2017 Arkle Trophy Chase

[Kevloaf]

"If I did do it (give him another outing) I might look at the Game Spirit as that's where we went with Sprinter Sacre."

Oh yes Nicky, he's dared to mention him in the same breath.

Hard to find any each way value now, with it looking like 'a match' ...

[jono]

Surprised there's not been much of a mention in here after both Altior and Min put in brilliant performances over the last few days, albeit serious opposition was lacking.

Ruby Walsh on Min after:

was happy with him in Navan but he impressed me today. He reminds me of Kauto

Just listening to the Racing Post podcast. David Jennings and Tom Segal were waxing lyrical about Altior saying we're seeing another Sprinter Sacre and Segal thinks he's better than Sprinter Sacre!

I'm not quite sure on that statement as much as I rate Altior but he put in a faultless round at Kempton - what a joy to watch. I watched the replay of Min first and admit I started to get a little nervous especially seeing just how much of an impression he seemed to make on Ruby. But then watching Altior put my mind at ease as he then stepped up another level from his last run with his jumping looking spot on.

I love the fact each horse is improving run by run and we're building up to a great Arkle match up

[Kevloaf]

Ruby meant he is athletic like Kauto in the way he jumps? (I hope?!) ...

I love it when there is a big clash, and you have to pick a side.I can't fault Min at all, he hasn't done anything wrong and looks really good. I can't help feeling the prices are closer together than they should be though. If they jumped the last together I Would have no doubt in my mind that Altior will power past him up the hill.

[Istabraq]

Didn't Kauto tip up in his Arkle....

[Kevloaf]

Didn't Kauto tip up in his Arkle....

Champion Chase that he tipped up wasn't it?

[Faugheen_Machine]

Yeah - he missed the Arkle through injury.

[cwright23]

I think the Arkle plays out 1 of 2 ways.. MIN goes off in front sets a decent pace jumps his rivals into submission and either altior stays with him until the 2nd last and goes by or can't get past and MIN wins

[Faugheen_Machine]

If Altior is upsides Min after the last I can only see one outcome. The way he devoured the hill in the supreme, added to the fact that he has grown and strengthened in the last 9 months, I'd expect to see something special from Altior.

I really like Min but just think Altior is on a different level.

[Kevloaf]

It'll be a Ruby from the front with a double handful job, and Altior will be ridden to get up to him ... Ruby will ask for more from Min as Altior gets alongside and won't be able to quicken .... exactly the same as the Supreme. Altior will give Douvan a race next season. If min can win the Arkle then I might start backing the min (CC) / Douvan (GC) double haha

[cwright23]

I must admit at one point altior was 5/2 and MIN was 8/1 just after altior chase debut the value was MIN. But after what we've seen altior at 11/10 and MIN at 3/1 they are about right.. I think you will probably get bigger on the day on both horses at this stage

[Istabraq]

Possibly cwright, but I think the class of Altior will scare many off as it did with Sprinter Sacre and Simonsig and there may only be half a dozen runners, 11/10 and 3/1 is about as big as either will be if that's the case....

[Al Ferof]

Hello all- long time spectator of this forum when it comes to antepost Cheltenham and wanted to discuss Min and Yorkhill.

I have been reading Mullins and Walsh comments on these two very closely, and as a result I have an idea that we might see some re-routing going on closer to the festival.

Graham Wylie
“He’s a very impressive horse and he’s definitely going novice chasing this season, but we can revert back to hurdles if we need to,” he told reporters.

“Willie said he’ll try to get him two more runs before Cheltenham (after Saturday), so we’ve got three runs under his belt as he needs the experience.

“When I watched the Tolworth in the mud, that was exciting, and when I watched him at Cheltenham I could see that every time he jumped a hurdle he (Ruby Walsh) was having to pull him back because he was so exuberant.

Mullins said:

"He has huge scope for jumping and certainly has not lost any of his ability. He's very at home over fences.

"He went a bit left but that would not worry me too much once they have an engine. I hope fences will help him to settle. He took a fairly keen hold but was not rushing his fences.

"He would have no trouble stepping up in trip but he is very good at that trip and can jump at that trip.

"Christmas will probably come a bit too soon for his next run. He could stay at two miles or go up in trip just depending where his next run fits in."

He also said in a RP interview:

" "I thought it was a good performance first-time over fences. He did go to the left at several fences but that isn't a worry. If he has to go left or right then going left is better when you think of Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Aintree.

"We think he is Arkle Trophy material and his hurdle form would certainly suggest he is. Leopardstown at Christmas will probably come too soon for him, so we'll wait and see what will be next for him. He would have no problem going up in trip although two miles suits him well."

Ruby Walsh

"His novice hurdle form was good and obviously he just found Altior too good (in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham).

"He's an easier horse to ride over fences. He has a look where he's going over fences and he's a bit more manageable.

"I was happy with him in Navan but he impressed me today. He reminds me of Kauto.

"I'd imagine with the pace he shows you wouldn't need to be going much further at the minute, even though he probably could."



I think almost every punter I speak to or read from agrees with antepost markets- that Yorkhill is the JLT horse and Min the Arkle horse.

However, when we assess what the owners, trainers and jockey(s) are saying, it doesn't appear quite so cut and dry. For Yorkhill to be delcared 'Arkle material' on that debut run, it's a pretty big statement. Also throw in there that Wylie mentioned reverting to hurdles if required. Ruby also got off him after the Neptune and immediately said Arkle 2017. Now, given how freely he can race and as Wylie said- 'exuberant'- is there really any need to rush him up in trip yet? Tidal Bay was once an Arkle horse before growing into a stayer later down the line.

With Min- you have to think that they are keeping one eye on Altior. If he goes and destroys them in all in open company in his prep race, given that he beat Min well in the Supreme, is there a suggestion that Min avoids a rematch, and they send Yorkhill, who having conquered the Yanworth hype last year they'd fancy to have a crack at Altior to do the same?

The 'Kauto' comments intrigue me and Mins nice, settled style over fences suggests to me he could go and deliver something very good in a JLT- lest we forget that Vautour did the same having been touted for the Arkle. (Of course, he did have that one poor run at Christmas though).

The other interesting angles to note are a) Whether Annie & Faugheen return for a Champion Hurdle- would an absence tempt the Yorkhill camp (especially having beaten Yanworth)? and b) American Tom can still give Ricci the thrill of a runner in the Arkle if he felt Min was a near certainty in the JLT.

Any thoughts?

[Kevloaf]

Welcome Al Ferof. One of my favourite horses so I instantly like you.

The combination(s) of Min being in the JLT aren't ones that I've given much consideration to before.... With American Tom being mentioned as a JLT horse by Ricci before his chase debut, comments about him (AT) being able to go up in trip and the 'near certainty' that Ricci would split his runners up, would suggest to me that Min (Arkle) American Tom (JLT) is the most likely destination for those two. I have certainly seen comments about Min staying at 2 miles too, even in the quote above. I also think Vautour had raced over 20f too, before being "rerouted" to the JLT.

There have also been enough comments too about the Min camp not being scared to have another crack at Altior too?

I'm actually surprised at Min's price for the JLT though... You can back Min at 16 with PP and the Yorkhill (Arkle) Min (JLT) is 135/1 with PP.

I guess 135/1 is what the £2.00 "free bets" I have from Harry Kane scoring recently is what they are made for haha

I have found these quotes as well from the Ricci stable tour:

Min ( FR ) – 5 b g by Walk In The Park
We were hoping this time last year that he was good and he turned out to be just that,
although he just couldn’t get it done behind the impressive Altior in the Supreme. In fairness
it was the first time he had to race and battle, and he came back with an injury to his back
which meant he missed the rest of the season. He has done well for the break, looks an out
and out 2 miler and hopefully he will take to fences well as we would love another crack at
Altior this season. Not lost any faith in him at all.

American Tom ( FR ) – 5 b g by American Post
Easily accounted for JP’s Squouateur at Gowran Park when winning his Novice Hurdle in
November and is a half brother to French Grade 1 winner Kiko. We anticipate that this fine
looking animal will go novice chasing this season and suspect that he will start off over trips
of about 2mls. He may end up a middle distance horse by seasons end, but we were gutted
that he had to have the 2nd half of last season off. He has shown no ill effects to that injury,
if anything the break seems to have done him the world of good.
He is very exciting.

[Kevloaf]

Latest on Min from Ruby on RUK

e's jumped really well on his two starts, settled a bit better than he did over hurdles," continued Walsh.

"He was entitled to win at Navan. I suppose with Identity Thief pulling up at Leopardstown that took away from that performance but Min can only do what he's asked to do and he jumped superb and galloped really strongly.

"Altior was too good for him last year in the Supreme so stiffer challenges lie ahead."

[Istabraq]

"Altior was too good for him last year in the Supreme so stiffer challenges lie ahead."

No suggestion from Ruby that Min injured himself in the Supreme, just beaten by a
better horse....