Racing this weekend

Gamebird

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Did you win turnout? Haydock is a funny one! Sometimes they love a grey and won't give bto to anyone but a grey and other days they avoid them like the plague regardless 😂
I don't think so. I didn't lead him up (I had the one in the next race - the Rebecca Menzies horse got BTO in that), but he did look stunning when he went out, though I say so myself!
 

Gamebird

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I do feel a bit sad about Shiskin. I was at Ascot for the big Shiskin/Energumene race, which was genuinely I think the best race I've ever been involved with. A true contest between two supreme athletes, and a thrilling race. He beat Energumene that day, and both jockeys agreed afterwards that that was pretty much the fastest they'd ever gone over fences. And Energumene turned out to be something pretty special.

I do wonder whether NH will be having Might Bite flasback nightmares tonight ☹️
 

Clodagh

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I do feel a bit sad about Shiskin. I was at Ascot for the big Shiskin/Energumene race, which was genuinely I think the best race I've ever been involved with. A true contest between two supreme athletes, and a thrilling race. He beat Energumene that day, and both jockeys agreed afterwards that that was pretty much the fastest they'd ever gone over fences. And Energumene turned out to be something pretty special.

I do wonder whether NH will be having Might Bite flasback nightmares tonight ☹️
That was a truly incredible race. Like Might Bite and Native River
 
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@Elf On A Shelf - just watching the Apple/Gaillard race. Only 3 horses plaited. And if you guys didn't win BTO, and we didn't, then it must have been Hardy Bloke.

I have no idea if we got it with Apple or not, as I say I know Haydock can either be all for a grey or completely against them 😂

Rockstar got bto at Ascot though - £200 - not a bad bonus! We split it so half will go into the yard pot and I keep half.

King George - yeah looks like we don't have a KG contender for Britain this year now. We will have a couple of runners at the meeting but none in that either.

The Gold Cup will be interesting. Hank vs Corach vs Gallopin vs Fastorslow vs Bravemansgame.
 

Gamebird

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King George - yeah looks like we don't have a KG contender for Britain this year now. We will have a couple of runners at the meeting but none in that either.
That's probably a little unfair. There are some interesting entries, though some are a little unlikely. I know Alan King said after last week that he might put Edwardstone out in distance I think he probably had 2m4 in mind rather than 3m.
Protektorat needs to improve massively on yesterday to be in the picture.
L'Homme Presse has to have a good chance, although you'd like him to have taken up his entry yesterday and get a run in after so long off. I don't know the reason he wasn't declared for yesterday.
Pic D'Orhy has to be considered, though he didn't have a race yesterday. Shan Blue and My Drogo have never seemed to live up to their original promise.
Royale Pagaille might or might not take to Kempton - he's turned himself a bit into a Haydock specialist - but if it's wet he might be happy.
It will be interesting if both BMG and Pic d'Orhy run. I would imagine HC will be put on the latter, similar to yesterday, but the politics might be interesting.
No idea which of the Irish will turn up - it will be good for the race if the good ones do though
 
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That's probably a little unfair. There are some interesting entries, though some are a little unlikely. I know Alan King said after last week that he might put Edwardstone out in distance I think he probably had 2m4 in mind rather than 3m.
Protektorat needs to improve massively on yesterday to be in the picture.
L'Homme Presse has to have a good chance, although you'd like him to have taken up his entry yesterday and get a run in after so long off. I don't know the reason he wasn't declared for yesterday.
Pic D'Orhy has to be considered, though he didn't have a race yesterday. Shan Blue and My Drogo have never seemed to live up to their original promise.
Royale Pagaille might or might not take to Kempton - he's turned himself a bit into a Haydock specialist - but if it's wet he might be happy.
It will be interesting if both BMG and Pic d'Orhy run. I would imagine HC will be put on the former, similar to yesterday, but the politics might be interesting.
No idea which of the Irish will turn up - it will be good for the race if the good ones do though

I forgot about L'Homme Presse. It's funny how quickly they fade from memory when you don't see them often or get shouted about.

Royal Pagaille I don't think is quite that quality to win a KG unless its on bad ground.

I'm not sure Pic D'Ohry will stay the trip at the speed.

I still think Bravemansgame is Britain's best chance of winning it but on the form he has shown this year its looking questionable.
 

humblepie

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Didn’t go in the end as didn’t have anyone to get my horse in but have watched highlights. I’m glad RP got a big win. He’s just such a cool horse gets on with it slightly under the radar. Now for Gallopin des Chamos today.
 

AdorableAlice

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Hear what you're saying regards his talent being lost but I do think it was very good p r for the sport though. Non-horsey friend saw the footage & his reaction was "so they don't force them to race then?"
That is an interesting comment and I can see it being good for the sport, but Shishkin's nappy moment will be forgotten more readily than a few dead horses in a high profile race would be.

Shishkin wants a few good days with a decent pack of hounds to get him interested in life again.
 
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That is an interesting comment and I can see it being good for the sport, but Shishkin's nappy moment will be forgotten more readily than a few dead horses in a high profile race would be.

Shishkin wants a few good days with a decent pack of hounds to get him interested in life again.

Apparently at home he has never planted and refused to move but has been known to scoot off the side of the gallops for no obvious reason other than he didn't want to go all the way to the top.
 
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They have also taken away the hunt whips from the assistant starters as it doesn't look good to have a whip flailed about and cracking behind the runners to encourage them to get going.

It's only come in recently but no-one has actually noticed until yesterday.
 

Clodagh

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I didn’t think he jumped well from the start. It’s a shame too see the best beaten but he had to dig deep last season as well.
 

Parrotperson

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Think he’ll come on for that tbf. Not so sure about BMG. He looks like he’s not finishing his races whereas GDC definitely finished there just got beaten as needed the run imho.
 

Clodagh

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Think he’ll come on for that tbf. Not so sure about BMG. He looks like he’s not finishing his races whereas GDC definitely finished there just got beaten as needed the run imho.
Maybe, but even the first few fences we was getting into the bottom of them. I hope they both come back, the whole best thing about NH racing is the stars coming back.
 

McGrools

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Shishkin has an entry in the Rehearsal this weekend at Newcastle. He would carry top weight by a country mile as he is nearly 20lb high than the next best horse. But if they need him to start they need to go there.
Will look forward to watching him. Shishkin obviously has his own thoughts.
Henderson was saying the King George start is very similar layout to the Ascot start he refused. Will be interesting to see what unfolds over the next month.
 

Gamebird

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Shishkin has an entry in the Rehearsal this weekend at Newcastle. He would carry top weight by a country mile as he is nearly 20lb high than the next best horse. But if they need him to start they need to go there.
Well, they're already taking Constitution Hill, so they might as well chuck him on the lorry :p. It's tricky for Nicky as he hasn't even really the option of doing it in private. Even if they took him schooling somewhere with a load of others and mocked up a race (did the whole parade ring etc.) you can guarantee that there would be footage on the internet within the hour.
Will awaits Thursday's decs with interest.
 
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Well, they're already taking Constitution Hill, so they might as well chuck him on the lorry :p. It's tricky for Nicky as he hasn't even really the option of doing it in private. Even if they took him schooling somewhere with a load of others and mocked up a race (did the whole parade ring etc.) you can guarantee that there would be footage on the internet within the hour.
Will awaits Thursday's decs with interest.

It will be interesting to see if the cheekpieces remain or are removed this time around.

There's still time to supplement Appreciate It for the KG unless there is a good race for him over there over the xmas/new year period?
 
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