Aintree's National Hunt Horses of True Merit
Grand National Dark Horse and Rematches Define Season Quality
Comply or Die Ire (Old Vic) under jockey Timmy Murphy always stood out during the John Smith's Grand National Handicap Chase (Class 1) (Grade 3), 4m4f, at Aintree.
He raced close to the pace just off centre, avoided trouble, jumped fluently and had plenty in the tank at the winning post. His obvious seeming effortlessness on the course had much to do with Murphy's confidence in the horse and perfect steering.
Comply or Die rose from relative obscurity to a hot late bet for trainer David Pipe who won the prestigious Grand National in his second try as a trainer. Before that, he worked with his retired father, Martin Pipe, who only won the race after 20 tries.
Ireland's breeders scored 1 through 4 with the handsome gray King Johns Castle Ire (Flemensfirth USA), Snowy Mountain Ire (Moscow Society USA) and Slim Pickings Ire (Scribano) following Comply or Die home.
Only 14 horses of 40 finished Britain's wildest calvary charge with one tragic death, McKelvey Ire (Anshan), followed in a television feature as a horse who had overcome an injury to race again. He fell and, on the loose, slammed into a barrier and broke his back.
Aintree has no escape chutes or outriders to help divert fallers to safety. One hopes that will be remedied next year.
Blazing Bailey (Mr Baileys) blew gutsy fighter Inglis Drever's (In the Wings) chance to overcome his Aintree jinx by routing him and Faasel Ire (Unfuwain) in the Long Distance Hurdle (Class 1) (Grade 2), 3m1/2f. The first and second raced a straight line whilst Inglis unluckily had his openings cut off two or three times in his final challenge.
Taking nothing from the winner, racegoers still see Inglis as a champ after his third Cheltenham World Hurdle win. Connections said the nine-year old will not compete at Aintree again.
The most painful and disturbing race to watch was the totesport Bowl Chase (Class 1) (Grade 2). 3m1f, where trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Ruby Walsh destroyed Kauto Star's Fr (Village Star Fr) chances to win with totally unsuitable tactics for this wonderful horse.
Nicholls, perhaps stung by unjust and hurtful insinuations in a British broadsheet that Nicholls let Denman Ire (Presenting) beat Kauto Star in the Cheltenham Gold Cup with front-running tactics, decided that Kauto Star should run this race in Denman's style.
(Please see my column on the Gold Cup that asserts that Kauto Star could only beat Denman next year if he beat him in Denman's front-running, stamina style).
Trying those tactics in this race against the winner Our Vic Ire (Old Vic) was a disaster for the horse. I cried.
He needs to come off a calm, steady pace. Instead he was shoved forward ruthlessly and repeatedly to compete for first. His jumping fell apart from stress. It was not the horse's fault.
That he only lost by a nose shows his guts and class. No one can ever say he is a quitter. He deserves better than this.
Nicholls has been doing mea culpas ever since. His jockey both screamed at Nicholls and blamed himself for listening to the trainer. They share the blame.
As to the journalist who wrote the provocative column, I would not care to comment.
Meanwhile, Denman is the new popular darling making appearances all over Britain and relaxing in glory.
French Binocular (Enrique) also blew off Cheltenham winner Celestial Halo Ire (Galileo Ire) by seven lengths in the 4-Year-Old Novices' Hurdle (Class 1) (Grand 1), 2m1/2f.
A P 'Tony' McCoy brought him in as his 135th winner of the season for trainer N J Henderson and generous owner John P McManus.
Classy Binocular is now rated as the Top Juvenile Hurdler at 157 RPR with Celestial Halo in third at 149.
For the season's best example of over hype, five-year-old Master Minded Fr (Nikos) fell apart for lack of stamina in the 2m4f John Smith's Melling Chase (Class 1) (Grade 1) and was trounced 18 lengths by seven-year-old Voy Por Ustedes Fr (Villez USA) whom he beat at Cheltenham.
After Cheltenham Master Minded was proclaimed the Top Chaser by the handicapper and given a 187 RPR--one point higher than Denman who had just won the Gold Cup.
(I slated that rating decision in my Cheltenham Festival series as based on only one performance of a young horse. The rating stands but is questionable.)
Master Minded will be kept to 2 miles and will not compete against proven stars Kauto Star or Denman--all trained by Paul Nicholls. It was not his best week.
Poor old trooper Voy Por Ustedes was given only a 180 RPR for beating the reputed superstar and is second favourite to Master Minded for the Champion Chase next year.
Some horses never get the respect due them, somes' abilities are overblown and some have unreasonable expectations projected on them.
A record number of favourites lost at Aintree. Though good news for the bookies, it should be sobering to the many opinion makers who need reality checks.
Comply or Die Ire (Old Vic) under jockey Timmy Murphy always stood out during the John Smith's Grand National Handicap Chase (Class 1) (Grade 3), 4m4f, at Aintree.
He raced close to the pace just off centre, avoided trouble, jumped fluently and had plenty in the tank at the winning post. His obvious seeming effortlessness on the course had much to do with Murphy's confidence in the horse and perfect steering.
Comply or Die rose from relative obscurity to a hot late bet for trainer David Pipe who won the prestigious Grand National in his second try as a trainer. Before that, he worked with his retired father, Martin Pipe, who only won the race after 20 tries.
Ireland's breeders scored 1 through 4 with the handsome gray King Johns Castle Ire (Flemensfirth USA), Snowy Mountain Ire (Moscow Society USA) and Slim Pickings Ire (Scribano) following Comply or Die home.
Only 14 horses of 40 finished Britain's wildest calvary charge with one tragic death, McKelvey Ire (Anshan), followed in a television feature as a horse who had overcome an injury to race again. He fell and, on the loose, slammed into a barrier and broke his back.
Aintree has no escape chutes or outriders to help divert fallers to safety. One hopes that will be remedied next year.
Blazing Bailey (Mr Baileys) blew gutsy fighter Inglis Drever's (In the Wings) chance to overcome his Aintree jinx by routing him and Faasel Ire (Unfuwain) in the Long Distance Hurdle (Class 1) (Grade 2), 3m1/2f. The first and second raced a straight line whilst Inglis unluckily had his openings cut off two or three times in his final challenge.
Taking nothing from the winner, racegoers still see Inglis as a champ after his third Cheltenham World Hurdle win. Connections said the nine-year old will not compete at Aintree again.
The most painful and disturbing race to watch was the totesport Bowl Chase (Class 1) (Grade 2). 3m1f, where trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Ruby Walsh destroyed Kauto Star's Fr (Village Star Fr) chances to win with totally unsuitable tactics for this wonderful horse.
Nicholls, perhaps stung by unjust and hurtful insinuations in a British broadsheet that Nicholls let Denman Ire (Presenting) beat Kauto Star in the Cheltenham Gold Cup with front-running tactics, decided that Kauto Star should run this race in Denman's style.
(Please see my column on the Gold Cup that asserts that Kauto Star could only beat Denman next year if he beat him in Denman's front-running, stamina style).
Trying those tactics in this race against the winner Our Vic Ire (Old Vic) was a disaster for the horse. I cried.
He needs to come off a calm, steady pace. Instead he was shoved forward ruthlessly and repeatedly to compete for first. His jumping fell apart from stress. It was not the horse's fault.
That he only lost by a nose shows his guts and class. No one can ever say he is a quitter. He deserves better than this.
Nicholls has been doing mea culpas ever since. His jockey both screamed at Nicholls and blamed himself for listening to the trainer. They share the blame.
As to the journalist who wrote the provocative column, I would not care to comment.
Meanwhile, Denman is the new popular darling making appearances all over Britain and relaxing in glory.
French Binocular (Enrique) also blew off Cheltenham winner Celestial Halo Ire (Galileo Ire) by seven lengths in the 4-Year-Old Novices' Hurdle (Class 1) (Grand 1), 2m1/2f.
A P 'Tony' McCoy brought him in as his 135th winner of the season for trainer N J Henderson and generous owner John P McManus.
Classy Binocular is now rated as the Top Juvenile Hurdler at 157 RPR with Celestial Halo in third at 149.
For the season's best example of over hype, five-year-old Master Minded Fr (Nikos) fell apart for lack of stamina in the 2m4f John Smith's Melling Chase (Class 1) (Grade 1) and was trounced 18 lengths by seven-year-old Voy Por Ustedes Fr (Villez USA) whom he beat at Cheltenham.
After Cheltenham Master Minded was proclaimed the Top Chaser by the handicapper and given a 187 RPR--one point higher than Denman who had just won the Gold Cup.
(I slated that rating decision in my Cheltenham Festival series as based on only one performance of a young horse. The rating stands but is questionable.)
Master Minded will be kept to 2 miles and will not compete against proven stars Kauto Star or Denman--all trained by Paul Nicholls. It was not his best week.
Poor old trooper Voy Por Ustedes was given only a 180 RPR for beating the reputed superstar and is second favourite to Master Minded for the Champion Chase next year.
Some horses never get the respect due them, somes' abilities are overblown and some have unreasonable expectations projected on them.
A record number of favourites lost at Aintree. Though good news for the bookies, it should be sobering to the many opinion makers who need reality checks.
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