AIG Sunday

ChuckProphet

Any thoughts on this? With doubts over several runners taking part and 8 still left in I'm thinking an e/w on hardy with a few possible withdrawals before sunday.

Bullensroad

The ground will likely be heavy at Leopardstown and that will go against Sublimity and Al Eile, Silent Oscar and Ebaziyan. I like Ebaziyan but as his trainer has stated he prefers a sounder surface although if one looks at his efforts of late he has ran some nice races. I think that Aitmatov would like an extra 1/2mile he ran a great race at Fairyhouse on heavy over 2 1/2 miles beating Sweet Kiln a nose. No doubt Sizing Europe is an improving horse and he will like the gound and will take some beating but 11-4 is skimpy. He defeated Osana at Cheltenham by 4L getting 6lbs off him and that form has worked out well and no doubt he will have improved further for that effort.

The two i like in this race is good old Hardy Eustace and the mare Lounaos. I fancy Hardy to give a great show and out battle these young pretenders. I think the heavy conditions will bring heart and battle into the equation and he has plenty of that. He ran a cracker the last day and the 5-1 in Ladbrokes looks nice.

The mare Lounaos is a decent animal and she will go on the ground has had a race recently. I feel that her hectic programme last year really took its toll on her at Cheltenham. She has had a break and will be a lot fitter this time out and think the 10-1 available is nice eway value if 8 runners start.

I`m gonna go for Hardy Eustace to win this one with Sizing Europe and Lounaos chasing him home.

RichieLawlor

Race is set up for Aitmatov i think, its going to take a horse with stamina to win this on the likely going ( tamarinbleu anyone! ) only danger is Hardy, rest wont see it out imo

artanevilla

Sublimity won't be running.

roverjoyce

Aitmatov come on now what has this horse ever won
Hes not fit to lace Hardy's shoelacers
This is the bookies playing punters what has Noel Meade ever said about him
never ranked with his Champion Hurdlr contenders Harchi Jazz or the late Iktitaf

Hardy an absolute steal at 9/2

kenco

Thought hardy ran his usual honest race but the winner looked something special.

That said and maybe it was just me but I thought the winner was pulling to the right on the back straight. Not sure how these things work but would it make a difference with a bigger field?

Looks like they wont run hardy in the champ hurdle which might be pity as I think it is a very open race.....

Colonel Sanders

Sizing Europe is now a ver worthy champion hurdle fav. Very impressive today. The only hole you can pick in him is he jumps some obstacles a bit big.

Meade should shut his stable down for a while, definately something amiss. Aitmatov or Gem Daly could barely raise a gallop when asked.

Shan75

Sizing Europe won it pretty impressively but I wonder if the jockey was looking around a lot because he felt the horse hadn't got much more in the tank or because he couldn't believe how easily he was winning.Hope it's the latter as he is still only 6 and still improving and it's always nice to see potentially class 2 mile hurdlers coming through.

Bluetonic

Shan75 wrote: »

Sizing Europe won it pretty impressively but I wonder if the jockey was looking around a lot because he felt the horse hadn't got much more in the tank or because he couldn't believe how easily he was winning.Hope it's the latter as he is still only 6 and still improving and it's always nice to see potentially class 2 mile hurdlers coming through.

How you could even consider he was looking around because he felt the horse hadn't got much more in the tank is beyond me. He hadn't or didn't even have to get the whip out on him and eased him up going by the stand.

Shan75

Bluetonic wrote: »

How you could even consider he was looking around because he felt the horse hadn't got much more in the tank is beyond me. He hadn't or didn't even have to get the whip out on him and eased him up going by the stand.

Of course he didn't have to use the whip.There was nobody coming to challenge so he had no need to.How many times have we seen jockeys looking around, seemingly travelling easily, only for a horse to challenge and to find zero.I am sure the jockey knows he has little left in these circumstances and just wants to guage how far clear he is and does he need to start riding the horse vigorously.The fact he looked around so many times is the reason I raised the question.I mentioned I thought he looked impressive but would like to have seen a challenger to get an idea of what he would be like in a scrap which is what he will surely get at Cheltenham.It is possible though that he is simply a lot better than the rest and maybe he could win like this at Cheltenham but it's unlikely.

Bluetonic

Shan75 wrote: »

The fact he looked around so many times is the reason I raised the question.

Sorry, I though you were talking about the race Sunday. You've obviously got another one in your mind.

Shan75

Bluetonic wrote: »

Sorry, I though you were talking about the race Sunday. You've obviously got another one in your mind.

Yes, having viewed the race again I certainly seem to have exaggerated the amount of times he looked around.He only looked around a couple of times.

terry mac

Anyone else think that Sizing Europe might just have the most likeable owner/trainer combo. DeBromhead was genuinely really excited about the horse winning the race, first time in a long time I've seen it outside of Cheltenham/ Grand National. And your man the owner is gas, no bullsh** out of him, "I spent half a million on 20 horses" etc. When you compare it to that Sublimity shower..

AdamantApproach

What is wrong with John Carr?