The Jumpers are Coming 2019/2020

Dr. Bre wrote: »

What about borice the Galway plate winner in the Hennessy?

Would have to have a chance, it looks a really weak renewal, I do not see any of the Grade 1 novices from last year?

Newbury is a different onion to Ballybrit, it needs to be said. It gets boggy around there in early December and there is no 3 1/2 furlong run in with no fences... you need to be a big dirty galloper and handle the mud. Good horses tend to win the race.

Borice got 22lbs and just beat Black Corton by 3 lengths, on summer ground. Under the same conditions you would be asking Black Corton to run off 12 1/2 stone. I don't think it adds up, even with the extra 7lb's for his win.

Given all that I think Elegant Escape, although carrying top weight, could have a sneak. He is no Denman but stays all day and is just 9lb's off his Welsh national win. If you take the line that the rest of the field are pigs he could run them ragged. The bookies have him roughly 10/1, so they are looking for ew money. He won the Welsh national handy. He is not the same beast as Native River but comes from the same stable and is running in the same races. It is interesting that Lost in Translation won last week, he was favourite for this.

Of the others it looks like Cabaret Queen is thrown in, after the Munster National win getting a stone off top weight looks handy enough. She is also a mare.

I have been to Newbury for the Hennessy a good few times. The straight is a good half mile long, it takes some staying. So does the day out. You would want to see the skuffs from London on the train on the way up that morning. Nailing lines of banger in the train toilets and drinking cans all the way up, at 10.30 in the morning, foooking animals. They spill out behind the stand and the place does be heaving with punters. It is a great meeting.

I was there on the Friday a few years ago and met a jockey outside who gave me a trainers enclosure ticket. He also tipped me Coneygree and Different Gravey in the bumper , they both won, I fell out of the place. The trainer ticket was free booze and I got 16/1 about Different Gravey. It was great craic altogether.

I don't think a double Cheltenham grade 1 winner deserves to be called a hound...

In saying that I can't see him winning a Hennessy, he was always a speed horse, I think you need to be a stayer to win this.