Novice Chasers 2009/10

It could be a hell of an Arkle if Mikael goes for it! I'm hoping he doesn't as i'm sweet on Craw Away Jack, and taking on SE et al. won't be easy, never mind Mikael.

Interesting on Punchestowns for the Arkle. Would never have thought that myself.
 
I took some fancy prices about the Arkle for Long Run myself, and have 30-odd about him for the RSA Chase...............I'm just worried that he might get mired between the two trips a little bit.

If Punchestowns is as good as we hope over fences, I can't see any way that he will go the Arkle route. Long Run seems the much more likely of the pair to be switched to the shorter race in the event the yard are determined to keep them apart.
 
I hope you're right, Grasshopper. I've got Punchestowns for the RSA. If he goes there, I think he'll take all the beating.
 
Exciting prospect Diamond Harry will take in Saturday's Timeform Betfair Racing Club "Fixed Brush" Handicap Hurdle at Haydock before connections make a plan for the rest of the season.
The six-year-old enjoyed a fantastic novice campaign over timber, winning four of his five starts and finishing third behind Mikael D'Haguenet in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
"Diamond Harry is in good form and the plan is for him to run at Haydock on Saturday," said Devon handler Nick Williams.
"At the moment the plan is to give him a run over hurdles and then go over fences, but that could all change.
"The staying hurdle division is perhaps slightly easier, but he would still need to improve on his rating of 149.
"Having said that, Punchestowns started off last season in the 130s and went on to finish second in the World Hurdle, so we'll just have to see.
"He's stepping up in trip but I'm not too concerned about that, although I would have preferred something else to be top weight.
"The ground should be testing, but that isn't a problem for him and we're looking forward to it.
"The plan is for Timmy Murphy to ride him."
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Same here Grasshopper - have my main bet on Long Run for the RSA but as a result of the prices he's a bigger winner for me for the Arkle. Worth covering with just in case.
 
I know a lad that has a horse with Lavelle and they are very sweet on Crack Away Jack for the Arkle. Apparently schooled very well last year before sticking with hurdles. I also believe Mikhael is def being aimed at the Arkle.
 
I think Mikhael is the right type of horse to go to the Arkle, not necessarily win it but run a big race and then step up in trip next year and really shine. Think the SunAlliance Chase could hurt a classy horse like him at this stage unlike a tough stayer like Cooldine.
 
Crack Away Jack has been schooling over fences since he was 4, as Lavelle often pointed out last season.

I'd also be very surprised if Diamond Harry doesn't go chasing this year; that had been the plan since about March.
 
Diamond Harry to return over hurdles at Haydock


By James Pugh5.33PM 17 NOV 2009
DIAMOND HARRY, third in last season's Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, is set to make his seasonal reappearance in the Timeform Betfair Racing Club "Fixed Brush" Handicap Hurdle at Haydock on Saturday.

The six-year-old, trained by Nick Williams, is expected to go over fences this season and is as short as 12-1 for the RSA Chase with Paddy Power, but the trainer's wife Jane said on Tuesday that they have yet to finalise any plans after Haydock. He is a 20-1 chance for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle with the same firm.

She said: "We have no immediate plans for him at the moment. We are going take it as it comes and see how he comes out of the race at the weekend. It is early on in the season and we have made no plans for him yet.
"He has schooled over fences at home and he jumps great. He ran a good race at the Cheltenham Festival but not all roads lead to Cheltenham."
She added: "He is very well at the moment. He has strengthened up and has come on from last year. He will love the ground, he will swim through it and he is bred to stay the trip."
 
If he went chasing, is it definitely the RSA for him? I'm not sure he'd stay and think he could go well in the Arkle if he jumps well.
 
Hamm said:
If he went chasing, is it definitely the RSA for him? I'm not sure he'd stay and think he could go well in the Arkle if he jumps well.
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Before ever jumping a fence in public it would be hard to guarantee he would be aimed at a particular race. I'd guess it would be RSA but there is always the chance that they could look after him in his novice year and send him over the minimum trip
 
Seems to me that Pride of Dulcote has been the value for the RSA starting at 35`s and now down to 20,s. Mikhael must have a great chance if he runs in this but he is short. Why is he being bet for this when we all seem to agree he will run in the Arkle,for which race he is drifting,now 20/1?
 
Galileo said:
I think Mikhael is the right type of horse to go to the Arkle, not necessarily win it but run a big race and then step up in trip next year and really shine. Think the SunAlliance Chase could hurt a classy horse like him at this stage unlike a tough stayer like Cooldine.
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I'd go along with every word of this.
 
I wouldn't. I'm not really sure what is meant by 'classy', but there are plenty of horses that have come out of the SunAlliance in recent years to show themselves high-class staying chasers. Lord Noelie, Native Upmanship, Alexander Banquet, Jair du Cochet, Our Vic, Star de Mohaison, The Listener, Denman, Mossbank, Albertas Run just some of them. And certainly not all of those are the strong-galloping types.

The types that get 'hurt' in the race imo, are those who have beaten very little by pottering around in their trials for the race and get found out when the are forced to jump demanding fences at a proper gallop and then get shown up subsequently as not being up to it in open company the following season for the very same reasons.
 
davidjohnson said:
I wouldn't. I'm not really sure what is meant by 'classy', but there are plenty of horses that have come out of the SunAlliance in recent years to show themselves high-class staying chasers. Lord Noelie, Native Upmanship, Alexander Banquet, Jair du Cochet, Our Vic, Star de Mohaison, The Listener, Denman, Mossbank, Albertas Run just some of them. And certainly not all of those are the strong-galloping types.

The types that get 'hurt' in the race imo, are those who have beaten very little by pottering around in their trials for the race and get found out when the are forced to jump demanding fences at a proper gallop and then get shown up subsequently as not being up to it in open company the following season for the very same reasons.
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The RSA Chase is gruelling for young chasers. You not only need to be classy but very tough to win it.

What Gal and I are saying is that while Mikael looks classy enough we question whether he is tough enough.
 
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I see Mrs Harrington has her Chasing Cars entered-up in the 17f beginners chase at Navan over the weekend. Missed all of last season, but looked a nice novice prospect before his setback.
 
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