2017 Arkle Trophy Chase

[cwright23]

Oh ista you've had a shocker there mate... I think deep down every big owner is super competitive, arrogant and stubborn but no way RR will divert MIN for a tin pot race where he can get the glory of the Arkle.. Everyone has there own opinion and I respect them all.. But for me RR will want to win the Arkle and he'll send MIN over to do so

[jono]

Not much talk of MIN lately.. I still think he wasn't right in the supreme last year and surely the Arkle is his target, will most likely be between him and altior come March..

I said the below a while ago on Min and still go along with that stance

And I really think it is important to stress just how highly thought of Min was. There were many shrewd judges that considered Min to be better than Douvan at certain points leading up to Cheltenham. Like Willie said himself if Altior has stepped on a stone that day and was withdrawn everyone would have been hailing Min as a superstar and a certainty for this year and he'd be just as short as Altior is now.
I won't put anyone off Min at 8/1 especially each way as I still think he could be very very good. I just think he bumped into a special one in Altior.

I'm heavily involved on Altior but I do see Min as a big potential danger. I'm pretty confident he'll be aimed here. He comes across as an out and out 2 miler for me. Unless i've missed it I haven't seen Willie commit Min to chasing yet but I can't see him sticking over hurdles, they have enough for the Champion Hurdle deciding between Annie and Faugheen! I see the Min / Yorkhill decision as very similar to the Vautour / UDS decision a few years back,

UDS (and this case Min) was very much a 2 miler and didn't look like he wanted anymore (at the time anyway, maybe further going forwards now) where as Vautour (and Yorkhill) can handle both 2m and 2m4 and breeding suggested further than 2m. So the logical fit was UDS Arkle, Vautour JLT.

I can see the exact same thing this year (plus In the JLT thread I say why I think he's likely best at 2m4+ too)

So if you take that view you have a horse at 8/1 with a pretty certain target (IMO), trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Ruby Walsh which is pretty appealing for that combination of factors

[Old Vic]

Blue Heron disappointing - a couple more of these runs and novices handicap on the snaff ?

[Kevloaf]

Hard to be positive about Blue Heron after that. Best watched for now? Wouldn't be a Cheltenham horse for me anyway because I think Skelton is more concerned with mopping up as many wins as he can as he grows, until he starts getting the better calibre of horses. Maybe a little unfair but I don't mean it to be.

Love a good controversial statement, I'd weigh in and say that when Ricci mentioned about being unable to dominate the flat game, that was down to his own personal wealth. He spotted an opportunity and has taken it to be dominant in the NH game. I'd be amazed if he didn't aim Min at the Arkle. Other than their own, I don't remember a Ricci horse ducking anything?

I agree with jono regarding the targets and as I am sure people have read, I fancied the Min / Yorkhill double based on Ruby. (Also on the Altior / Yorkhill double now) but I think the target for Min is as solid as you could get...

Only way Min isn't turning up will be Altior going for the Arkle, and that'd be because they feel they had the beating of Altior with that and also had a ready-made winner of the JLT.

[Istabraq]

Possibly cwright, but I didn't say he'd divert Min for tin pot races, there are plenty of big races come Spring and Altior can't win them all...

[cwright23]

Yes you're right ista still plenty of festival races to win.. Out of curiosity have you backed MIN for anything?

[Istabraq]

No cwright, I can't consider backing any Ricci/Mullins horse until targets are clear, much rather play at evens on the day than guess what races his might head for

[Kevloaf]

Old Guard running tomorrow at Exeter 4.10

Odds 2/9....

PP73P4 Finch Flyer13p 9 11-2 Aytach Sadik
2 1247- Imperial Presence182 5 11-2 Philip Hobbs50 Richard Johnson
3 1114-P Old Guard11 5 11-2 Paul Nicholls57 Nick Scholfield
4 P3634 Oscars Way12tb 8 11-2 Mark Gillard67 Mr T Gillard
5 3553-8 Shintori166t 4 10-7 Richard Woollacott33 Conor O'Farrell

[Leman14]

Mullins on Min...
“The plan is to go novice chasing with him. I’m very pleased with how he did over the summer and how he’s going at home. I think he was just beaten by a very good horse at Cheltenham.”

[cwright23]

Did he give any idea when MIN would be out.. I firmly believe they always thought he was better than Yorkhill and kept them apart for that reason

[Faugheen_Machine]

Just listened to final furlong podcast and they gave Min a very positive mention, even saying that had he not got injured in the supreme the stable believe he would have won the race. Don't think they mentioned a possible early target but if imagine he'll have at least one run before the 2 mile novice chase on boxing day.

[Istabraq]

I was at Exeter today and whilst the track has some stiff fences Old Guard took less than half the obstacles fluently, he uprooted a couple and Nick Schofield did well to keep the partnership intact at the third last.
I expect we'll see him over fences again but another jumping display like that and I'm not sure they'll keep the chase dream going...

[paz247]

Patrick on the podcast says Yorkhill could be "different gravey" over fences and puts him as his horse to follow although Willie thinks he will be a fantastic hurdler

[Kevloaf]

Min vs Altior rematch is going to be something! Been out today mixing with Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis so not had chance to catch up on my podcasts but sounds like I'll be loving them

[jono]

Patrick on the podcast says Yorkhill could be "different gravey" over fences and puts him as his horse to follow although Willie thinks he will be a fantastic hurdler

He also seemed to go along with him racing over the 2 miles as well. That'll certainly make the confidence in Altior a little less!!