The Road To The 2018 Champion Chase

TheBear said:
I’ve got MIn in a nice trixie but in the Ryanair so I’m praying for a Lazarus like job with Douvan!


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Yeah I’m still hoping my bet on Min for the Ryanair isn’t dead yet but not optimistic. Douvan entry on Sunday looks like another nail in the coffin



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Any chance Altior bounces?

I'm a believer in horses bouncing and it worries me when they return from long absences.

In this case, I think he probably won't as All in all it was probably a very minor blip keeping him out.
 
Altior wasn't returning from injury - he was effectively just starting out late - and I tend to think that the 'bounce' factor doesn't apply in that scenario.

Altior's campaign is effectively the same as Native River's (except with an added wind-op), and I don't think anyone figures Native River to bounce next time out. He'll be beaten, but that's not the same thing. :ninja:
 
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Altior was in work and just about to run when they did the wind op. The only break was two weeks when he was just walking. The bounce factor isn't a consideration here.
 
Which I'd say increases his chance of going to Cheltenham. If he'd run tomorrow I can't imagine Willie would have run him again before Aintree, whereas he's got previous for sending horses to Cheltenham without a run,
 
Maruco said:
Which I'd say increases his chance of going to Cheltenham. If he'd run tomorrow I can't imagine Willie would have run him again before Aintree, whereas he's got previous for sending horses to Cheltenham without a run,
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mullins has basically said as much, doesn't want to let him slog out over 2m4 on soft ground and cheltenham still the plan

why him saying this makes me think it's even less likely he turns up there i'm not sure :whistle:
 
I get that feeling too James, I know Mullins used to do it with Quevega, but she was that superior to the other mares she could have given them a day's start!
 
He’ll be very difficult to weigh up if he does turn up. Normally I’d completely dismiss one having their first run of the season but they really do hold him in the highest regard and they know a good un when they see one. They also wouldn’t risk him if he wasn’t A1.

Can anyone name an occasion at Cheltenham when Ricci has had two decent ones in the same race?


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If Douvan were to go to the QMCC and Ricci ran Min too and if Ruby were to pick Douvan..... Be some pre race discussion!!! A lot of ifs and highly unlikely..... But what if
 
TheBear said:
He’ll be very difficult to weigh up if he does turn up. Normally I’d completely dismiss one having their first run of the season but they really do hold him in the highest regard and they know a good un when they see one. They also wouldn’t risk him if he wasn’t A1.

Can anyone name an occasion at Cheltenham when Ricci has had two decent ones in the same race?


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Limini and VVM last year.
 
You’re right Archie although I think his hands were tied there. If VVM had an uninterrupted campaign I think she’d have ended up in another race.

If Douvan was declared and Ruby had the pick between those two it’d be a brave man backing the one Townend was sat on.


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Airlie Beach ran 6 times against Walsh ridden Mullins horses and beat them on 4 occasions (twice Townend and twice Danny Mullins up).

I'd be very surprised if Douvan and Min went in the same race.
 
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At the festival in grade 1’s he has normally chosen correctly. Denman is the only time I can think where he got it wrong and you can’t blame him for his loyalty to Kauto.


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Double Handful said:
If Douvan were to go to the QMCC and Ricci ran Min too and if Ruby were to pick Douvan..... Be some pre race discussion!!! A lot of ifs and highly unlikely..... But what if
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There was a video up yesterday where someone had been at the yard and talking to Patrick Mullins. Him turning up may not be as big an if as what people think.

He said something along the lines of it was blasphemy to even mention Min or anything else, past or present for that matter in the same breath as Douvan.
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Douvan goes Ruby rides, Douvan goes Douvan wins..........Altior is Douvan's Mill House:)
 
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We (Rich Ricci, owner) spoke about the possibility of running him and Min in the Queen Mother and we said it would be a nice problem to have if it comes around."To me, the two of them are two-milers. Douvan is nicely on course for the race but Min is unbeaten this season so he has to go there.
"I can't see us putting Douvan in the Ryanair, so it's not ideal and an owner would like to divide his horses, but sometimes it's no harm having a reserve.
"That's their trip and, to me, that's what they should go for."
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