home » Ballymore Novices Hurdle
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Connections CommentsAigle Dor"I would say the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle is Aigle D'Or's race definitely. It's over two-miles-five-furlongs and he looks like he gets the trip nicely. Hopefully, he'll get there in one piece and he has also come out of his last race at Cheltenham well. We're a bit in the dark about his ground as on his two runs, he was looking at home and handled the cut well, but we don't know about good ground for him." Frank Berry 31st January 2008 Breedsbreeze“He will obviously have an entry in the Ballymore and Supreme Novices, but unless it is testing he will run in the Ballymore as he really wants two and a half miles. He is in the same mould as Noland and Silverburn in that all three are stayers, so he did really well to win.” Paul Nicholls 5th January 2008 Forpadydeplasterer"The Ballymore is very much the plan, but I would not like to see the ground too fast. There would be no doubt in my mind if the going was too quick - I wouldn't risk him. He's a big horse, very lightly raced. We have to mind him and bide our time. He had a break after he ran at Leopardstown over Christmas. We'll just keep him ticking over. We'll take him to the beach, he loves it there, and just keep him fresh and well." Tom Cooper 11th January 2008 Group Captain"He's by no means a flash worker at home but he's obviously getting better. That was his best performance over hurdles as he's been getting sharper with each outing from Newbury to Taunton to here. He is in both novice hurdles at Cheltenham and I was leaning towards the Ballymore Properties over two miles and five furlongs, but he showed plenty of pace there, so maybe there is food for thought about the two-miler. Anyway, it is a nice problem to have a month away from the festival and it will be a case of talking it over with his owner, Peter Webb, and deciding which way we go.” Alan King 10th February 2008 "I was much happier with him today and he was much sharper, even when I was saddling him up. He could do with hanging onto for longer but we decided to go on and put the race to bed. He wasn't doing a tap in front but it was pleasing to see him go again when Choc (Thornton) shook him up - I liked the way he quickened. That will have done his confidence the world of good and we'll step him up in grade now. He will be entered in both the Supreme and the Ballymore and we'll know more after his next race." Alan King 8th January 2008 The Tother One“He has gone up the handicap and is improving rapidly. He will be some sort of chaser next year. He is in the Ballymore and the three-mile hurdle and we will make our mind up nearer the time. If the ground dried up we could go three miles as he is quite versatile but he will probably go for the Ballymore.” Paul Nicholls 2nd February 2008 Trafford Lad"The Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham will be his main aim. He has that Grade One penalty now and it's not really fair on him trying to give weight away, but at Cheltenham he will be meeting them all off level weights so the advantage will be back with him. He's very laid-back and he takes everything in his stride. He's an improving horse as well - he has just improved from run to run. He's come out of the race 100%. There's not a bother on him and he ate up last night. To give 7lb to those horses, we always knew was going to be an almost impossible task, but we felt he could just be good enough to do it and unfortunately he just got beat. It was a little harsh really and it looked like he would get up. In another stride he probably would have." Dusty Sheehy 7th January 2008 "Trafford Lad has been schooled over fences and jumps them really well. But he will stay hurdling this season and we're looking at maybe the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle as his Cheltenham target. He fell at the last by over-jumping when looking to have his only Point-to-Point race won. I offered him to two big owners in the game but they turned him down. He stands more than 17 hands and he certainly wasn't wound up when he won his bumper and had schooled only once before he won his maiden hurdle. He's improving all the time and will continue to do so." Dusty Sheehy 16th December 2007 Venalmar"He won't run again, hopefully he will go straight there. He stuck on well last time but just ran around a bit going to the last so I think he had a bit up his sleeve. It was a good run. He handles the soft ground but he ran a good race on much quicker ground at Cork so we know he handles that. That was over two miles though and we just think that on quicker ground he may be better over further. His form stands up to scrutiny. He also has the option of the three-miler but he would only run in that if it was very fast ground - the Ballymore is definitely his target at the moment." Mouse Morris 31st January 2008 WhatuthinkHe scoped bad after the race. There was just something down in him. Conor (O'Dwyer) wasn't hard on him and the horse seems OK. We're still happy enough to go to Cheltenham and there was a genuine excuse why he didn't run well. He beat those two horses (Forpadydeplasterer and Cork All Star) the last day. There's no way those two could have improved and he could have gone back that much. Whichever way he ran on Sunday he was always going to have an easy time for a week or so. We'll probably go for the Ballymore. I'd imagine the ground is going to be quick enough at Cheltenham." Adrian Keatley 11th February 2008 "The ground would have been lively enough for him and the two-mile trip was on the short side. He's been suffering from sore shins since he ran in Cheltenham and we've only got him right in the last couple of weeks. He wants a step up in trip and the Deloitte back here on Hennessy day (February 10) will suit him perfectly." Oliver McKiernan 27th December 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||