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#1
03-13-2009, 08:54 PM
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Don't know why I was sure he couldn't do this..... Duh! 
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#2
03-15-2009, 07:01 AM
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Kauto looked good, but it was set up for him this year. He'd had a very good prep leading up to this race and the race was run pretty slowly to start with (just like his 2007 win). I'm not taking anything away from the horse, he won well, but for me the run from Denman was just as good if not better. He'd only had one run in a full year, and his problems had been well highlighted.
The Racin Post handicapper only rated Kauto's performance on friday as 1lb better than Denman's performance last year. Next year I believe we'll see the real Denman (fingers crossed he has no other problems) and I think he'll gallop Kauto into the ground and break his heart.
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Avatar ~ Nicky Whelan  and now we murderers because we kill time
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#3
03-15-2009, 11:20 AM
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NoChance.
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#4
03-15-2009, 02:37 PM
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Avatar ~ Nicky Whelan and now we murderers because we kill time
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#5
03-16-2009, 12:30 PM
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What I learned from Chelenham 2009:
Kauto Star is a brilliant horse, the best around at the moment and certainly the best chaser I've seen in my lifetime. Master Minded is a quality horse but he doesn't deserve to be rated higher than Kauto. Denman could return as the monster he was last year! Don't spend all your winnings on the RSA chase betting on the Coral Cup ( I think I backed 6 horses, and all I was doing at the end was trying to cheer Kawagino into 4th as I backed him at 25-1 to be placed!) Worst champion hurdle winner in years (I backed punjabi to be placed, and did a punjabi/binocular/sublimity exacta box, so frustrating!) Im never doing exactas ever again at Cheltenham I latched onto the idea that you should back certain trainers at the festival- pity I thought henry daly and andrew turnell were trainers to follow this year! Tony McCoys ride on Wichita lineman was one of the best rides ive ever seen. It was also one of the most heartbreaking losses at Cheltenham as maljimar was my biggest bet that day!!! There were some incredibly well bred women in the members stand Harry saved my week by giving me andytown- some of my bets were just ridiculous- why oh why did I think fundamentalist had a shot at winning the William hill chase? Cheltenham week is simply the best week of the year, so much craic, so much fun! Any racing fan has to witness it at least once in their lives!r
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#6
03-16-2009, 03:16 PM
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I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought Punjabi winning the champion was just terrible.
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Avatar ~ Nicky Whelan and now we murderers because we kill time
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#7
03-26-2009, 06:48 PM
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Reply to Brock...bit late but there you go...
What I learned from Cheltenham 2009:
Ditto re Kauto Star, I think the most perfect, graceful performance I've ever seen from a horse. Ditto re Master Minded, outstanding racehorse but overrated by the Official Handicapper (not by Timeform's!). Far less impressive than when winning last year, when probably flattered to a degree, and beating a rank ordinary mob. Denman could well return to what he showed at Cheltenham last year. Kauto will still beat him all the same. Interesting to see what he's up to at Aintree, I imagine he'll win, but none too impressively. Hors La Loi and Katchit, certainly, and Hardy Eustace, arguably, are worse horses than Punjabi who've won the Champion Hurdle in the last 10 years. I haven't got a word to say against the game, genuine and tough Punjabi, other than that he's a bugger to get fit. He'll be thereabouts next year, though I imagine that Zaynar, Hurricane Fly, Binocular, Jered, and Walkon could have too much for him in a well above-average renewal. Never do exactas at Cheltenham. What happened to the theory that it was L'Ami's turn? Andrew Turnell (can't employ a half-decent jockey) and Henry Daly (simply my least favourite trainer...he's unreadable) will never be men to follow. At Cheltenham, Ferdy Murphy is (okay he didn't have a winner this time, but you could tell his horses were trained to a peak; and Kalahari King should have won). Beyond that Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins are crammed with very good horses, obviously. I think McCoy's on Wichita Lineman was the best ride I've ever seen; under any other jockey he'd have either finished well beaten or been pulled up and, personally, I don't think the horse will ever show that kind of form again. At the same time it killed me. Didn't lay off Maljimar and can't blame Jacob, either, he did nothing wrong. Just beaten by a jockey riding better than ever. There weren't any incredibly well-bred or good-looking women in Halifax. Andytown. SOS. Why did I think it was acceptable to bet on the Cross-Country or, for that matter, lay a horse with Walsh/Mullins as connections in both the Mares race and the RSA. Both extremely good, it turns out. Cheltenham week is the best week of the year. Just try not to get ill as it's beginning. I'll add to those thoughts. The acclamation that Ruby Walsh has received for his achievements I can understand, he's a very good rider. But McCoy would have won on every single one of his winners, and Walsh wouldn't have won on Wichita Lineman. Yet Tom Segal felt that it was okay to say that 'anyone who didn't believe that Walsh wasn't the best jockey around is a fool'. That's utter bollocks. McCoy is the greatest and, more, he can do everything that Walsh does, but better, it's just that he's not blessed with the same horses to ride. Plus, he doesn't stop horses when riding in Ireland! I'll go further and say that Sam Thomas, Jason Maguire and, very possibly, Dominic Elsworth are just as good as Ruby. Aidan Coleman will be there very soon. A couple of other things. Mikael d'Haguenet is a very exciting horse, just trust they don't crock him by running at Punchestown and Auteuil. I'd like to see him in the Arkle next year, as he's clearly no mudlark and has obviously got plenty of speed about him. Diamond Harry isn't quite as good as I thought, kinky, though Nick Williams can have a winner at Aintree in the shape of Cornas, in the Red Rum, as I thought he shaped really well in the Arkle and 140 is more than fair for a young, progressive chaser who'll revel faced with a speed-based 2m. Coppa Bleu has to be ante-post fav for the Hennessy, especially once Evan gets the chance to prick him with his magic needle. David Pipe is a pale imitation of his father. And, once more, what a Star is that Kauto? Stunning.
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"Pound for pound the greatest sportsman Britain has ever produced." John Francome on A. P. McCoy.
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