Road to the Champion Chase 2011

SteveM said:
He's recorded RPRs 171 and 172 in his last two outings. On that scale I can see that a 174 is possible. On the same scale, for example, Denman and IC are about 10-12lb better.
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Come on Steve, you can't shoe horn the RPR scale in at the last moment.... Tidal Bay is no better than a mid 160's horse (on OR's). If a race completely fell into his lap he might be able to record high 160's but he won't get anywhere near the principles in the GC.
 
Aragorn said:
Come on Steve, you can't shoe horn the RPR scale in at the last moment.... Tidal Bay is no better than a mid 160's horse (on OR's). If a race completely fell into his lap he might be able to record high 160's but he won't get anywhere near the principles in the GC.
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I think you are missing the point. Whatever number you want to make him the fact is that at his best (that he has reproduced on a handful of occasions) he is not far short of the best.

If you want to make him mid 160s thats fine with me, but those ahead of him would also be half a stone lower in that case.
 
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From the Irish Times, a few days ago:

LEOPARDSTOWN: LEOPARDSTOWN’S annual post-racing workout for leading Cheltenham hopes this Sunday looks set to take place on testing ground conditions but Ireland’s “Horse Of The Year” Big Zeb is likely to wait 24 hours and school at the Dublin track on Monday.
The going was officially “soft to heavy” at Leopardstown yesterday ahead of a fixture where most attention is on what happens after racing.
Champion trainer Willie Mullins is among those who have used the post-racing gallops to put the final touches to some of his top Cheltenham hopes over the years and up to 40 festival contenders in total are again expected to appear this time.
However, Colm Murphy plans to wait a day and use the opportunity to school Big Zeb at Leopardstown ahead of his attempt to retain the Queen Mother Champion Chase crown in three weeks time. “He won’t even work. He’ll just pop a few fences. We couldn’t be happier with him at the moment,” Murphy said yesterday.

The Co Wexford trainer has another prime Cheltenham hopeful in Bumper contender Raise The Beat, who hasn’t been seen since winning easily at Naas in October. “He did a nice bit of work yesterday and that will leave him as right as we can get him for the festival. He could go to Leopardstown on Monday too,” Murphy added. “Quito De La Roque will tip away at home. He’s got a choice of the three-miler (RSA Chase) or the four-miler at Cheltenham. We haven’t decided which he will go for.”
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ZEB PLEASES IN LEOPARDSTOWN SCHOOL
Big Zeb delighted connections in a schooling session at Leopardstown racecourse this morning as part of his preparation for the Cheltenham Festival.
Last year's Queen Mother Champion Chase hero jumped six fences with Barry Geraghty in the plate in his last major work ahead of his bid to retain the two-mile title on March 16.
"Big Zeb popped a line of fences. He was very good and we're very happy with him. He worked with another horse that gave him a lead," said trainer Colm Murphy.
"We'll just keep him ticking over now until Cheltenham."
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De bromhead: Europe can rule



Henry de bromhead feels positive tactics could strengthen sizing europe's chances of success in the sportingbet.com queen mother champion chase.
Last season's arkle hero is likely to adopt a prominent berth in the two-mile championship at the cheltenham festival, having earlier this season been ridden with much more restraint over longer distances.
De bromhead said: "he's really coming into himself.
"he's just starting to really come into form, but we haven't had as good a run-up as we had before he won the arkle last year.
"he loves that (being prominent). He loves that pace. The faster we go in the first mile, the better for him - he could have them all off the bridle coming down the hill like he did in the arkle.
"this year he has jumped a lot more deliberately, but we feel that was because he was going at a quite slower pace.
"but if you school him at home, and at speed, he just wings the fences."
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Looks like Sizing Europe has come in for some support.

Not surprising really, i have never been a massive fan of the horse, but i do think he could run a good race here, over his ideal trip.
 
Gaz's Way De Solzen said:
Looks like Sizing Europe has come in for some support.

Not surprising really, i have never been a massive fan of the horse, but i do think he could run a good race here, over his ideal trip.
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The stats are at least good for Sizing Europe. 10 of the last 12 Arkle winners finished in the first two in this race the following year.
 
"We left Captain Cee Bee in the Ryanair Chase as a precautionary measure and we are aiming him at the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase. He has never raced over two miles and five furlongs but I wanted to give him both options just as a failsafe.
"He is in good form at the moment and I am very happy with him. The ground was very heavy when he ran in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase, and it was the first time that he was coming up against the top two-milers.
"We had also been held up by the weather, so nothing was really ideal that day and it's best to excuse him that run. If he improves as he normally does between winter and spring, then he is going to be competitive and that is all you can ask for at The Festival."
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Eleven two mile chasers have been declared for the 2m Queen Mother Champion Chase, over two miles on the chase course.

Big Zeb 3/1
Master Minded 1000/300
Somersby, Woolcombe Folly 8/1
Sizing Europe 9/1
Captain Cee Bee 10/1
Golden Silver 12/1
French Opera 20/1
Mad Max 33/1
Cornas, I'm so Lucky 100/1

Daryl Jacob rides WF, Chocolate is on Somersby and Paul Carberry is on Mad Max.
 
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Bar the Bull said:
Big Zeb 3/1
Master Minded 1000/300
Somersby, Woolcombe Folly 8/1
Sizing Europe 9/1
Captain Cee Bee 10/1
Golden Silver 12/1
French Opera 20/1
Mad Max 33/1
Cornas, I'm so Lucky 100/1
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I'd go:
Master Minded 9/4
Big Zeb 5/1
Somersby, Sizing Europe 7/1
Captain Cee Bee 10/1
Woolcombe Folly, French Opera 12/1
Golden Silver 20/1
Mad Max 40/1
Cornas, I'm so Lucky 100/1
 
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