What to do with Harchibald?

meriwether

Self explanatory headline.
I know he's a bridle horse, and doesn't like a battle, but honestly, he should have won today.
Its all very well being outbattled by Hard eustace and Brave Inca, but Straw Bear?
And Im not belittling Straw Bear, but he isn't top class.

fr wishy washy

He -Carberry should have waited in behind until after the last and then took it up on the run in,the horse was in front too soon.

iloveireland

Mccoy beat Carbery more than Straw Bear beat Harchibald.

If mccoy was on Harchibald then Harchibald would of won.

BobbyD10

Well there are no excuses this time, as a flat track and coming off the pace and yet he was out battled once more.
Depends on his mood I suppose looked great at Newcastle, today looked average. Wouldn't write him off yet for March.

knighted

stick niall madden on him next time -harcibald didnt look like a bridle horse in dundalk or newcastle but fair play to mccoy he really used his head

Cantoris

McCoy did out ride Carberry. Reminiscent of the time McCoy first rode Brave Inca to beat Harchi. Carberry rode Harchy quite close to the pace yest which was unusual. If he is going to win a Champion, which I personally don't think he can, he will have to be three lengths down at the last but running and get a good jump. It's the only way he will win. Bring back Charlie Swan and his balls of steel ride on Time for a Run

WHIP IT!

Lads,

Is the vid of the race available online? I missed it and last I checked it wasn't yet up on youtube or atr?

Cheers.

premierstone

Seems carberry cant win can he, he gets slated in '05 for not making enough of the horse and leaving it too late and now he's gettin slated for hittin the front too soon, to be honest i just think it was an incredible ride from mccoy but i still think that harchibald is the one too beat in chelt on better ground lookin thru the champion field i actually think he could well win it on the briddle

Cantoris

premierstone wrote: »

i actually think he could well win it on the briddle

Ah.....he doesn't win any other way. In fairness to Harchi, he is genuine enough. Gives his all on the bridle but at this stage you would think they'd know how to ride him. Maybe they'll make the running next!!

Redlancer

Its hard to make alot of the kempton race but Harchibald is maybe getting more stick than he deserves. Straw Bear had his ground on the day and he maybe did not progress the way he should have last season but he has good bits of form here and there like he has had Afsoun, Sublimity and now Harchibald behind him in races.

I think he may win the Champion as there is going to be pace to the race if both Osana and Hardy arrive. Then Sublimity, Harchibald and Katchit coming off the pace

Maruco

Lets be honest this is shaping up as one of the poorer renewals and Harchibald isn't going to have to get past either Inca or Hardy at their peak. Sublimity obviously has his problems otherwise John Carr would have raced him more than three times in almost to years, and the british horses look just as average as they have for the last three or four years. With improving handicappers like Sizing Europe and Osana so prominent in the market its now or never for Harchibald.

You could argue he dogged it as usual against Straw Bear at Kempton but Meade's horses are not on top form at the moment but people seem to have ignored that when it comes to Harchibald. I think both Harchibald and Jazz Messenger have leading chances if Meade's horses come right in time, and with regards to Jazz Messenger his price at the moment is totally ludicrous.

Redlancer

I think Maruco is right about Harchibald and he could well do it this year. While I take what your saying I just cant see Jazz Messenger making the frame at all. Everytime he comes up against a class horse on good ground he just never makes the frame. I think on all know form he still has Afsoun, Harchibald, Hardy Eustace, Al Eile, Sublimity to beat and I dont think he can

Cantoris

Maruco wrote: »

Meade's horses are not on top form at the moment

Happens most crimbos. Last year he had a poor one and they said there was a bug in the yard. Meade is like Nicholls. Get them out, get them winning. That's why his record in Cheltenham isn't great. He doesn't train them for Cheltenham but takes all the opportunities he can early in the season. Nicholls had a similar profile at Cheltenham until very recently and it is due to his slight change in methodology.

Colonel Sanders

Maruco wrote: »

You could argue he dogged it as usual against Straw Bear at Kempton but Meade's horses are not on top form at the moment but people seem to have ignored that when it comes to Harchibald. I think both Harchibald and Jazz Messenger have leading chances if Meade's horses come right in time, and with regards to Jazz Messenger his price at the moment is totally ludicrous.

Agree about Meade's horses. Also feel far too much attention is being given to Harchibalds run in the xmas hurdle which is taking away from AP McCoy giving Straw Bear one of the best rides I have ever seen any horse being given.

For what its worth (I'm prepared for the abuse! ) I'd have sent Harchibald chasing. If he could jump fences as well as he jumps hurdles he could well make a very good novice chaser. Altho as someone else says if he can't win whats looking like a pretty poor champion hurdle this year he never will.

Amonsol

He got to the front too soon on ground that did not suit. On better ground I would expect him to comfortably beat Straw Bear.