Great write-up Shabby. The same thoughts i’ve had but I couln’t put it as eloquently!
The simple fact nowadays is there is too much lazy journalism. Check that everyone calls Rule The World ‘a big raw horse’. Not one journo called him this until Mouse labelled him a ‘big raw bugger’.
I re-ran the 2011 and 2012 champions last night – in 11 Hurricane was pulling away in the last 25 yards from Peddlers and they were going one hell of a speed up the run in. To say he was ‘all out’ and scraped home is a bit of an insult. Whereas in 12 Hurricane showed guts to pull himself within a couple of lengths at the last but just couldnt maintain the effort and weakened in the last 75 yards. This was not a horse in tip-top shape. Where was Overturn in 11 vs 12? Comfortably stuffed.
Hurricane has shown his old zip this season, hurdling fluently a was really motoring when Go Native came down at Punchestown.
Him and Zarkandar are the only two that would fit the bill for the perfect preparation – three runs, three wins, nicely spaced out.
May the negative talk continue – i’m on at 6/1 down to 7/2, but if things are going my way i’ll be filling my boots with anything > 2/1 on course.