Novice Chasers 2011-12

in fact the last winner of the supreme to run in the arkle was noland like al feroof trained by nichols and was a well beaten favorite

allthough last years edition seems a far better edition that nolands

the vast majority of festival grp 1 winners have winning form on group 1 tracks (although for the arkle warwick is the exception to the rule the kingmaker is a good trial)

i expect sprinter to beat al feroof with peddlers cross in 3rd getting much closer to the winner (than at kempton) but not being quick enough to overhaul him or al feroof
 
Hamm said:
:lol:

I think it's between him and Al Ferof, but preference for Sprinter Sacre.
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Just goes to show (...we’re all guilty of it). I doubt you would have been arguing that favourites have little chance in the Arkle had SS been favourite over Peddler’s at the time... I’m with you though I also think SS will win, I fancy a couple above Al Ferof though.
 
Fair point, but how many favourites had brought about the level of excitement that we may a potential all time great on our hands? Moscow Flyer and Azertyuiop.
 
Hamm said:
Fair point, but how many favourites had brought about the level of excitement that we may a potential all time great on our hands? Moscow Flyer and Azertyuiop.
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Very few. Like I said before he's reminding me of Remittance Man... who knows if he'll be as good as the two you mention, but he's the best candidate I can think of.
 
Sonofvic returns to hurdling

Sonofvic will revert to hurdles following a disappointing run at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.

The sparingly-raced seven-year-old made a big impression on his chasing bow at Newbury in November, when second behind Grands Crus, but jumped erratically at Prestbury Park, beating just one home in the Dipper Chase.

Trainer Paul Nicholls told his Betfair column: "He ran a great race first time up over fences when second to Grands Crus at Newbury, but Monday told us that he needs more time and experience, and he clearly isn't a SunAlliance (RSA Chase) horse on that form."

He added: "So we will keep him as a novice over fences for next season. With more experience and runs under his belt, he will be fine.

"He is only very lightly raced, winning both his hurdles last season, and the plan is for him to maybe have three more runs this season, possibly starting in a handicap hurdle at Sandown on February 4.

"He is currently rated 141 over hurdles."
 
Think this is a good move from Nicholls. He still looks raw and unfurnished so the idea of preserving his novice status and gaining experience over hurdles before returning to chasing next year seems sound.
 
Al Ferof entered in the Victor Chandler alongside Finians Rainbow, are they considering a different Cheltenham target for their 7yo?
 
Seems Cue Card will almost certainly go for the Arkle:

"He'll be coming back to the minimum trip now and the Arkle looks the race to target with him. They'll go flat out, so it will be almost like a two-and-a-half-mile race anyway".

Source: PA
 
Cue Card doesn't jump well enough for me but at least the Tizzards realise that you need to stay 2m4f to win it. :lol:
 
Interesting Steve!

I can't help think that National Hunt trainers are incredibly nieve in their approach to Cheltenham whereby they assume every race is going to be run at a "furious" gallop and they'll all be "flat out" - that's not racing.

There is an art in making a two mile trip, a race for two mile horses but very often we get skewness or kurtosis in the fact that neive trainers are making races run over two miles fall into the hands of 2m4 sorts at by ensuring this phantom idea that you need to go helter skelter because it's Cheltenham - no! you don't, nor do you have to make a two mile race play into the hands of a 1m4 sort.
 
More likely Cue Card going for the Arkle as there must be doubts about getting up the hill in the Jewson...

In the Victor Chandler Chase Sportingbet have 3rd fav for the Arkle Al Ferof is 5/2 ahead of 3rd fav for the QM Finians Rainbow at 11/4.
 
I thought the same but it has now been amended. 9/4 Finian's and 5/2 Al Ferof. I think it should be more like 2/1 and 3/1 personally.
 
Hamm said:
Why would Al Ferof run in this? Has Nicholls said something?
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Al Ferof is one of 12 entered. Not so easy to place winner of Henry VIII between that race and Festival now as upgrading of former would mean having to concede Grade 1 penalty in races like the Kingmaker against horses he's likely to meet off levels in the spring.
 
Seems a much better bet to do that than run him against much more experienced rivals (I am never a fan of this, eg, Cue Card in the Bula last season).
 
Is it complete folly to suggest that Nicholls might have the Champion Chase in the back of his mind. It might be more winnable than the Arkle . . .

Just a thought. I haven't heard anything either in support or against.
 
davidjohnson said:
Al Ferof is one of 12 entered. Not so easy to place winner of Henry VIII between that race and Festival now as upgrading of former would mean having to concede Grade 1 penalty in races like the Kingmaker against horses he's likely to meet off levels in the spring.
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...quite so. Not so much ambition for the horse as few suitable other opportunities.
 
Zenyatta said:
Is it complete folly to suggest that Nicholls might have the Champion Chase in the back of his mind. It might be more winnable than the Arkle . . .
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I'd be amazed if this was the intention. He's a first season novice that needs to stick to novice targets.
 
But isn't that what he is doing running in the VC? 7 pounds does not warrant a complete change of plan, surely.
 
It's only a possibility that he runs in this (horses get entries all the time). Smacks more of a back up plan to get a run into him before the Festival to me. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't show up in this, but I'd be astounded if they were thinking about the Champion Chase this year.
 
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