The Road To The 2018 Champion Chase

I think the price of GF reflects he's had a set back and won't be out until spring . The very fact PP have him twice the price of everyone else would tell me he's not going to be ready for March.
 
Sad is the only way to describe this. Thousand will be gutted at the news

His absence put a new look on the race especially with Altior sidelined for the time being

Among those at might turn up are Altior, Politologue, Min, Great Field and Yorkhill.

Whatever turns up it should be a better race than last year
 
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There was a time, perhaps 4-5 years ago, where the preparation of a horse for the festival was seen as straightforward. This is reflected in ante post prices being relatively skinny to five years before that. Seems like that period might have been a blip.
 
If there has been an increase in horses missing the festival and other races I don't remember that far back.

Breeding, as has feeding, changed over the years and it may well be the old school ways simply bred tougher horses.

Over the last few years some big names have missed important targets: Like Cue Card, Binocular, Arctic Fire,Sprinter, Denman, Faugheen, Don Cossack, Don Poli, Thistlecrack and of course Vautour prior to his demise

I am sure there are more others could add
 
Took 25s or 20s (can't remember) e/w the other week about Special Tiara. Still 20s now. That has got to be the bet of century? Most in the market above him will drop out and I'm still not convinced we'll see Altior this season.

If Min and Altior do clash again, I fancy Min to reverse that supreme form.
 
Double J said:
Took 25s or 20s (can't remember) e/w the other week about Special Tiara. Still 20s now. That has got to be the bet of century? Most in the market above him will drop out and I'm still not convinced we'll see Altior this season.

If Min and Altior do clash again, I fancy Min to reverse that supreme form.
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Interesting regarding Min/Altior, on what basis? Thought Altior gubbed him fair and square when they met.
 
tiggers1972 said:
Interesting regarding Min/Altior, on what basis? Thought Altior gubbed him fair and square when they met.
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Ruby not say after the race he was going to pull him at 3 out for an injury? Just what i read. Not been all that impressed by Altior since either, not say he's.a load of tosh as that'd be complete rubbish , just don't think he'll.be the new messiah that people are expecting.
 
I think you're getting mixed up. Min made a mistake at the 3rd and his back legs went but it barely affected him. # out he was cruising 2 out he quickened up well round the final bend and was just beaten by a better horse on the day.

I agree the Jury is still out on Altior he has yet to beat a decent fit rival over fences. despite Grassy's feeble efforts to try and bring Traffic Fluide into the equation.

As I mentioned before look at the Politologue form which compared favourably with Altior against the same horses and you'd have to think he will give him a good race
 
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You’d have the inside line on how fit Fox Norton was in the Game Spirit right enough, ya slaver! :cool:

Min was undoubtedly beaten by the better horse on the day, but worth bearing in mind that he was not seen again that season, and the yard definitely suggested he picked-up an injury in the Supreme.
 
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Going back to his hurdling days Altior sectionals on boxing day compared well with later on the card Faugheen, 1 second or so slower from 2 out, from what I remember. Excuses for Min and Buv are valid but they wouldn't have won regardless.

Over the fences record, Altior is also vastly superior and Min needs to improve to come closer than he did in the Supreme. Altior remember is not out with an injury, just done a casual breathing operation. It'll be a good race if they take him on but Min would breeze in the Ryanair as UDS performed a one-time amazing trick last year which at 10-yo don't think he'll be able to repeat. RR was always claimed Min would take his revenge on Altior and now seems the perfect chance, however Mullins is a pragmatic that wants to win as many races and surely recognizes Altior is much harder to beat than anything in the Ryanair.
 
Has this been mentioned elsewhere?

Douvan, who had been general 3-1 second favourite for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, will miss the rest of the season, trainer Willie Mullins revealed on Sunday.Mullins said: "I haven't been happy with Douvan over the past few days. He appeared to have recovered from the problem that ruled him out of the Tingle Creek but he has been intermittently lame since we started doing more with him during the week."
He added: "I've spoken to his owner Rich Ricci and because of the calibre of horse Douvan is we've decided to take a conservative approach. Consequently he won't be running this season."
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Something doesn't feel right here:-
Douvan, "apparently worked great" just two weeks ago before the Tingle Creek and now they "are not happy with" and he misses the season.
Think there is a lot more to it and think it's unlikely we'll ever see the great beast at a racecourse again.
 
Is there a more cautious trainer arround than Willie Mullins. How many times was Faugheen close to running but then it was "he wasn't quite right"

I just wish he was more open and tell us exactly what the problem is as per the vets diagnosis.

Douvan is a huge loss to every NH fan and yet we get titbits
 
Why does it always seem to be the horses that run in pink and green that are 'not quite right' most of the time?

Is his company profiting from releasing news that the horses are fine then suddenly not? Something seems to be off about this. It just seems it's always the horses that run on pink and green that have these problems.

Douvan
Faugheen
Annie Power
Vautour (Gold Cup or nothing)
VVM (may or may not be seen again)
 
Sprinter could come out of retirement and win this at this rate ! He is only 12 . I am sure he would have bolted up last year but for his career ending injury .
 
Still hope Min would be sent Ryanair route after that display against Simply Ned over 2 miles. He's better over further will be Mullins conclusion, hopefully.
 
Mullins horses, especially the top Ricci ones, haven't the best record at this meeting. They are different gear in March.
 
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