Hunt Ball rolls into town

[scanman]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Saturday...

http://www.racingpost.com/horses2/ca...0#raceTabs=sc_

Good for the connections to find a "gift" of a race. He's guaranteed $5K, if he gets around and he should. Can't beat that. Might win, but Balder Succes should have his measure.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by scanman

Good for the connections to find a "gift" of a race. He's guaranteed $5K, if he gets around and he should. Can't beat that. Might win, but Balder Succes should have his measure.

Beyond nice to hear you sound confident that he is at least, and at last, in his element.

It would be amazing to see him win anything...I hope tomorrow is a good day for him.

[scanman]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Beyond nice to hear you sound confident that he is at least, and at last, in his element.

It would be amazing to see him win anything...I hope tomorrow is a good day for him.

Hope you had a chance to watch the race. Apart from the financial return, he ran about as well as I expected (though I thought he would have picked up second). It was a nice $5K schooling session. A flat track like Kempton doesn't suit him and it was obviously the owner's were looking to pick up the crumbs once again. Good for them as these were decent crumbs.

Balder Succes jumped sweetly. His exhibition was fun to watch. Even though he was odds on, I was able to cash a decent ticket on him. I guess that's one nice thing about Hunt Ball, thanks to the owner's - he's always a very confident bet against.

My guess he will show up again during the Cheltenham festival in March, a track that he loves. He will no doubt be entered in a race he can't win, but again pick up the crumbs.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by scanman

Hope you had a chance to watch the race. Apart from the financial return, he ran about as well as I expected (though I thought he would have picked up second). It was a nice $5K schooling session. A flat track like Kempton doesn't suit him and it was obviously the owner's were looking to pick up the crumbs once again. Good for them as these were decent crumbs.

Balder Succes jumped sweetly. His exhibition was fun to watch. Even though he was odds on, I was able to cash a decent ticket on him. I guess that's one nice thing about Hunt Ball, thanks to the owner's - he's always a very confident bet against.

My guess he will show up again during the Cheltenham festival in March, a track that he loves. He will no doubt be entered in a race he can't win, but again pick up the crumbs.

I just watched the replay.

I'm glad you cashed and agree... thought he would have been able to hold on and finish 2nd. Oh well.

Clearly I watch as a fan and do not presume to know the proper wording, etc., but I have to say it's a pleasure watching him when he jumps well (and to me it looked like he did just that today. I me an he is not a horse I watch and hold my breath thinking oh why don't they retire him. He looks good.).

I look forward to watching him at Cheltenham and to your commentary as well.

He is fun to follow and you add greatly to that fun.

[scanman]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

I just watched the replay.

I'm glad you cashed and agree... thought he would have been able to hold on and finish 2nd. Oh well.

Clearly I watch as a fan and do not presume to know the proper wording, etc., but I have to say it's a pleasure watching him when he jumps well (and to me it looked like he did just that today. I me an he is not a horse I watch and hold my breath thinking oh why don't they retire him. He looks good.).

I look forward to watching him at Cheltenham and to your commentary as well.

He is fun to follow and you add greatly to that fun.

He's a fine, athletic horse and a very accomplished jumper. That's why I say the owner missed an opportunity by not keeping him in the US and sending him over timber. Plenty of excellent races with good purses to plunder.

He jumped very well today, but folded like a cheap suit when the real running started. It leads me to believe that he was never entered to win, but the race was used as a tightener and schooling session before Cheltenham. Though, that is still 2 months away, so I'm sure he will pop up again somewhere. Currently, the only race he is entered for is the RyanAir during the festival, a race that he doesn't have a pray of winning and depending on who lines up, may have a tough time of even running a place.

The great thing about jumpers is that they have longevity, if they stay sound. I believe that since he is 10, he is now eligible for "veterans" races. He could probably win something like that, but it is extremely unlikely that he win anything of substance, like the National or any other significant handicap. He went back up another 3lbs for his second at Cheltenham.

But you are right, it is fun following these types and I enjoy your interest/enthusiasm for the jumping game.

[Gate Dancer]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

He is fun to follow and you add greatly to that fun.

Cheers to that and I agree................the final 2 furlongs were tough on him.......

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by Gate Dancer

Cheers to that and I agree................the final 2 furlongs were tough on him.......

Glad to know you're following along too, my friend, and that you're also a member of the scanman appreciation society.

Can't wait till the next one!

[scanman]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Glad to know you're following along too, my friend, and that you're also a member of the scanman appreciation society.

Can't wait till the next one!

Was great to hear from Gate Dancer, who hosted an exceptional visit to Great Falls two years ago!

Was watching Kelso today and they had a veterans (10 yrs old and up) worth $47K. I didn't think the money was that good for those races. These are the types of races Hunt Ball should be shooting for. Though still a handicap, one would think it would be less competitive than the races he's been lining up in.