Hunt Ball rolls into town

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by scanman

Based on his form, an entry in the Grand National makes no sense and I would expect him to be withdrawn at some stage. His current handicap mark is 161, which is ridiculously high and is not commensurate with his ability. That explains why he was give so much weight.

Perhaps the British handicapper is playing it safe by assigning him such a high mark, but it is my opinion that he will be winless until his mark drops to around 140 and that won't happen.

Maybe the change of scenery will reinvigorate him. He's entered in a couple of top handicap chases at Ascot on Saturday, which I wouldn't think he'd have a prayer. However, he does have a entry in a novice hurdle at Market Rasen on Sunday. Since he doesn't have a hurdle's rating, he would run at level weights, and here, he may have a chance.

His Cheltenham festival entry is the Ryanair Chase at 2m 5f at level weights. There are some pretty good horses entered and if he were to run, I don't believe he would be competitive.

At his current mark, he's has no shot in any handicap, especially the Grand National.

THANK YOU for your time and insight and yes... here's hoping he's entered where he could actually be competitive.

[scanman]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

THANK YOU for your time and insight and yes... here's hoping he's entered where he could actually be competitive.

I hope so too.

Even though he's unproven (winless) over 3 miles, I think they should have kept him in the US and given him a try over Timber fences. If his jumping is up to scratch, he would start at the bottom again; win a Maiden and if the quality is there, give him a shot at the MD Hunt Cup and VA Hunt Cup, both have a purse of $75K.

[my miss storm cat]

What a nice surprise...

3rd!

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse...=last7DaysNews

[scanman]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

What a nice surprise...

3rd!

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse...=last7DaysNews

Yeah, looks like they found a good spot for him to pick up a few quid. Sadly, he was beaten 31 lengths, so it's not as if they found a spot where he could win or even be competitive. Perhaps, he'll improve for the run and they will find a spot where he could be in the finish.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by scanman

Sadly, he was beaten 31 lengths

You can look at it that way or that he was 3rd.

I choose the latter.

* * *

Some good stuff on a lot of the super nice horses in the yard like Sprinter Sacre, Long Run, Bobs Worth, My Tent or Yours... and, of course...

He ran very well [at Ascot] and has come back to 155 from 161, which actually was his last winning weight. I think the ground will dictate. He's funny, shows you nothing at home, absolutely nothing. Apparently that's nothing new but he ran a very good race considering I can't believe he was anywhere near fit because if you do as little as him, you couldn't be fit. So I'm hoping we will be quite a lot straighter for this. 155 does give him an option. It means you've got to run in a handicap, so the option is going to be between the three-mile and the two and a half mile, the Byrne Plate and the Festival Handicap. Hadrians Approach will run in [the Festival Handicap], Hunt Ball possibly, Triolo D'Alene possibly, not Shakalaka. I think good ground will help him. If it was soft, two and a half, if it was good, maybe three and if it was halfway between the two, we'll go for what seems to be the best option. [Will he run in the Grand National?] We'll see what happens at Cheltenham.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/201...enham-festival

[my miss storm cat]

Well he certainly didn't disgrace himself today. I thought he did well... gave it everything he had.

Would love to hear your thoughts, scanman.

(I'm sure you saw it but for anyone who didn't and would like to...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lunrm0TmqGc

[scanman]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Well he certainly didn't disgrace himself today. I thought he did well... gave it everything he had.

Would love to hear your thoughts, scanman.

(I'm sure you saw it but for anyone who didn't and would like to...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lunrm0TmqGc

Yeah, he ran a really game race. While he was never going to win it, they found a lucrative, level weights race for him to pick up some decent money for his connections. Certainly, Cheltenham and the other big/expansive UK racecourses favor his running style, and as such, can still be useful.

The Ryanair Chase was a good spot for him. The race shaped well, in that, it became a softer race because of the defection of Sprinter Sacre from the Champion Chase. Had SS ran in the Champion Chase many of the horses that ran there would have gone in the Ryanair instead, whereby I am certain HB would have been an also ran.

However, it would be foolish to bring him back to the US, as he has proven that US racecourses do not favor him. The only exceptions to that would be to run him at Butler, Glyndon, and/or Great Meadow over timber fences. Those layouts are huge (Butler has a 3/4 mile straight finish).

It will be interesting to see where they will point him. For now, his only entry is in the Grand National, which would be a waist of time as it is a handicap and he is rated way too high and he's a non-winner beyond 2 5/8 miles.