We're running LOW on Top Class Cup horses

[Gammalite]

Good improvement last night by Tact McLeod. A great 2nd to Leap To Fame in preparation for the Big Hunter Cup at Melton next week.

Anthony coming out of the gate with purpose with the NZer and trailing up Leap To Fame then after half a lap.

Proven CUP class horse a gallant 3rd parked out for NZ in Republican Party after taking the Invercargill and Auckland Cups recently. 

SWAYZEE the Nz Cup winner will be there next week to make a exciting race . (as might his NZ Cup runner also last years runner up in Hunter Cup Don't Stop Dreaming) 

 

but the Cup class horses are very low in Both Aus and NZ , as that is about it . ( Merlin not won a Cup yet I don't think but NZ FFA and Grin race wins were excellent) 

Aus really struggling with 2 very old (now retired horses of Grimsons winning 2 Interdominions recent years) 

and lately old BULLETPROOF BOY , who has raced ok for 8 seasons without troubling anyone in Group class racing at all,  just winning 4 or 5 average races per year , can SUDDENLY win the prestigious Bendigo and Ballarat Cups lately , picking up 100k and be in contention for a Hunter Cup ?? no way.  every other year , we would of laughed at Bulletproof Boy winning these races but the old trainer S,Ewen has put great young driver James Herbertson on driving lately , and so has MUCH better results now, (than driving it himself)  The class of horse racing has dropped that much though , Bullerproof boy can win more often.  

Old MAX DELIGHT won the FFA at Menangle last night , but even after placing 3rd in Interdominion and last years Hunter Cup to LTF and DSD, he is surely just an old battler who can't beat those 2 ? ) He beat up the current Eureka/ Interdominion Final winner DON HUGO last night easy enough , so is the 'Don'  an over-rated 'New Kid on the Block' ?

 

So Same TRIFECTA as last year then ???  Leap To Fame- Don't Stop Dreaming - Max Delight . for 2025 Hunter Cup .

(Swayzee (NZ and Vic Cups) and Republican Party (Akld Cup)  the only other 2 real Cup class around really. 

 

[mikeynz]

NZs problem is a failure on 2 counts , a handicapping system that's faulty, and a obsession with pumping all the money into the young races, if both issues were corrected, problem.solved.

[the galah]

On 26/01/2025 at 10:20 AM, Gammalite said:

Good improvement last night by Tact McLeod. A great 2nd to Leap To Fame in preparation for the Big Hunter Cup at Melton next week.

Anthony coming out of the gate with purpose with the NZer and trailing up Leap To Fame then after half a lap.

Proven CUP class horse a gallant 3rd parked out for NZ in Republican Party after taking the Invercargill and Auckland Cups recently. 

SWAYZEE the Nz Cup winner will be there next week to make a exciting race . (as might his NZ Cup runner also last years runner up in Hunter Cup Don't Stop Dreaming) 

 

but the Cup class horses are very low in Both Aus and NZ , as that is about it . ( Merlin not won a Cup yet I don't think but NZ FFA and Grin race wins were excellent) 

Aus really struggling with 2 very old (now retired horses of Grimsons winning 2 Interdominions recent years) 

and lately old BULLETPROOF BOY , who has raced ok for 8 seasons without troubling anyone in Group class racing at all,  just winning 4 or 5 average races per year , can SUDDENLY win the prestigious Bendigo and Ballarat Cups lately , picking up 100k and be in contention for a Hunter Cup ?? no way.  every other year , we would of laughed at Bulletproof Boy winning these races but the old trainer S,Ewen has put great young driver James Herbertson on driving lately , and so has MUCH better results now, (than driving it himself)  The class of horse racing has dropped that much though , Bullerproof boy can win more often.  

Old MAX DELIGHT won the FFA at Menangle last night , but even after placing 3rd in Interdominion and last years Hunter Cup to LTF and DSD, he is surely just an old battler who can't beat those 2 ? ) He beat up the current Eureka/ Interdominion Final winner DON HUGO last night easy enough , so is the 'Don'  an over-rated 'New Kid on the Block' ?

 

So Same TRIFECTA as last year then ???  Leap To Fame- Don't Stop Dreaming - Max Delight . for 2025 Hunter Cup .

(Swayzee (NZ and Vic Cups) and Republican Party (Akld Cup)  the only other 2 real Cup class around really. 

 

I saw that race and thought grant dixon just keeping a bit of petrol in the tank for next week.

Yes tact macleod went better. Hes a hard one to follow sometimes,not always at the same level,but i put that down to the type of runs he gets.

I believe if leap to fame does the grind it out thing that hes capable of,then tact macleods only chance of placing is to be on theinside somewhere without having done any early work,in other words i think a strong staying contest would find him out more than some.. The again,thats not to say he isn't a very good horse. 

The connections of tact mcleod took the gamble of going to australia and chasing the big races,knowing they were forsaking winning chances in the 3 big races in the provinces close to where he is owned.lifes a gamble sometimes.

 

That menagle race with don hugo,i thought the first 3 all went well,especially don hugo given the run he had,but they all had a tough run,especially don hugo.

who runs in the oplacings behind leap to fame really will depend on the draw.Republican party a place chance with a better draw.

Edited 10 hours ago by the galah