Novice Hurdlers 2017/2018

You’re not wrong about the Nichols horse. IF it had jumped even half well would have spreadeagled them.

Had a look at the pace as well in comparison to the closing handicap hurdle. I got the Tolworth almost 3s (2.8) slower from the second last to the line than the handicap.

Interestingly I got the Tolworth 4.3s quicker from the first to the first down the back (caveat - these were using my phone!). If the Nichols horse settled and jumped a shade better he could be a serious horse. Should be an exciting novice chaser.
 
I don't think he'll win but Jetz is a horse that will win a race at a decent price soon.

He was green as grass on debut and strikes me as one with more to come in time.

33\1 outsider Sunday, he is definitely better than that

You think he wants 3m? Either he was fairly green still the last day against Next Destination or is a bit of a boat. Was a bit of a bizarre race with all of the first three losing their position at one point or another (most notably Cracking Smart - who looks an absolute steamliner).

The one I am interested in seeing is Speak Easy of O'Briens.
 
You think he wants 3m? Either he was fairly green still the last day against Next Destination or is a bit of a boat. Was a bit of a bizarre race with all of the first three losing their position at one point or another (most notably Cracking Smart - who looks an absolute steamliner).

The one I am interested in seeing is Speak Easy of O'Briens.

Prob best at 3 but he is one I see improving in every race this year.

I have noticed with JH that she is happier than most to bring them along very slowly.
 
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LMAOROTF!!! can we get real..if any one of these get a place at Cheltenham in a festival race 3 if I am wrong please push the no button
 
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From that run today I'd say Mullins will have to take on Samcro in the Ballymore with Next Destination rather than go for the potato race. He traveled and jumped supremely well but seemed to run out of petrol towards the end.

I haven't read post race quotes however.
 
That’s what he said Bear but said he would also get an entry in the AB & also the Supreme.

Neptune will be hot with him, Samcro & On The Blind Side all intended runners. Cracking Smart looks decent value at 8s for the AB. Ran 2nd behind ND last 2 times and clearly needs 3m.


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There will be some value in the Albert Bartlett market but it's notoriously difficult to predict the winner of that race.

The Neptune usually works out to be the best novice hurdle of the festival.
 
It must have produce more good horses than any other race in the racing calendar

The funny thing is between the Neptune and the Supreme there's been only 5 or 6 that won either race and went on to win the Champion Hurdle
 
I think those Supreme horses that go on to win a CH stats are a bit misleading (last winner was Bula in 1971). How many winners actually hurdle the following year? Don’t loads go novice chasing?
 
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Sayar is the only horse left to come out (proper) that could be very good

If things stay the same, this will be the most open renewal that I can remember
 
I don't normally look into the novice races too much these days simply down to a lack of time and finding punting wise I find life easier going in the big handicaps. As such I wouldn't know much about the qualifying criteria for the Novice races at the festival.

One that caught my eye at the weekend was Call me Lord winning the handicap at Sandown which should earn him a rating of 150 or just shy of. Which would only be a few pounds shy of what is needed to win a Supreme or the Ballymore. However he's not in the market for either as far as I can see. I'm wondering if because he won races last season whether he no longer qualifies for such races.

With only 6 races under his belt he should still be classed as a novice but I was wondering as his first run over hurdles was the 5th of December last year and his first win was Christmas Day last year whether this rules him out of the festival Novice races as I can't see any other reason why he wouldn't be included somewhere near the front of both markets.

Would appreciate if anyone has some sort of answer.
 
Call Me Lord is not a novice, Danny - he won two juvenile hurdles in France last season. There is some kind of cut-off date for retaining novice status into the following season, but I’m not sure what the effective qualifying start-date is (might be if you get first novice win in early-April?) and I think it terminates at end-October anyway, for qualifying horses.

CML misses qualification by a long way, having won in December 2016.
 
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Call Me Lord is not a novice, Danny - he won two juvenile hurdles in France last season. There is some kind of cut-off date for retaining novice status into the following season, but I’m not sure what the effective qualifying start-date is (might be if you get first novice win in early-April?) and I think it terminates at end-October anyway, for qualifying horses.

CML misses qualification by a long way, having won in December 2016.

Cheers Grass I thought that must have been the case its just I recall something from a few years back can't recall the horse but he was still eligible for novice races having seemed to be around for yonks but I'm guessing that would have been because he hadn't won in his first season. Might just be remembering it wrong as I'm always a bit foggy these days. It seems connections have another nice horse on there hands though as I was really impressed with him at the weekend. Where ever he goes next I think he might end up being very close to top class.
 
Maybe a horse like Silver Concorde who won the Cheltenham Bumper in 2014 (and has won on the flat since then) but only won his maiden hurdle this last November.
 
I’d say that would be a race to follow. The 2nd is flying up the handicap and Gassin Golf was bet and ridden like he was primed for the day.

Slate House is one I’ve got my eye on for the festival. His Cheltenham win is working out well and I’d ignore his defeat the last day. I just hope they decide to step him up to 3miles rather than ending up in that red hot Ballymore.


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Ravenhill Road runs in the 1.25 at Doncaster today. Fortunately that meeting has beaten the frost.
Been looking forward to this fella but 10/11 a bit skinny for me with the 7lb penalty after a 76 day absence


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