Neptune Novices Hurdle 2017

[Leman14]

Thanks BOF - Great info.
I've taken 33's NRNB with Sky for the Coral Cup - already have PR covered in the AB at 25's

Course form and a bit of a forgotten horse!

[doctorwu]

Thanks BOF
taken some 33s with sky to go with Old Guard @33s as well.

[Kevloaf]

Neon Wolf has been backed, now fav on OC with quite a few and with Betfair Exchanges he is fav....

[ryanh97]

I did notice this Kev, looks good to me

[Kevloaf]

Getting a bit worried that Death Duty could turn up here though. I really like Neon Wolf and I don't fear anything from these shores.

Hoping the Irish form isn't up to much but can't have it all ways.

[ryanh97]

Getting a bit worried that Death Duty could turn up here though.

Any particular reason?

[Kevloaf]

Any particular reason?

Because I think he'd have a good chance HOWEVER, no need to worry, Gordon Elliott has just said on Twitter 110% Death Duty goes for the Albert Bartlett

[Can't Catch Me]

Willie on Invitation Only... Ive been close to tearing up my not insignificant slips on him... but clinging on to the faintest glimmer of hope:

He’s only 50/50 to get to Cheltenham at this stage and we might keep him for Fairyhouse. We had a little bit of a setback with him and I just haven’t been 100% happy with him since. That said, he has been a bit better in recent days, but the worry is whether I have enough done with him to get him to Cheltenham.

[Kevloaf]

Sounds less than 50/50 unfortunately.

NEPTUNE TEAM

KEMBOY, SATURNAS, MONTALBANO and BACARDYS.

Saturnas didn’t ride out this morning. He’s pulled a muscle and hopefully he’ll be all right in a few days. Montalbano could be Neptune. I don’t know what to do with him, he’s very keen.

Bacardys probably did surprise me in the Deloitte, but I was happy with the way he did it with the tactics we used. He'll probably go for the Neptune, rather than the Albert Bartlett.

He's a horse we did think a lot of and the Deloitte put him back on track.

INVITATION ONLY is 50-50. We might keep him for Fairyhouse.

[MrMcGoldrick]

Surprised with this being the target for Saturnas after that last run, didn't look like a great prep run, more like a plot run really,

[Can't Catch Me]

Surprised with this being the target for Saturnas after that last run, didn't look like a great prep run, more like a plot run really,

Plot run?! You think they weren't trying with the 5/4 fav in the Grade 1 Deloitte?! I thought Willie had said he picked up an injury in the race and tweaked a muscle? Certainly ran too bad to be true and if he's back and well he's surely overpriced. And certain to go to one of the Novice races, for me.

[Can't Catch Me]

Ive talked myself into another bet on Bacardy's for this race this morning. Have risked the 7/1 rather than the 5/1 NRNB as I think it looks the obvious choice. AK and Penhill for the AB, LD and AB for the Mares Novice, which only really leaves Bacardys for this race (obviously subject to change!)

The more I look at the race, the more I think he should be fav.

I can see both FO and NW drifting... They have very little form of substance and both are priced purely on hype. There is still a slim chance one or both could go elsewhere too (even though I can't see it).

Barcardys placed in two and won one of the 3 Spring Festival Championship Bumpers which is seriously impressive, and but for tipping up on his hurdling debut, he would be 3 from 3 over the smaller obstacles, one of which was a Grade 1 which has proved to be a very good Cheltenham trial for years.

His form is in a completely different world to the other two, and he already has Festival form, which is a massive bonus.

Once its confirmed Ruby rides him in this race, I expect his price to collapse and could see him starting fav.

My only slight concern is that he started such a big price for the Deloitte, and Willie did say he had surprised him. But suppose you could also treat that as a bit of a positive. He was Ruby's pick for the Bumper last year, after all, so he must have been fairly high in the pecking order.

[Liammet]

Just a personal opinion of course
But Bacardys looks an out and out stayer
Would of thought he would have no problem getting home in the AB when others have had enough
The Neptune looks a far better race on paper
To me the AB is the more obvious race

[Can't Catch Me]

Fair comment Liam, and I think he could run well in that too.

But assuming WPM was speaking the truth and Augusta Kate will take on DD again (which surely makes sense after their last run) and Penhill goes for the AB as well (which also makes sense with proven 3m form), he surely wouldnt run 3 against each other in this when he appears to have very little for the Neptune?

He has said Let's Dance goes for the Mares Novice against Airlie Beach, which would mean they would only have Bacardys for the race. Cant see how it all slots together if Bacardys goes down the 3 mile route, unless everything he said was wrong.

[doctorwu]

Just a personal opinion of course
But Bacardys looks an out and out stayer
Would of thought he would have no problem getting home in the AB when others have had enough
The Neptune looks a far better race on paper
To me the AB is the more obvious race

I thought Barcardys showed a real turn of foot to win the deloitte. That is whats needed for the Neptune. WM has said as much. They go much slower in the Neptune compared with the Supreme, but with faster sectionals at the end of the race. I think this race is made for him.