Champion Chase 2018

[Montjeu]

Willie has been non-committal on Mins trip. He mentioned they had the option of going up in Teo and obviously started him over 2 and a half. He also said he want stopping and that this gave them options.

However, Willie is absolutely full of shit, as is Ruby, so I don't know why we even bother listening.


Yorkhill is more likely to come here than go for a Gold Cup IMO.

I think there's more chance of Yorkhill in a Ryanair than a Gold Cup- he has a bit to prove to show he is made for 3m2f on that track.

Willie always said he thought about him for a Champion Hurdle. How many potential Champion winners end up in a Gold Cup?

Where are you getting that impression from? Yorkhill's intended starting point is the Lexus over 3 miles, hardly an orthodox prep for a crack at the Champion Chase. Ruby said he has "Gold Cup written all over him," but you don't believe a word he says so I suppose that point is null in your view.

Regardless, he is a PtP winner who was bought with the Gold Cup in mind. Add in the fact that Willie only has the thouroughly exposed Djakadam as a live Gold Cup chance, whilst already having Min and UDS who are perfectly suited to the Queen Mother.

Not sure why you think its more likely he'd go for this rather than the Gold Cup?

[Scooby91]

Where are you getting that impression from? Yorkhill's intended starting point is the Lexus over 3 miles, hardly an orthodox prep for a crack at the Champion Chase. Ruby said he has "Gold Cup written all over him," but you don't believe a word he says so I suppose that point is null in your view.

Regardless, he is a PtP winner who was bought with the Gold Cup in mind. Add in the fact that Willie only has the thouroughly exposed Djakadam as a live Gold Cup chance, whilst already having Min and UDS who are perfectly suited to the Queen Mother.

Not sure why you think its more likely he'd go for this rather than the Gold Cup?

No idea if yorkhill ends up in the GC Ryanair or CH but I do believe the gold cup is deffinately the plan. Ofcourse he could win the Lexus looks far weaker than the king george especially with sizing john an unlikely runner. And the talk seems to be disko king george. But I'd be certain tha yorkhill dosent want 3m2 in the gold cup. He dosent settle well enough hes too keen and his idling in front over an extreme trip especially with the long run in of the gold cup, All lead me to believe he will not win. But that dosent mean he won't run there. Mr wylie has paid his money, he has his dream and he's very willing to take his chance.
if he wins I'd be happy to lose my money and have watched something I thought wasn't possible. But I can't see it.

[billymag]

Altior is a terrible price even without Douvan, he is unlikely to have a prep, and with sketchy info before he was scratched from the tingle id make him 11/8 or bigger to even run in this race, terrible price, cant see him having a prep and he will be 11/8 on the day but probably wont run or be bigger.

[Kevloaf]

Awful Kev? He won an Arkle by 6 lengths and you think that's awful. Underwhelming maybe, but not awful.

Wasn't me

[Kevloaf]

Altior is a terrible price even without Douvan, he is unlikely to have a prep, and with sketchy info before he was scratched from the tingle id make him 11/8 or bigger to even run in this race, terrible price, cant see him having a prep and he will be 11/8 on the day but probably wont run or be bigger.

I would take 80 pts with you at 11/8 that he runs

Joking aside, you're right, without a prep he'll be this price on the day.

I will consider that an absolute gift on the day though if still 11/8

[Can't Catch Me]

Gutted about this news as I’ve got quite a few quid on Min for the Ryanair but could see him heading for this now.

[Kevloaf]

Gutted about this news as I’ve got quite a few quid on Min for the Ryanair but could see him heading for this now.

That was factored in to Min's Ryanair price unfortunately. Certainly think its less than a 50/50 now

[Al Ferof]

Where are you getting that impression from? Yorkhill's intended starting point is the Lexus over 3 miles, hardly an orthodox prep for a crack at the Champion Chase. Ruby said he has "Gold Cup written all over him," but you don't believe a word he says so I suppose that point is null in your view.

Regardless, he is a PtP winner who was bought with the Gold Cup in mind. Add in the fact that Willie only has the thouroughly exposed Djakadam as a live Gold Cup chance, whilst already having Min and UDS who are perfectly suited to the Queen Mother.

Not sure why you think its more likely he'd go for this rather than the Gold Cup?

I hadn't even seen the Lexus article, I have no idea how Iv missed that on sportinglife. That definitely has surprised me- it's a hell of a race to have a seasonal reappearance!

I'm purely going on my gut feelings and the visual impression. I just watched the JLT again- have a look at how he travels and the gears he has. He cruised to the front too early and he was hardly powering away like a stayer! I just think with that speed and class, 2m Champion might suit him down to the ground.

Ruby has said Gold Cup but after the Neptune Mullins said "Champion Hurdle winner".

Cruised to a Tolworth win, won a Neptune, and quick enough for a Champion Hurdle according to trainer. I think Mullins likes his speed but the pedigree and owner point towards 3m. Lexus will give everyone a much better idea I guess.

gotta love antepost

[Kevloaf]

I hadn't even seen the Lexus article, I have no idea how Iv missed that on sportinglife. That definitely has surprised me- it's a hell of a race to have a seasonal reappearance!

I'm purely going on my gut feelings and the visual impression. I just watched the JLT again- have a look at how he travels and the gears he has. He cruised to the front too early and he was hardly powering away like a stayer! I just think with that speed and class, 2m Champion might suit him down to the ground.

Ruby has said Gold Cup but after the Neptune Mullins said "Champion Hurdle winner".

Cruised to a Tolworth win, won a Neptune, and quick enough for a Champion Hurdle according to trainer. I think Mullins likes his speed but the pedigree and owner point towards 3m. Lexus will give everyone a much better idea I guess.

gotta love antepost

You're not wrong (in my opinion) that he'd be better suited to a Champion Chase than a Gold Cup - the faster they go, the better(easier) he'll travel because he cannot hit the front too soon!

I do though think he'll go for the Gold Cup and it'll take a masterful ride to win. He'd need a lot to go his way - Might Bite would be a perfect horse for him to be in behind, and you've got to trust Ruby would produce him at the right time (probably when Might Bite starts wandering around again!)

I think the horse is good enough to win it, but things would need to go perfectly.... but then again, that is how I would feel if he lined up in a CH too! The CC wouldn't be any easier and I've defintiely posted this elsewhere but I think Altior and Yorkhill are really similar..... both stay futher! The Ryanair would be perfect for both IMO but that'll never happen

[Montjeu]

I hadn't even seen the Lexus article, I have no idea how Iv missed that on sportinglife. That definitely has surprised me- it's a hell of a race to have a seasonal reappearance!

I'm purely going on my gut feelings and the visual impression. I just watched the JLT again- have a look at how he travels and the gears he has. He cruised to the front too early and he was hardly powering away like a stayer! I just think with that speed and class, 2m Champion might suit him down to the ground.

Ruby has said Gold Cup but after the Neptune Mullins said "Champion Hurdle winner".

Cruised to a Tolworth win, won a Neptune, and quick enough for a Champion Hurdle according to trainer. I think Mullins likes his speed but the pedigree and owner point towards 3m. Lexus will give everyone a much better idea I guess.

gotta love antepost

All very fair points, and I agree with some of them. However I'm not disputing which race he is best suited to, just which race he is most likely to run in.

I think he is an extremely talented horse and that he has the ability to win a Gold Cup. The reason he didn't power away in the JLT in my opinion is because he has a tendency to idle in front, not because of a lack of a stamina. I think the Ryanair Novice Chase proved just how big an engine he really has. His idling is the biggest worry for me though, and for that reason alone, I haven't backed him for the GC already.

[Scooby91]

You're not wrong (in my opinion) that he'd be better suited to a Champion Chase than a Gold Cup - the faster they go, the better(easier) he'll travel because he cannot hit the front too soon!

I do though think he'll go for the Gold Cup and it'll take a masterful ride to win. He'd need a lot to go his way - Might Bite would be a perfect horse for him to be in behind, and you've got to trust Ruby would produce him at the right time (probably when Might Bite starts wandering around again!)

I think the horse is good enough to win it, but things would need to go perfectly.... but then again, that is how I would feel if he lined up in a CH too! The CC wouldn't be any easier and I've defintiely posted this elsewhere but I think Altior and Yorkhill are really similar..... both stay futher! The Ryanair would be perfect for both IMO but that'll never happen

Probably contreversial but whats yorkhill beat over 2m. Oo seven on the bridle. And le prezien thinking about it hed be far too short on all know form if he went CH.

[Faugheen_Machine]

Wasn't me

Apologies Kev

[archie]

Willie has always maintained Min is an out and out 2 miler,

Incorrect.

[archie]

However, Willie is absolutely full of shit

Incorrect.

[Montjeu]

Incorrect.

Pardon, it was in fact Ruby who said those words, not Willie.

"So far he’s looked like an out-and-out 2-miler, but who knows? He’s a year older so might be able to go a bit further."

That was prior to his win at Gowran, where he proved in the most worthless of circumstances that he can go a bit further. Nobody is disputing Min would get 2m5, as I have said, he would have been one of my biggest winners of the week in the Ryanair. But with Douvan out he does look nailed on to run here. They weren't scared to take on Altior in the Arkle so I see no reason why they would be scared to take him on now, especially with his problems. Add in the fact they have the defending Ryanair champ in UDS.