Novice Chasers 2010/11

Have to love the way he jumped alright. Looking ahead he might be a candidate for this new 2m4f novices chase at the Festival.
 
That's a value bet if nothing else Roddy.I would like to see him run at Punchestown in a couple of weeks and then freshened up for the festival.
 
Very nice horse (as my earlier comments suggested) but I wouldnt be backing him for the Arkle at this stage.
 
I think Cheltenham is the obvious choice. He is the perfect type for the race. has enough experience over fences, has won at the track and loves jumping fences. Nicholls etc would need a good one to oppose him.
 
Me too - love the name, love the way he always tries. Let's hope he survives - he's doing fine right now, to the point I sometimes wish folks would leave well alone.
 
Looking at it, I think he should go very well for you, RO. He's one of maybe 5-6 who are the standouts, with the highest-rated the poorest recent performer, who ought to be discounted. G-F which doesn't present him with any problems - I see he's won or placed on pretty much anything, but no probs with that particular going. I'd not be surprised, without any unforeseen incidents intervening, to see him take it. Best of everything, anyway!
 
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This will remove runners from the Arkle Chase, the RSA Chase and possibly the RyanAir, and is totally unnecessary.

It re-affirms my belief that Gillespie is a giant-sized cock, with designs only on creating a fifth day of revenue generation in March. Keep an eye out for a 14f fillies-only bumper, a Pertemps Silver Cup, and and a Mascot National to pad out the card.

Wanker.
 
Imagine the flat racing had races at 1m1, 1m2, 1m3, 1m3 and a half and 1m4 - people would be going mad.

Who wants to see the best horses kept apart as is now nearly complete at the festival. All they need is a 2m4 open hurdle race and it's complete.

Still, Cheltenham is the best thing in racing, eh?
 
Grasshopper said:
This will remove runners from the Arkle Chase, the RSA Chase and possibly the RyanAir, and is totally unnecessary.

It re-affirms my belief that Gillespie is a giant-sized cock, with designs only on creating a fifth day of revenue generation in March. Keep an eye out for a 14f fillies-only bumper, a Pertemps Silver Cup, and and a Mascot National to pad out the card.

Wanker.
Click to expand...

You can cock suits for stag parties so perhaps he could wear one in the mascot national?!! :D
 
His respect for the racing public is summed up by cancelling the Festival preview in favour of a Motown Night next March
 
Surfing could be one to keep an eye on for Nicky Henderson and Michael Buckley - was supposed to be taking the Long Run route but his chasing career in France didn't go to plan so he's been with Henderson since July.

Be interesting to see where they head with him.
 
The only thing is we used to have a 2m 4f race for first and second season novices and that did not undermine the Arkle or RSA at all.

I have grave reservations about some of the crap at the 4 day festival like the cross country and the Martin Pipe Hurdle - but this is a return to a race from the old Festival.
 
If you're talking about the Cathcart, Ardross, it was open to non-novices and was a different kind of test altogether (imo) from the proposed race.

This is manufacturing an intermediate novice championship trip over fences where none is necessary; with the primary (but unstated) motivation that of sustaining a fifth day at the Festival (imo).
 
I'm sure that if we look over the last Festival, we were concerned, or aghast in advance, that a 5-day Festival would be exactly what they'd tilt for. I can't see how they can pad the day out unless, as Grasshopper says, they add in a mascot race, plus two pony scurries, a bending race and bobbing for apples. Personally, I'd be quite happy with a bending hurdles with pig-sticking, the results to provide the hog sarnies for the next day. At least it might stop thousands falling into a racing-induced coma.

One positive: second-last fence moved in the hope there'll be fewer falls, or fewer nasty ones at it.

One negative: prize money down by £100,000 overall.
 
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