Novice chasers 2014/15

Tanlic said:
What's your thoughts Frankel? Good idea or not ? Didn't they do the same type of thing with Al Ferof a couple of years back?....personally I don't see the sense in it as they can leave their race behind if they get involved in a battle with their seniors just before the festival
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Probably not the route I would go down.

As for ALF, ran in the Clarence House.
He was just unlucky that SS and Cue Card were in his Arkle. Though his blunder didn't help.
 
I expected and hoped for a better round of jumping from Josses Hill but whilst I won't be topping up my position I'd hardly call him a no hoper, especially if UDS is sent there rather than Vautour.
 
I clearly remember Tidal Bay's run and it wasn't a pretty sight........but it's nothing unusual for a trainer to let a horse down a notch or two on it's race before Cheltenham.

The idea is to leave them short so the race brings them on just in time for the big one.

PN has admitted in he overdid it with Kauto Star after he won the JR Wine which resulted in him losing before going on to win the King George...He actually UR but the fact it would have been very close between him and Snoopy Loopy says it all.

I tend to ignore these pre Chelt defeats and did so with Tidal Bay who drifted out to 12/1 right after Donnie.........Loved that race can even tell you what Grassy backed Moon Over Miami...terrible judge that boy :lol:

As far as Jonjo and Holywell goes there are 2 words I always think of when looking at his horses pre chelt form. Butlers Cabin............Tailed off with a featherweight behind Exotic Dancer turns up at Cheltenham and beats me for a small fortune when beating John Quinns Character Building

If Holywell turns up no matter what his form is beforehand he'll be right there in the Gold Cup.

Won't need to worry about his jumping beforehand I think the idea is to run him in a hurdle race so where he finishes won't mean too much and Jonjo won't be asked to explain any sudden improvement when they gamble the backside off him
 
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Whilst a bad run pre-cheltenham doesn't mean a horse can't win, you'd rather have a good run wouldn't you?

I'd be bloody surprised if JH got anywhere near winning the Arkle.


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What about Sgt Reckless winning a maiden on the all weather at Lingfield.Very impressive in a novice chase at Uttoxeter -then runs in Christmas Hurdle followed by flat maiden.Shrewdest or most inept preparation for Arkle ever.
 
LUKE said:
What about Sgt Reckless winning a maiden on the all weather at Lingfield.Very impressive in a novice chase at Uttoxeter -then runs in Christmas Hurdle followed by flat maiden.Shrewdest or most inept preparation for Arkle ever.
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Obviously not the usual route to the Arkle, but he's very ground dependant. Just a case of him ticking over.
Though as it worked out, it was decent ground at Donny yesterday so maybe an opportunity missed.
 
Barry's not giving up on Josses Hill. From his ATR column:

Unless I’m very much mistaken I think we have an exceptionally talented novice chaser coming along in the shape of Josses Hill.There might have been a few that were unimpressed with his first win over fences in the two-mile novices’ chase at Doncaster on Friday – but not me.
I absolutely love this horse. He has all the technical ability you want and can go long or short which is why he came up a stride early at the first.
It’s justa case that because he has so many options in his slower paces, he can sometimes pick the wrong one.
When we were motoring up the home straight in top gear he was very good indeed.
He came up out of my hands at the fifth last and for a horse not to make a mistake with a move like that was unbelievable – I’ve never had that happen to me before with a novice.
They don’t come up early in the final stages of a race and not make a mistake but he didn’t.
He is certainly a work in progress for Nicky Henderson and his team but it’s only because he’s getting everything together and find the same rhythm he had over hurdles.
He needs to learn to pop his fences and once he does that he’s going to be a serious player in two-mile chases.<o:p></o>
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Perpetual said:
Barry's not giving up on Josses Hill. From his ATR column:
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Glass half full, even if the Arkle comes a bit soon for him in terms of his education he'll be a nice price for the Queen Mother during the summer.

He jumped hurdles like Sizing Europe, but that horse had a lot more experience under his belt before going chasing.
 
Un De Sceaux steps into Grade 1 company for the first time. Will be interesting to see how he fares.
 
Coneygree fits the profile of horses I like to follow. Very genuine, travels well jumping cleanly. Has also carried my money twice and delivered at decent odds. I see several people have him in AP comp. Just before he ran at Kempton I swithered about backing him for the RSA. I decided that he was proven only on soft or heavy ground and was unlikely to get that at Cheltenham so did not back him for the Festival. Kempton was a sticky good to soft and he did well but the race could not dispel my concern. I acknowledge that this was a wrong decision since his price has shortened considerably. But am I right about the likely outcome?

"Good horses handle any ground" is a much repeated comment. Is it really true? I wouldn't mind being convinced because if it is, then he is still at an attractive price.
 
Pont Alexandre has been given a world hurdle entry by Mullins I see. I'm guessing we'll have to wait until next season to see him go novice chasing. A shame as I had backed him for the RSA!
 
yeah much more like it

UDS does the business next week and slim's cheltenham double is looking good
 
JamesRB said:
you can have an opinion but lets not deal in absolutes. also worth noting it could be a pretty weak field this year.
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It's always just an opinion. My stance is firm in this case that's all.

Completely different ball game to what he will have faced previously, whatever the field.
 
The way he travelled today mainly and at the way he won the supreme also.Shoot me down in flames but he just doesn't strike me as a 2 miler.If he went the arkle route he would be most likely winner for me through sheer class but to my eye he just looks more comfortable travelling and staying.I can see why they think he could be a future GC horse quite easily.just my opinion.
 
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Ruby suggesting he always thought he was a stayer and rides him like that.

JLT almost certainly the target this year, it would seem, unless something horrific happens to Un De Sceaux.
 
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