Hunter cup 2014

[aussiebreno]

Maybe it's because I am a bit long in the tooth or maybe it's due to that experience ,I'm not sure. But one thing I do know. If a horse has a quantum leap in performance ,I feel uneasy. People try to explain it away as "'having a bad day" or "not at his best" when the horse can't even get close to replicating that performance at their next start. In the case of Restrepo , this horse has faced his grand circuit competitors several times this campaign and has performed pretty much the same every time except for his exceptional run in the Ballarat Cup. The lift in performance was huge. He sat three wide outside Chisten Me with Carribean Blaster on his back and wins. This week he sits in the one/one and battles into fifth which is line with all his other grand circuit runs this campaign. There is only one run here that is vastly different to all the rest and that is his Ballarat Cup run. Why the big lift in performance. As some one who brought and sold horses for over forty years I avoid like the plague horses who have quantum leaps in performance. . Watching performance improvements as large as Restrepo's gives me serious reason to question the integrity of harness racing.

As I stated before, the difference in the tempos the way race was run. A long way out from home I remember thinking race was set up for Restrepo. As for Carribean Blaster on his back, Blaster lost maybe 1-1.5 lengths on the turn at Ballarat, if not for that he wins by a length...which surprise surprise was margin he beat Restrepo home by in Hunter Cup.

[Toohard]

100%
Leaving stables tonite
"Not sure where to yet"
According to Rick Burchell owner at Melton now.

Just saw this... Adam Hamilton: Trots: "Craig Demmler new trainer for Blitzthemcalder. Chris Alford first right refusal on drive."

[Maorisidol]

Just saw this... Adam Hamilton: Trots: "Craig Demmler new trainer for Blitzthemcalder. Chris Alford first right refusal on drive."

Wow again...
Thnx Paul, very interesting.

[Messenger]

Maybe it's because I am a bit long in the tooth or maybe it's due to that experience ,I'm not sure. But one thing I do know. If a horse has a quantum leap in performance ,I feel uneasy. People try to explain it away as "'having a bad day" or "not at his best" when the horse can't even get close to replicating that performance at their next start. In the case of Restrepo , this horse has faced his grand circuit competitors several times this campaign and has performed pretty much the same every time except for his exceptional run in the Ballarat Cup. The lift in performance was huge. He sat three wide outside Chisten Me with Carribean Blaster on his back and wins. This week he sits in the one/one and battles into fifth which is line with all his other grand circuit runs this campaign. There is only one run here that is vastly different to all the rest and that is his Ballarat Cup run. Why the big lift in performance. As some one who brought and sold horses for over forty years I avoid like the plague horses who have quantum leaps in performance. . Watching performance improvements as large as Restrepo's gives me serious reason to question the integrity of harness racing.

I am no spring chicken either Viv and there are plenty of reasons to question the integrity of racing (back page of Age today) but I cannot come at what you are inferring for the Ballarat Cup. Apart from horses having good and bad days like humans, let us not forget that Restrepo at 5yo is in his early days as a Grand Circuit performer (unless the breeding barn calls). Let's see how he goes for the next season and a half before you declare that a one off performance instead of his first excellent performance. Let's also remember that Ballarat is his home track and where he has never been beaten over distance and only once ever over the sprint trip (reputed not to be his go) when Smoken broke the track record
ps I know Christen Me is 5yo too - they both have great stats 17w/33st, 19w/32st with one now proving he is a champion

[Viv Strangman]

As I stated before, the difference in the tempos the way race was run. A long way out from home I remember thinking race was set up for Restrepo. As for Carribean Blaster on his back, Blaster lost maybe 1-1.5 lengths on the turn at Ballarat, if not for that he wins by a length...which surprise surprise was margin he beat Restrepo home by in Hunter Cup.

Absolute twaddle. If thats the best you can read a race give it up. The difference is huge. No contortions of what happened can change that. You claim the race was set up for Restepo at Ballarat. He was three wide without cover for gods sake. The Ballarat run was sensational. His other runs all season have passable at best.

[aussiebreno]

Absolute twaddle. If thats the best you can read a race give it up. The difference is huge. No contortions of what happened can change that. You claim the race was set up for Restepo at Ballarat. He was three wide without cover for gods sake. The Ballarat run was sensational. His other runs all season have passable at best.

They ran a track record time Ballarat but Last quarter only 28.1 and Christen Me was paddling because they went too hard early on. When leaders are paddling that means race run to suit swoopers - of which Restrepo was the best swooper in the race. Hunter Cup last quarter 27.3 Christen Me pretty much runs it out. I think that shows the difference in how races were run and why Ballarat suited Restrepo.

[teecee]

I heard Cran Dalgety before the Ballarat Cup I think, on RSN, and he indicated that the Inter wasnt on the program for Christen Me. Which made me get on Beautide because CM was still in the market.

http://www.hrnz.co.nz/news/2321-epic...ns-earns-break

[Messenger]

Just saw this... Adam Hamilton: Trots: "Craig Demmler new trainer for Blitzthemcalder. Chris Alford first right refusal on drive."

Anybody have any thoughts on possible reason?

[Lucky Camilla"s Lovechild]

They ran a track record time Ballarat but Last quarter only 28.1 and Christen Me was paddling because they went too hard early on. When leaders are paddling that means race run to suit swoopers - of which Restrepo was the best swooper in the race. Hunter Cup last quarter 27.3 Christen Me pretty much runs it out. I think that shows the difference in how races were run and why Ballarat suited Restrepo.

Wow. Three wide for the last lap with no cover in track record time. We definately have different interpretations of 'swoopers' Brendan!

[aussiebreno]

Wow. Three wide for the last lap with no cover in track record time. We definately have different interpretations of 'swoopers' Brendan!

Well not strictly a swooper I guess, I was trying to use an all encompassing word, what I specifically mean is the horses who were at the back and not involved in the earlier speed battle.