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#1
05-15-2013, 11:46 AM
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Hunt Ball rolls into town
Forget posting about his meteoric rise through the handicap ranks (from a class 5 chase at Folkestone to finishing the season 3rd in the class 1 Betfred Bowl Chase) or where he'll be pointed (New York Turf Writers Cup, the Lonesome Glory, the Grand National and possibly the Nakayama Grand Jump)...
THIS is the effect Hunt Ball has...  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xbI3xXsroE Kinda sad that his (very colorful) owners are out of the game but apparently they got an offer they couldn't refuse and so he'll be on his way here on the 24th. Jonathan Sheppard will train him. Have to include this cause it's so much fun... this is dairy farmer and amature jockey Anthony Knott getting his first win. It only took 28 years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1EHL4OMlK4  http://www.racingpost.com/horses/hor...abs=horse_form 
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#4
05-15-2013, 03:59 PM
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Great thread. I'm a big fan of the Folkerstone.
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#5
05-15-2013, 05:35 PM
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I like stories like this one, horses like this who surpass all expectation...
Owners like this who are so completely exuberant and uncensored... ... hearing about horses who are bought and sent here, to this country, to race... I'm sorry this seems to bother a couple of you so much. I can't quite figure out why it does but hey if it makes you feel better to make it like I'm some complete moron for posting this kind of thing? Go for it. Glad I could help.
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#7
10-21-2013, 05:14 PM
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Could not ask for a better... well not ending but next chapter.
This is awesome news!!!  http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse...=last7DaysNews
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#8
10-21-2013, 11:59 PM
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For us who follow both codes here in the US, Hunt Ball’s dismal failure does not come as a surprise. Don’t know what Atlantic Equine paid for him, but if it was anything over $30K, he was greatly overpriced. His last UK win at Taunton was what amounted to a generous Class 3 event, whereby he didn’t really beat anything. Supposedly he got his ground here in the US, but not once did he pick up his feet. Thought maybe he didn’t like the inner turf courses, but not getting a result at a proper chasing course (Far Hills) tells me he is quite ordinary. A lateral move from Sheppard to Henderson won’t help. There was no issue with his jumping National Fences, he’s just not a very fast horse.
It would have been interesting to see at what level he would have been competitive here. Perhaps, he would have been better suited as a Timber horse. Moving back to the UK won’t change the fact that he is ordinary and I would not expect him to win a graded race there. I applaud Atlantic Equine for taking a shot at trying to bring a quality chaser/hurdler to the US. Unfortunately, Hunt Ball wasn’t that horse.
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#9
10-22-2013, 12:46 AM
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Me? I just enjoy following him. I think you're probably right in terms of being ordinary but sometimes there is beauty or greatness or whatever in the every day. That he will go to Nicky Henderson who has trained some incredible horses is a cool next-part-of-the-journey. I did start out thinking he had this potential to be something really special. He isn't, but I'm not disappointed. I hope he wins again some day.
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#10
02-11-2014, 07:56 PM
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Scanman if you're around (... or Brock, or Cardus or anyone who understands this kind of thing)...
Could one of you guys please explain this... why he is even being considered here? Very confused. (Oh and for the record his last run was indeed in October at Fair Hill so it's not like he went home and showed them...). http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/horse-racing/26128471
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#11
02-11-2014, 09:12 PM
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Perhaps the British handicapper is playing it safe by assigning him such a high mark, but it is my opinion that he will be winless until his mark drops to around 140 and that won't happen. Maybe the change of scenery will reinvigorate him. He's entered in a couple of top handicap chases at Ascot on Saturday, which I wouldn't think he'd have a prayer. However, he does have a entry in a novice hurdle at Market Rasen on Sunday. Since he doesn't have a hurdle's rating, he would run at level weights, and here, he may have a chance. His Cheltenham festival entry is the Ryanair Chase at 2m 5f at level weights. There are some pretty good horses entered and if he were to run, I don't believe he would be competitive. At his current mark, he's has no shot in any handicap, especially the Grand National.
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#12
02-11-2014, 10:47 PM
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#13
02-12-2014, 12:22 PM
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Even though he's unproven (winless) over 3 miles, I think they should have kept him in the US and given him a try over Timber fences. If his jumping is up to scratch, he would start at the bottom again; win a Maiden and if the quality is there, give him a shot at the MD Hunt Cup and VA Hunt Cup, both have a purse of $75K.
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#14
02-16-2014, 02:02 PM
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#15
02-17-2014, 02:42 PM
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#16
02-26-2014, 07:06 PM
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 I choose the latter. * * * Some good stuff on a lot of the super nice horses in the yard like Sprinter Sacre, Long Run, Bobs Worth, My Tent or Yours... and, of course... He ran very well [at Ascot] and has come back to 155 from 161, which actually was his last winning weight. I think the ground will dictate. He's funny, shows you nothing at home, absolutely nothing. Apparently that's nothing new but he ran a very good race considering I can't believe he was anywhere near fit because if you do as little as him, you couldn't be fit. So I'm hoping we will be quite a lot straighter for this. 155 does give him an option. It means you've got to run in a handicap, so the option is going to be between the three-mile and the two and a half mile, the Byrne Plate and the Festival Handicap. Hadrians Approach will run in [the Festival Handicap], Hunt Ball possibly, Triolo D'Alene possibly, not Shakalaka. I think good ground will help him. If it was soft, two and a half, if it was good, maybe three and if it was halfway between the two, we'll go for what seems to be the best option. [Will he run in the Grand National?] We'll see what happens at Cheltenham. http://www.theguardian.com/sport/201...enham-festival
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#17
03-13-2014, 06:39 PM
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Well he certainly didn't disgrace himself today. I thought he did well... gave it everything he had.
Would love to hear your thoughts, scanman. (I'm sure you saw it but for anyone who didn't and would like to...) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lunrm0TmqGc
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#18
03-17-2014, 01:56 PM
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The Ryanair Chase was a good spot for him. The race shaped well, in that, it became a softer race because of the defection of Sprinter Sacre from the Champion Chase. Had SS ran in the Champion Chase many of the horses that ran there would have gone in the Ryanair instead, whereby I am certain HB would have been an also ran. However, it would be foolish to bring him back to the US, as he has proven that US racecourses do not favor him. The only exceptions to that would be to run him at Butler, Glyndon, and/or Great Meadow over timber fences. Those layouts are huge (Butler has a 3/4 mile straight finish). It will be interesting to see where they will point him. For now, his only entry is in the Grand National, which would be a waist of time as it is a handicap and he is rated way too high and he's a non-winner beyond 2 5/8 miles.
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#19
03-18-2014, 03:16 PM
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MSSC - Here's a little more insight as to the quality of the Ryanair Chase: http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/n...est-in-ryanair .
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#20
03-18-2014, 07:46 PM
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I do know names like Sprinter Scare and Cue Card but am not so up to speed that I am able to keep track of who is pointed where or injured and so it begins to run together a bit, I'm embarrassed to say. Interesting stuff and I appreciate... not only your insight but your patience. As we get closer to the Grand National I hope you'll let me know who interests you and why. Thank you again!
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