Road to the Champion Chase 2011

Euro,

Thomas Cooper has stressed on many occasions that Forpady is best on good ground, and I tend to agree with him, his participation in the King George will be dependent on good ground.

Just an aside, on the point about Cooldine, that Moriarty race you mentioned made me think that perhaps Cooldine should be aimed at the Ryanair. He obviously has the speed for the distance and if he was sent out in front, he would be a difficult horse to peg back.

JohnJ
 
Katharine said:
Master Minded this season looks different to the one I watched back in March.
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You could say the same about Big Zeb on his first start this season. What sticks in my mind is how Colm said two seasons back that he had summered badly, last season he had summered very well and improved and he believes he has improved again now. Please god MM and BZ get to March in one piece and then it's game on. Looking back at this thread in the middle of March will be interesting!
 
At his best Master Minded will be very tough to beat but Big Zeb will be a more than worthy challenger at the very least.
 
I wouldn't think so. I'm in the Captain Cee Bee camp and have little doubt he can compete. Quite happy that he's not being talked about.
 
Would you worry about his previous burst blood vessel in Cheltenham or do you consider that a once off? Didn't effect him when he won there previously or since but you never know. Hi jumping is certainly more assured now than ever before.
 
Cantoris said:
Would you worry about his previous burst blood vessel in Cheltenham or do you consider that a once off? Didn't effect him when he won there previously or since but you never know. Hi jumping is certainly more assured now than ever before.
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The Blood vessel is the worry as you say. But you're getting 10/1 as a result really. Taking everything in his make up, i'm happy to be with him. Classy classy animal who's entitled to improve himself.

Going back to the Supreme with Binocuar I cant help think they could go down as two very special horses. Binocular's performance in the Champion Hurdle last year was spectacluar and I'm of the opinion The Captain can turn in a similar performance over fences.
 
Katharine said:
Agree with Euro.

Master Minded this season looks different to the one I watched back in March. Much more zip about him. I could watch him jump fences all day. I would expect him to be able to comfortably take care of the likes of Forpady and Kalahari King if he were anywhere near his best, which to me he wasn't at the Festival.

I do like Big Zeb. But I think MM will regain his crown.
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You certainly could watch him jump fences all day - he's so quick and accurate and it looks effortless to him - I'd say the Big Zeb camp are mightly worried!
 
On The Bridle said:
You certainly could watch him jump fences all day - he's so quick and accurate and it looks effortless to him - I'd say the Big Zeb camp are mightly worried!
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They only worry about getting their horse there on the big day. The jock needs to worry about the opposition.

Hezz, worth remembering that the Captain has already beaten Zeb....albeit in a bumper.
 
Petit Robin is probably best going left handed, too.

I don't know what MM's best is, to be honest. His 2008 win was spectacular to watch but I doubt he'd have to repeat that anyway.

I, too, thought he looked in better shape on Saturday than he did in March. At the very least, I would expect him to confirm the form with all of those behind him come the Festival.

Might come to down to the jumping, and Big Zeb has improved a lot on that score.

I'm probably just on MM's side at the moment.
 
Listen, I am too.

And I put 300 on him ante-post as he jumped the second in his seasonal debut.

But people on here are being very dismissive of Big Zeb. And Hamm was dismissive of him last year and look what happened.

I believe that Master Minded will have a tough time regaining his crown.
 
A low blow there Barry.

I think Big Zeb is almost a 170 chaser at his best, maybe 171/172 being generous.

Master Minded doesnt need to be anything like he was 2 seasons ago to win, yet gave all the signs at the weekend he is back to if not at, then very close to that level. Judging performance on lengths etc can be misleading - how he jumped, travelled, picked the leaders up told me all I needed to know.

You will collect if he turns up in March; he is unbeatable in this sort of form.
 
Galileo said:
Just seen a replay of Woolcombe Folly - that was pretty impressive with his weight.
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A dark horse in my TTF. There is nothing wrong with this one at all (actually rated higher than the Tingle Creek). Ladbrokes were going 12/1 NRNB, but only 8s on those terms now.
 
I'd question whether Big Zeb is capable of running to a rating of 170 at his very best. He'd be closeish, but I can't have him rated that highly.

Take Master Minded out the race, and Big Zeb has beaten a field of ordinary (in terms of the usual standard) 2m chasers, rather than anything you expect to be good enough to win a Champion Chase; a field of Wonder Mans rather than Remittance Mans, if you will.

In a year where candidates capable of shaking up the order appear to be thin on the ground, the question then becomes; what kind of mark can Master Minded hit?

I think one could be reasonably confident the horse could run-up to around 175 or thereabouts, if his current form is anything to go by. And if he jumps in March like he did on Saturday, you can probably add another couple of lbs for efficiency. He is clearly the one to beat, and the current price doesn't look at all parsimonious (if you're inclined to bet the odds-on this far from the Festival).

"Jumped well, pushed out, impressive - 8L"

There, you can bet the winning distance instead. :D
 
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Galileo said:
Just seen a replay of Woolcombe Folly - that was pretty impressive with his weight.
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he carried the same weight as MM and ran the race 0.5 seconds faster..they didn't hang about in the TC so I'd say WF is a real contender for the 2 mile championship.

Tanks For That should be worth following with the gap back to the 3rd being quite large
 
Master Minded could have won half the track if Fehily had let him, EC - the time is largely irrelevant, imo.
 
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Grasshopper said:
Master Minded could have won half the track if Fehily had let him, EC - the time is largely irrelevant, imo.
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I'm not so sure about that Grass - how many more lengths could he have won do you think?...add in that WF is probably still on the upgrade..and come March it could be a closer run thing than it looks now.

WF is a strong contender imo.
 
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