Champion Chase 2018

[Hurricane fly]

I read the paragraph underneath the bolded one as Min to the Ryanair

[ziggym]

All my eggs in one basket, but you have to back Douvan as a saver just in case. Love the race, but never a great betting race for me. Common Altior, would like to see something impressive.

[opatcho]

Two fat ladies

#bingo

[ziggym]

Not keen on fat ladies....

[opatcho]

You will after a few beers

[Faugheen_Machine]

Agreed. For a whole year they were sending Vautour to the Gold Cup and then on Tuesday morning on live tele Rich Ricci told everyone they had switched to the Ryanair.

I can see one of them heading to the Ryanair if Waiting Patiently isn’t declared.

A bookmaker rep told some of the lads I was with there'd be a bombshell on the Tuesday morning, when we shared a lift after last orders on the Monday night. The next morning Ricci announced the switch.

[Kevloaf]

Race of the week if Altior Douvan and Min turned up.

Ruby would ride Douvan 100%.

[jono]

Well that article told us nothing. Full of contradictions...

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.
vs
I'd have no problem running Douvan over two and a half miles, it would be no bother to him

To me, the two of them are two-milers. Douvan is nicely on course for the race
vs
Min is unbeaten this season so he has to go there

I can't see us putting Douvan in the Ryanair...but sometimes it's no harm having a reserve...That's their trip and to me that's what they should go for
vs
It's not ideal and an owner would like to divide his horses

Like Kev said it would be the race of the festival by far and i'll happily be proved wrong but i'd be staggered if both horses line up here.

Also agree that Douvan would be Ruby's chosen horse without doubt. I think between the four horses Mullins could have for this and the Ryanair, i'd put them in this order of preference for Ruby...

Douvan
Yorkhill
Un de Sceaux
Min

So if it looks like they have got Yorkhill back on track and UDS is still in good form then maybe I could see it happening...

[Istabraq]

The trouble with Ricci is he has a huge need for attention, he puts himself in the firing line too often and because of the number of interviews/preview evenings he does he is always likely to contradict earlier statements, it's almost inevitable.
I have genuinely ignored everything he's said for a few years now, probably since the Vatour debacle....

[mayo]

If Douvan had a clear run this year I think he would have ended up in the Gold Cup.

UDS is rock solid in Ryanair. Both he and WP have had clear seasons - I think if I was an owner I’d be ducking that race and taking my chance in CC or GC.

[MrMcGoldrick]

You will after a few beers

Still be one lady, just look like 2 fat ones

[Cabello Sin Nombre]

Does anyone give Ordinary world a sniff at big prices in this? He was going very well until blunder at last at Leopardstown. Race is worth a watch back. When half the field come out the price could look good for place money at least. Probably a decent price in betting w/o market too

[Kevloaf]

Does anyone give Ordinary world a sniff at big prices in this? He was going very well until blunder at last at Leopardstown. Race is worth a watch back. When half the field come out the price could look good for place money at least. Probably a decent price in betting w/o market too

The only reason I'd say no .... is you're almost only fighting for 1 place.

We can say quite fairly that Min holds Ordinary World, and Altior is of a similar level (diplomatic!) ... therefore Ordinary World only realistically has one slot to get in to compared to what would normally be considered a decent each way chance against one short priced fav.

I see he is 50/1, which is big enough to not need to find many holes in...

Hang on, who is actually going to run in this race?!

1. Altior
2. Min (or Douvan, can't see both regardless of what has been said
3. Politilogue
4. Special Tiara
5. Charbel
6. Ordinary World
7. Doctor Pheonix
8. The Game Changer

As far as I know, they are all confirmed targets

Fox Norton - Ryanair?
Un De Sceaux - Ryanair
Great Field - won't run?
Yorkhill - No way?
Top Notch - Ryanair
Forest Bihan - Couldn't say?
Ar Mad - Ryanair
American Tom - won't run
Gods Own - Where is little Gods Own!
BAll Darc?
Top Gamble?
Tell Us More

[Cabello Sin Nombre]

yeah it's more a hit and hope rather than anything, Would be lucky to have the 8 runners on the day too. I might have a small bet on it ' 'just in case' something crazy happens. We all know Special Tiara will go off like a bat out of hell and it's whether it takes anything out of Min or Altior.

[Viking Flagship]

I’d definitely be interested at around 20/1 in a W/O Altior market if there was one. I made a case for him in the Grand Annual thread before he went and blew his mark against Min. I was not surprised to see that performance though and the better ground will only be in his favour. I don’t think he can realistically challenge for the win (unless something dramatic happens) but is more than capable of picking up the pieces.