festival that those that won the Championship bumpers themselves, but I may need correcting on that?
Cap Soleil wasn't of course from one of these bumpers, but she won a listed bumper at Sandown, which is enough doubt for me currently.
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JackieMoon33
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It's a real tricky one to assess as, unlike the other Cheltenham festival races, the best horses are not always entered in the Champion Bumper. Gigginstown and Henderson both have a dislike for the race and as a result, their best bumper horses are rerouted elsewhere. Between those two alone you will have a lot of top notch bumper horses missing the race each year.
My book is exactly the same minus Kupatana. Really tempted to go back in on Cap Soleil as the ground today was good to soft and I think she's overpriced still at 8s
ComplyOrDie
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Yeah I do agree with that.
Looked at a Newbury Listed bumper that Barters Hill won, only beat Buveur D'air & Altior in the same race, they've gone on to achieve all manner of success whilst he failed in the potato race at the festival and of course has since been plagued by problems.
I, personally, feel that the bumper winners tend to get pushed hard and possibly, to a degree, over raced for their age, which is maybe why the majority fail to go on from there, only the real top class animals push on, but this is more of a suggestive reasoning rather than factual or the like.
The Beast
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Cap Soleil - whoosh , you have to be impressed with that. Upsides at the last then the afterburners switched on. Didnt come of the bridle , set the standard so far by far , very taking performance.
Hugely impressive run today. Sets the benchmark for the season by far. Henderson was full of praise for the second at the start of the season and i'd expect that race to through up plenty as the season goes on.
JackieMoon33
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billymag
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Big time with the allowance I think she would be able to mix it with the boys, that was a serious marker for this race. These are the trainer comments after the race from the RP.
I think we'll have come back here for the Listed mares' novice hurdle at the next meeting. Cap Soleil will have a penalty, but, looking at the size of her, I don't think it will stop her. There's no point panicking (about running against geldings) and we'll just plot the easiest route. She's excited us all summer because she did so well; she came back looking bigger and stronger and hasn't missed a day. She doesn't know she's a racehorse. She's so straightforward and easy to train. I'm lucky to have her. She'll stay further, but I think 2m on heavy ground will be ideal and she's full of quality. The Cheltenham mares' novice hurdle is the dream for Cap Soleil - Fergal O'Brien, trainer.
I think we'll have come back here for the Listed mares' novice hurdle at the next meeting. Cap Soleil will have a penalty, but, looking at the size of her, I don't think it will stop her. There's no point panicking (about running against geldings) and we'll just plot the easiest route. She's excited us all summer because she did so well; she came back looking bigger and stronger and hasn't missed a day. She doesn't know she's a racehorse. She's so straightforward and easy to train. I'm lucky to have her. She'll stay further, but I think 2m on heavy ground will be ideal and she's full of quality. The Cheltenham mares' novice hurdle is the dream for Cap Soleil - Fergal O'Brien, trainer.
With the trainer not having a Cheltenham winner yet, and the owners being fairly low profile in the NH game (heard from the trainer they we're thrilled and loving every moment from today!) .... will they not be tempted to try and get a win at the festival?
I'd be amazed if they pitched Cap Soleil anywhere but the Mares Novice race at the festival ... if she'd be fav for that, then why go elsewhere.
***sorry billy, didn't read your post before I posted... so didn't see the trainers quote stating that.... at least my own train of thought seemed to be correct :highly_amused:
I'd be amazed if they pitched Cap Soleil anywhere but the Mares Novice race at the festival ... if she'd be fav for that, then why go elsewhere.
***sorry billy, didn't read your post before I posted... so didn't see the trainers quote stating that.... at least my own train of thought seemed to be correct :highly_amused: