Mikael D'Haguenet

greenrocket

Just wondering after todays abysmal run by mikael. Does he still qualify as a novice in england and ireland next year. what are the rules regarding being a novice.

sonnky

Ya he has not won a chase yet, so hes still a novice!
If he did win today would he be a novice for next season as its a new English season today but in Ireland its still this season?

the groutch

would be interesting to see what his handicap mark would be like now that he's had 3 finishes

HigginsJ

He wont be winning any major novice chases next year. He has had 4 chances after his debut fall to redeem himself and he just isnt the force of old.

I'd put him back over hurdles and hopes that sparks something in him.

Winning Ways Racing

I think they will go the conventional route with him next season, beginners chase, winners chase and then graded company. His problems this season stemmed from that fall in Fairyhouse and he seems to have lost a little confidence. Another fall in Cheltenham and his jumping was poor the other day. he needs a break and to start at the beginning. I can see the point of running him in graded races but think they shouldn't have run him in Fairyhouse, rather let him off an bring him back earlier next season. I wouldn't write him off just yet.

hucklebuck

He seemed to empty today, looks like he has lost every last bit of confidence, which is understanding bearing in mind how long they left him chasing.

I hope they have not broken him

mdwexford

Really looks like hes finished, very sad as he was a savage novice hurdler.

Johner

Could have been so different if he didn't tip up at the last against Jessie's Dream, that really seems to have knocked his confidence.

Easy to say now but he probably should have run in a beginners chase first instead of taking the graded route straight away, The horse was off the track for a long time and it's a big ask to go and win a grade 1 race first time out over fences in Ireland although he nearly did it. It's a shame as he is one of my favourite horses and was such a top class novice hurdler.

fr wishy washy

I thought he travelled well for a long way last time so wouldn't write him off completely over hurdles just yet.

UrbanSea

He did look to travel well alright,I thought he was going to do it at one stage. Can't exactly say I'd back him next time though.

Johner

Back tomorrow at Navan over hurdles.

http://www.attheraces.com/card.aspx?raceid=674712&meetingid=50191&date=2011-11-13&ref=fixtures&refsite=&nav=racecards

mr.jingle

If I was Mullins i'd be happy with that performance. Looked in need of the run as he emptied out over the last but jumped and travelled nicely thought the fall of Askanna hampered him slightly but he pinged the next. There is definitely a race in him. Voler la Vedette won it quite easily though and another profitable season beckons for her.

UrbanSea

The people who backed him into favourite today need their heads checked

mailburner

UrbanSea wrote: »

The people who backed him into favourite today need their heads checked

have done very little laying recently but if i was at home and seen
mikh could be layed at around 2s or less id have risked quite a bit

RichieLawlor

UrbanSea wrote: »

The people who backed him into favourite today need their heads checked

Agree, but there must have been a full noon over Navan yesterday because those same people backed Noble Prince into Fav against Big Zeb

UrbanSea

I only saw that. Some people are absolutely bonkers.

hucklebuck

UrbanSea wrote: »

The people who backed him into favourite today need their heads checked

I didn't back him but took a punt on him for my ten to follow, I figured he might be under the radar and if he retained most of his ability he could mop up some decent prizes. Sadly looking at that run, I am not sure he will be near the Mikael we grew to love, I cannot understand why it took them so long to switch him back to hurdles as he never looked good over fences.

I would not mind but my other team has Lovethehigherlaw(shocking news) in it, could be out of it at this rate!!

meriwether

hucklebuck wrote: »

I didn't back him but took a punt on him for my ten to follow, I figured he might be under the radar and if he retained most of his ability he could mop up some decent prizes. Sadly looking at that run, I am not sure he will be near the Mikael we grew to love, I cannot understand why it took them so long to switch him back to hurdles as he never looked good over fences.

I would not mind but my other team has Lovethehigherlaw(shocking news) in it, could be out of it at this rate!!

I did that last year.

Heartbreak beckons.

mr.jingle

Running tomorrow in the 12.50 @ Fairyhouse. Will he finally return to something like his best? I really hope he does but i'd have my doubts.

Johner

Really hope he wins tomorrow!

NaiveMelodies

Has to win this, fair drop in class and while he didn't find much off the bridle in Navan last time out,he seemed to travel reasonably well. I think his cruising speed alone will see he doesn't have to do too much off the bridle.. hopefully!
I'm gonna back him, C'mon Mikael!

Johner

5/4

Johner

Missed it, did he win well?

NaiveMelodies

Nicely done, very cheeky from townend, for a split second after the last I thought he was gonna just give up. Delighted for the horse! And my balance!


Johner he travelled well throughout, won by a length or so in the end, was headed after the last, but a little reminder from Townend and he responded and won on the bridle. Was clearly a class apart.

edit: barely a reminder from townend from the replay, just a little slap.

Johner

only1stevo wrote: »

Nicely done, very cheeky from townend, for a split second after the last I thought he was gonna just give up. Delighted for the horse! And my balance!


Johner he travelled well throughout, won by a length or so in the end, was headed after the last, but a little reminder from Townend and he responded and won on the bridle. Was clearly a class apart.

Delighted, thanks.

Winning Ways Racing

It was a nice confidence booster but a bit early to be getting carried away. He beat Head of the Posse, a solid but underwhelming performer, and a mixed bunch of other horses. It will be interesting to see how he gets on stepped back up into decent graded company.

Johner

Winning Ways Racing wrote: »

It was a nice confidence booster but a bit early to be getting carried away. He beat Head of the Posse, a solid but underwhelming performer, and a mixed bunch of other horses. It will be interesting to see how he gets on stepped back up into decent graded company.

I was just glad to see the horse winning again.

Oscars Well.

Mullins said he'll run him in another lowish grade race over Christmas as another confidence booster.

greenrocket

delighted he won, love that horse, didnt even have him backed and i am still happy. horse has some following and will be a well backed favourite the next day.
hopefully the horse will go on from strength to strength.

NaiveMelodies

Another confidence booster today.

One more good run in a higher class race and maybe, just maybe, he'll go to the festival back over hurdles? What do y'all think

Morgans

looks a shadow of the horse that won at cheltenham. Regardless of conditions or well being of the runner up, three years ago he would have eaten Western Leader.

hucklebuck

Not the horse he was, hope he improves plenty all the same.

Colonel Sanders

Nick Mordin really liked his last run:

MIKAEL D'HAGUENET STARTS TO LOOK REALLY SPECIAL AGAIN

MIKAEL D'HAGUENET (39) lost all nine times he ran over fixed brush hurdles or fences. But he showed that he's still a serious talent over the easier hurdles used in Britain and Ireland when coasting home at Fairyhouse last Sunday.

What was really interesting about Mikael D'Haguenet's performance was the speed he showed.

The early pace was so moderate that they took 5.2 seconds longer to reach the third last than they did in the good handicap hurdle on the same card. But they picked up strongly from there to get to the finish 2.9 seconds faster. My sectional timing formula indicates this means Mikael d'Haguenet put up a solid Grade 2 performance.

This is pretty amazing because Mikael d'Haguenet was cruising all the way up the straight and only had to be shaken up briefly when passed in the air at the last. He soon asserted again and passed the post full of running. I've no doubt that he could have clocked a good Grade 1 time if he'd been pushed.

Horses normally take a couple of runs to get their eye back in over the smaller jumps when they've been chasing. And Mikael d'Haguenet certainly jumped a whole lot better here on his third run back over hurdles. He lost his first two runs over hurdles when returning from chasing but has won the other seven.

Given the speed he showed here I now have major doubts about Mikael d'Haguenet staying three miles and becoming a threat to Big Buck's in the World Hurdle. Indeed he tired badly when tried over three miles at the Punchestown Festival. In addition his two winning siblings both failed to score beyond 2m 3f.

My feeling now is that although Mikael d'Haguenet stays two and a half miles he has the pace to win in Grade 1 company over two. This being so I'm very interested to see that he's in the Istabraq Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown on the 29th of this month. I'm also very tempted by the 33-1 the bookies are offering about his chances for the Champion Hurdle. That's an awfully big price for a multiple Grade 1 winner that's just won so impressively.

Lets see what he says about this latest effort

Colonel Sanders

MIKAEL D'HAGUENET MAINTAINS THE PROGRESS

MIKAEL D'HAGUENET (41) has run better with each successive start since his return to hurdles. And last week, on his fourth run back over hurdles he produced a borderline Grade 1 class performance to beat Western Leader nearly eight lengths in a conditions hurdle over two and a half miles at Punchestown.

Some idea of the merit of Mikael D'Haguenet's performance can be gleaned from the fact that he covered the last two miles 3.4 seconds faster than the well regard juvenile hurdler Shadow Catcher did in a half mile shorter race on the same card.

Mikael D'Haguenet has the build of a steeplechaser but lost all nine times he ran over fences or fixed brush hurdles. He lost his first two runs over standard hurdles when returning from chasing but has now won the other eight.

This run did rather torpedo my theory that Mikael D'Haguenet could prove best over two miles. I say this because Western Leader set a searching pace and Mikael D'Haguenet maintained it to clock a very good time for the two and a half miles.

I'm now inclined to think that Mikael D'Haguenet may actually stay three miles and that his flop over the distance on his return to hurdling was partly due to him getting used to the smaller jumps again and partly to the fast ground. He does show knee action and has run unplaced all three times he's run on good ground.

Seems to like Zaidpour too:

NO MORE THAN AN EXERCISE GALLOP FOR ZAIDPOUR

The more I see of ZAIDPOUR (33) the more I like. Last Sunday he coasted along through a slow run renewal of the Grade 2 Tara Hurdle at Navan then simply ran away from his rivals when asked to pick up from just before the last. He covered the furlong from the final jump to the finish 1.2 seconds (about six lengths) faster than Boston Bob did in the following Grade 1 novice event over the same distance. And Boston Bob was finishing pretty darned strong - admittedly off a much slower early gallop.

This run was no more than an exercise gallop for Zaidpour. So I'd like to see him take up his entry in the Grade 1 Istabraq Festival Hurdle over Christmas. I think the cut back to two miles will suit him admirably there seeing the pace he showed at Navan and also when destroying his rivals in the Grade 1 Royal Bond over two miles a year ago.

I still say the 25-1 the bookies are offering about Zaidpour for the Champion Hurdle is way too big.

Colonel Sanders

Also gave Monksland a big write up before he won today:

MONKSLAND ONE OF THE BETTER NOVICE HURDLERS

MONKSLAND (37) didn't look totally organised or focused as he came through to lead late and win a good Navan novice hurdle in pattern class time comfortably on his first try over timber. This is not the first time he's run this way. He ran out in a point to point, but for which he might well be unbeaten in three lifetime starts.

Clearly Monksland will stay further than the two miles of this race, though he looks to have plenty of pace and is athletic. I'm thinking he'll hold his own over two miles against the best novice hurdlers on what I saw here.

Equally clearly Monksland can run a good deal faster because he had obvious reserves of energy passing the line.

Trainer Noel Meade reckons good ground would help Monksland which makes him look a decent prospect for the Cheltenham Festival. Meanwhile if he takes up either of his Grade 1 entries in the next couple of weeks I'll be interested in his chances.

NaiveMelodies

Another easy win, hard to take much from these races surely?
Travelled really well throughout, again.
Best price 20s for World Hurdle, place claims perhaps, or am I being a little too naive...

Goldcupfav

only1stevo wrote: »

Another easy win, hard to take much from these races surely?
Travelled really well throughout, again.
Best price 20s for World Hurdle, place claims perhaps, or am I being a little too naive...

I think Mullins is just getting the horses confident back with these wins. Id like to see him go for the champion hurdle this year.

Colonel Sanders

Goldcupfav wrote: »

only1stevo wrote: »

Another easy win, hard to take much from these races surely?
Travelled really well throughout, again.
Best price 20s for World Hurdle, place claims perhaps, or am I being a little too naive...

I think Mullins is just getting the horses confident back with these wins. Id like to see him go for the champion hurdle this year.

Thats the route Mordin's been suggesting also

Goldcupfav

Gary O'Brien interviewed the owner of Mikael D'Haguenet today on ATR owner said he's defo going to Cheltenham with him just not sure if its in the champion or the world. 50's (champion) 20's (World) still available. At least ya know if the horse is fit he's going.

Morgans

I'd love to see him in the champion. Would be an astonishing performance from the trainer to resurrect him like that. You'd wonder about the stable confidence in Hurricane Fly if they train him for that race.

RichieLawlor

Morgans wrote: »

I'd love to see him in the champion. Would be an astonishing performance from the trainer to resurrect him like that. You'd wonder about the stable confidence in Hurricane Fly if they train him for that race.

All will be revealed next sunday as regards HF i suppose

hucklebuck

They have too many hurdlers down there, Mullins could end up with three or more runners in the Champion, World and Supreme.

Delighted looking at him on Saturday, won it like the old Mikael.

pingedthelast

Hopefully Mullins will send Mik for the Champion Hurdle. I'm sure his owner would think he has a better chance of beating Hurricane Fly than he has of Big Bucks

I backed Mik at 33s to be placed in the Champion Hurdle so hope he ends up running in it

RichieLawlor

pingedthelast wrote: »

Hopefully Mullins will send Mik for the Champion Hurdle. I'm sure his owner would think he has a better chance of beating Hurricane Fly than he has of Big Bucks

I backed Mik at 33s to be placed in the Champion Hurdle so hope he ends up running in it

Just ask Ruby Walsh. He will know

fr wishy washy

I'd be amazed if MDH could hurdle fluently enough to have a chance in the Champion Hurdle especially with Hurricane Fly to beat.

Winning Ways Racing

Is MD not ground dependent? Always struck me as a soft ground horse.

Johner

Entered Saturday(Red Mills 2m) and Sunday(Boyne 2m 5f).

Probably go for the boyne and then the World Hurdle.

premierstone

Winning Ways Racing wrote: »

Is MD not ground dependent? Always struck me as a soft ground horse.

I dont think so, he best rating over hurdles came in the Ballymore on good ground, and the only other times he has raced on good ground was in he's ill fated chase career.

I think he is a great place bet and also in the w/o Big Bucks market, really seems to be enjoying hes racing again, and just like Big Bucks simply didnt take to fences, only difference been was persisted with for longer.

Johner

I think he will always prefer a bit of cut in the ground due to his action. I dont think he has done much racing on good ground. Pretty sure it was good to soft the year he won at Cheltenham.

premierstone

Johner wrote: »

I think he will always prefer a bit of cut in the ground due to his action. I dont think he has done much racing on good ground. Pretty sure it was good to soft the year he won at Cheltenham.

It was officialy Good to Soft but thats Simon Claisse description, it would be described as Good anywhere else, optimally yes a bit of cut, but I wouldnt have gone as far as to say he is ground dependant.

Johner

Runs in the Boyne on Sunday.

Takes on 7 rivals including Morad and Fully Funded.

http://www.attheraces.com/card.aspx?raceid=686909&meetingid=51587&date=2012-02-19&ref=fixtures&refsite=&nav=racecards