All my comments about Ballyburn would be exactly the same had I not backed the horse. He is nowhere near my best winner, in a pretty rubbish ante-post list. As if you can't have an opinion without having a bet? That's narrow minded bonkers, and always has been. Just an oh so obvious cheap shot. I think it's a terrible shame that a 2m4f-3m horse is being forced at the whim of the trainer to do something he shouldn't really be doing, particularly as he is a penalty kick in the longer race. He should have started at 2m4f, never swayed from that distance, and be unbeaten. I find it hard to believe any other top trainer would have gone the Mullins route. No point going through all the arguments which I gave on the novice hurdle thread. I would only add that some people have recently made the argument that soft ground should sway the decision towards the Supreme. If anything it should be the other way. He would stay three miles now. The soft ground won't slow down the Supreme pace that much, and Townend will need to maintain a position. There will be no change of tactics because he simply hasn't got the pace to risk doing that. We don't even know how he would cope without daylight. He could end up running on empty and being run down just like Facile Vega, He is no better than that horse over two miles. He is a true odds on shot for the Ballymore, not for a Supreme.
I don't see why anyone who feels strongly enough should just sit back and applaud what they feel is an obvious mistake. All trainers make mistakes, and that includes Mullins. It's very much easier to paper over them when you have so much quality. Fact To File is another one, but clearly that mistake isn't as obvious as Ballyburn. Seemingly, you cannot take anything this trainer says at face value. A few days ago 'Mystical Power for the Supreme', yet the market suggests he is going Ballymore. So he is prepared to risk a horse over a new trip in preference to a horse who would likely dot up. There is zero logic to the man. I would like to say (although it's no consolation) we won't ever see this horse over two miles again, but who knows with this trainer? He likened the horse to Faugheen which on all known evidence doesn't make any sense. As I said on another thread if he won 2/3 novice hurdles, and the top novice hurdler got beat, I doubt he would be too fussed.
As for my comments on the preview it was a fair representation of what was said, no more than that. I had a very small NRNB on Ballyburn for the Supreme which might yield a small profit should he get away with it. A big part of me wishes I hadn't even bothered. I think there is very good chance bookmakers will get one of their best starts ever to a Festival meeting.
clever clogs:stupid: but do have in a double with Ballyburn.
