• HELP US - Become a Patron - Fat Jockey is a horse racing community focused on all the big races in the UK and Ireland. We don't charge users but if you have found the site useful then any support towards the running costs is appreciated ... a small donation each month would be a huge contribution. Become a Patron!

Stayers Hurdle 2020

charlie said:
Don't get me wrong, the mares is the most likely at this stage but where do you think they would aim Laurina? Been found out in the Champion Hurdle and stays hurdling. Screams mares and only mares. Would they run her against BDD in the Mares too? Beating De Bon Coeur over 3m is frighteningly good form.
Click to expand...

I have to be careful, as I was a big believer in Laurina's potential talent last season.
And my inclination is that she may not be champion hurdle class.

But any other second season novice turning up in that race (Champion Hurdle), run at that early gallop, in what was virtually her first race of the season, would be entitled to have excuses.

Having said that I hope she goes chasing.

Picking up on another point you mentioned earlier.
I'm sure most will remember.
Annie Power ran in the Stayers primarily as Willie & probably more Ruby influenced, had Quevega for the mares and Hurricane Fly for the Champion Hurdle. So she was kind of put in the stayers by default.

There's lots to play out yet in terms of other mares hurdle contenders popping up, and this could mean that BDD does go down the stayers route, but my feeling is that we may not see her until March either way. Be nice to be wrong though.
 
Sure I can remember the statement that Laurina was a chaser in waiting? Why would they not find out this season? In my opinion Laurina is no championship hurdler (a bit like Samcro) needs a fence to show their best. Also the last time WM put a super mare in the stayers it got beat. Sure they will go Mares with BDD, she goes and she wins, don't think Ricci will want to risk a winner.
 
quevega said:
I have to be careful, as I was a big believer in Laurina's potential talent last season.
And my inclination is that she may not be champion hurdle class.

But any other second season novice turning up in that race (Champion Hurdle), run at that early gallop, in what was virtually her first race of the season, would be entitled to have excuses.

Having said that I hope she goes chasing.

Picking up on another point you mentioned earlier.
I'm sure most will remember.
Annie Power ran in the Stayers primarily as Willie & probably more Ruby influenced, had Quevega for the mares and Hurricane Fly for the Champion Hurdle. So she was kind of put in the stayers by default.

There's lots to play out yet in terms of other mares hurdle contenders popping up, and this could mean that BDD does go down the stayers route, but my feeling is that we may not see her until March either way. Be nice to be wrong though.
Click to expand...

It's a good point. 33/1 with B365 those that think she could go champion
 
charlie said:
It's a good point. 33/1 with B365 those that think she could go champion
Click to expand...

Yep it's not happened for a while but horses like Binocular, Punjabi and Brave Inca all won on their second attempt, and arguably all had much better second season preparations before their first attempts too.
Think they all finished third at first attempt before going on to win the following year.

She is probably still unexposed, until her next run anyway.
 
charlie said:
Don't get me wrong, the mares is the most likely at this stage but where do you think they would aim Laurina? Been found out in the Champion Hurdle and stays hurdling. Screams mares and only mares. Would they run her against BDD in the Mares too? Beating De Bon Coeur over 3m is frighteningly good form.
Click to expand...

He ran Vroum Vroum Mag and Limini against each other a few years ago and VVM could easily have slotted into another race.

I can't dispute that her 3m form looks top class but WPM's default option would be to go for the easier grade 1 imo. It's what he does, more times than not.
 
A couple of weeks ago in the Irish Field, Patrick said that he didn't know whether Laurina would have another crack at the Champion Hurdle or go chasing. No mention of the Mares.
 
Archie said it earlier in the thread, Mullins will place his horses is the race he feels they have the best chance of winning (before any outside interference), and at the moment Benie’s best chance is the Mares.
The Stayers might become an option if, god forbid, anything happens to Paisley Park.
Penhill has only one target if he’s healthy and that might sway the decision on where Benie runs, albeit different ownership...
 
Mullins has a handful he can run in the Stayers tbf, Penhill, Next Destination (if chasing doesn't go to plan), Mr Adjudicator, Bapaume, Allaho, Relegate and probably one or two more, so looking at that list now I'll be surprised if Benie is moved from the Mares tbh!

Nothing to stop Laurina going out in trip and heading to the Stayers either, she looks like a stayer anyway!
 
Last edited:
archie said:
A couple of weeks ago in the Irish Field, Patrick said that he didn't know whether Laurina would have another crack at the Champion Hurdle or go chasing. No mention of the Mares.
Click to expand...

That 33-1 has tempted me in. with cash out it seems a no brainer.
A case can easily be made to excuse this years run.

Fast early on, all those up with the pace early on suffered to different degrees at the finish,
freakish distance that Espoir D'allen won by means you have to question the race overall. Besting Melon (rated 165) by 15 lengths probably means something out of the ordinary happened.

Other horses to run above form (like Silver streak) seemed to be picking up the pieces of a race where the front runners went too hard early (first half mile in particular, clock confirms this).

No matter what race, if you don't use your energy efficiently then you can stop pretty quickly when the going gets tough at the end of the race. And that's just physical, the mental and adrenalyn side is another matter altogether.

Jofra Archer in the cricket was asked why he couldn't always match the pace of the Lords Test. And give or take the speed in the pitch itself. The answer is probably Adrenalyn !. It was his first test and he was excited as shit bouncing the ball off smiths head etc.
It will always be difficult to get that feeling again (at least on a consistent basis).

But adrenalyn can also leave you drained when you're really testing your stamina.
Any Doctor's out there ?
I'm rambling.

PS.
Most of that probably means Klassical Dream is exceptional as his time was also good, although not as fast early, so might have been more economical, but he also looked buzzed up and won easy as you like from up with the pace. Nothing else could go this gallop and the ones who placed came from being held up.
 
.But adrenalyn can also leave you drained when you're really testing your stamina.
Any Doctor's out there ?
I'm rambling.
Click to expand...

Not a doctor but adrenalyn/ nervous energy can definitely be a drain. Been there, an awful feeling.
 
Faugheen_Machine said:
Not a doctor but adrenalyn/ nervous energy can definitely be a drain. Been there, an awful feeling.
Click to expand...

Of all the horses in this years champion hurdle, Laurina would have the most valid excuse to suffering with energy levels at the end of the race (for whatever reason). And if you watch it again she still looks like she is the likely winner jumping the second last, until seconds later Espoir Dallen cruised in between looking like he'd just joined in (freakish). Melon, Laurina and Silver streak were walking home.

If Espoir D'allen were not in the race. The form of Laurina would look creditable.

That being said, this year at present we have Kalssical Dream and Buveur Dair to come into it.
But Its still not that deep a division at the moment anyway.
 
If Benie came here, she’d be recouping every single pound lost in that painful three seconds in March. She was a lumpjob then. She’s be one in the Mares again next year.

But I feel they will come here, and with Paisley Park about, we might even get a juicy price NRNB.

I really believe, and I have since before even the 2018 festival when she beat Apples Jade, that she is one of the best horses in training - not just Mares. I think she’s absolutely top class.
 
Middle_Of_March said:
If Benie came here, she’d be recouping every single pound lost in that painful three seconds in March. She was a lumpjob then. She’s be one in the Mares again next year.

But I feel they will come here, and with Paisley Park about, we might even get a juicy price NRNB.

I really believe, and I have since before even the 2018 festival when she beat Apples Jade, that she is one of the best horses in training - not just Mares. I think she’s absolutely top class.
Click to expand...

I agree 100% with this
 
I would love to see Benie in the Stayers at next years Festival, I think it is the right race for her and will make it a genuine competitive race as Paisley Park is way too good for any horses except for If The Cap Fits at present unless Penhill returns to his 2017 standard
 
Had a free fiver from 365 and you guys have talked me into the Laurina (Mares) and BDD (Stayers) double
 
One i haven't seen mentioned yet (haven't read this word for work) is Eglantine Du Seuil. Stays hurdling, and is another potential horse for this or the mares for Mullins. I feel she's one that might've gone under the radar ever so slightly, even though she ended up being the Mares Novice winner. As much as she didn't look like winning the Punchestown race, she stayed on well vs very good geldings, so she has form in the book already to back up the MN win.

She's not in the betting for this, and is 25s for the Mares. Given she was hammered by Honeysuckle, is Honeysuckle shows the same level this year combined with some of the other Mullin's contenders, i don't think it's impossible she rocks up here.

Mullin's has said she's not the quickest as well........
 
Anyone see a price for Thistlecrack on this? Tizzard didn't rule out hurdles this year and given that his jumping denied him another King George and a very disappointing Gold Cup, I think he could be aimed at this. I think if he didn't have such a strong showing at Kempton last year he'd have been aimed here last March. Tizzard has more than enough options for the GC already.
 
I remember Bobs Worth being entered into the Stayers the year after a disappointing Gold Cup effort so I wouldn’t be surprised if Might Bite has a crack at the Stayers this year
 
Altior said:
Anyone see a price for Thistlecrack on this? Tizzard didn't rule out hurdles this year and given that his jumping denied him another King George and a very disappointing Gold Cup, I think he could be aimed at this. I think if he didn't have such a strong showing at Kempton last year he'd have been aimed here last March. Tizzard has more than enough options for the GC already.
Click to expand...

He'll be 12 next March, so unless they allow him to take viagra and use his turbo powered electric scooter ?
He's got no chance.:devilish:
 
quevega said:
He'll be 12 next March, so unless they allow him to take viagra and use his turbo powered electric scooter ?
He's got no chance.:devilish:
Click to expand...

Nicely summed up Q:highly_amused:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom