Arkle/Marsh/RSA/NH Chase - Novice Chasers 2021 (new)

[ToniC]

I’m sure I’d read that Sir Gerhard would likely be out again this Sunday.. any confirmation yet?

5 day entries should be on the HRI website around lunch time tomorrow

[EnvoyAllen]

Envoi Allen first horse to go evens money ante post for the festival (William Hill, Unibet).

[DeeBee]

5 day entries should be on the HRI website around lunch time tomorrow

Thanks Toni.. apologies just noticed I posted this in the wrong thread

[dannycraigpirates]

I’ve just been going over the Marsh, and keep coming back to Asterion Forlonge - forgive me if I missed any discussion re: the form line to Envoi Allen through conflated / opposites attract / Ensemble but he’s put up a significantly better performance (if not visually as impressive) than EA & is still available @ 25s. I guess the real question is do we see him going for this race, and will his jumping to the right be fixable pre festival?

[ToniC]

I’ve just been going over the Marsh, and keep coming back to Asterion Forlonge - forgive me if I missed any discussion re: the form line to Envoi Allen through conflated / opposites attract / Ensemble but he’s put up a significantly better performance (if not visually as impressive) than EA & is still available @ 25s. I guess the real question is do we see him going for this race, and will his jumping to the right be fixable pre festival?

I know Mullins has mentioned the festival in stable tour comments but I couldn’t have him with anybody’s money for a race at Cheltenham, the last day in punchestown as soon as he didn’t have the rail to his right hand side the jumping out to the right reared it’s head again. I’d expect him to skip the festival and probably go for the Ryanair gold cup at Easter then onto punchestown myself.

[jack1092]

Is there any chance at all, Patrick Mullins would ride?



First off, you'd think no chance, as Willie will have at least one... but Willie only has one so Patrick gets a spin around? Would he be happy if Patrick had a spin around on one for Thomas Mullins? Possibly?

He had a spell of running two, when Katie Walsh needed a ride?


She'd go fav.


Over thought that haven't I

If he hasn't a good ride im sure he will be the one.

Sneaky one, Jody Townend has ridden for him a fair few times recently. Wouldn't be experienced but certainly talented.

[The King Pimm]

Envoi Allen first horse to go evens money ante post for the festival (William Hill, Unibet).

With no cash out option!!! What a bunch yellow belly wankers!! Not even NRNB and they’re sitting and shitting themselves hoping that his will all go away. Shame on them, hopefully other big bookies will front up and offer some value

[The King Pimm]

I see Court Maid has a handicap entry on Friday. It's a bit soon for me but hard to believe it was an entry they would have made if they were not seriously thinking about the National Hunt Chase. She might blow out but if she continues her progress then I would make her favourite as the only obvious advantage Galvin has at the moment is the course form.

Do you know if Court Maid will get the 7lbs Mares allowance in the National Hunt Chase?? That last race she won looks very decent on paper

[The King Pimm]

The problem sometimes with the NH chase is jockeys.

Who do you think would ride this ?

Again this is one of the main reasons I dislike this race. The amateur jockey condition is daft given the distance at a track like Cheltenham. There is definitely a need for a 4 mile chase at the Festival but make it a professional race and then the quality of the race will naturally improve as more jockeys are available and owners & trainers will be more confident attempting this race. I think given the prize money and stature of the Grand National this could be the perfect prep race instead of the shitty other Nationals across the calendar or the Cross Country race. I appreciate you never asked any questions about this Q but it’s last orders in the front room Monday night drinkers club at Pimple Palace and I’ve finished off my box of Christmas wine well ahead of schedule. I still can’t understand why they have any amateur jockeys races at the Cheltenham Festival never mind over 4 mile inboard pretty inexperienced horses. If they want to keep the amateurs onboard why don’t they introduce a Veterans Chase and have ‘young on old’ like they do in the world of porn, it works well in that field as long as the amateur rides on the veteran professional, it looks wrong the other way, I think I need to go to bed but the porn aside I think I’ve made a very valid point??? Ditch the amateurs unless they are riding very experienced chasers, it would save all this nonsense of qualifying and save the small field and complicated antepost betting. The 2020 race was the worst race in terms of quality since I got into the festival. Take a look back at the field and what the horses have done since, it’s dismal

[Lobos]

Do you know if Court Maid will get the 7lbs Mares allowance in the National Hunt Chase?? That last race she won looks very decent on paper

Yes she will I believe

[dannycraigpirates]

Again this is one of the main reasons I dislike this race. The amateur jockey condition is daft given the distance at a track like Cheltenham. There is definitely a need for a 4 mile chase at the Festival but make it a professional race and then the quality of the race will naturally improve as more jockeys are available and owners & trainers will be more confident attempting this race. I think given the prize money and stature of the Grand National this could be the perfect prep race instead of the shitty other Nationals across the calendar or the Cross Country race. I appreciate you never asked any questions about this Q but it’s last orders in the front room Monday night drinkers club at Pimple Palace and I’ve finished off my box of Christmas wine well ahead of schedule. I still can’t understand why they have any amateur jockeys races at the Cheltenham Festival never mind over 4 mile inboard pretty inexperienced horses. If they want to keep the amateurs onboard why don’t they introduce a Veterans Chase and have ‘young on old’ like they do in the world of porn, it works well in that field as long as the amateur rides on the veteran professional, it looks wrong the other way, I think I need to go to bed but the porn aside I think I’ve made a very valid point??? Ditch the amateurs unless they are riding very experienced chasers, it would save all this nonsense of qualifying and save the small field and complicated antepost betting. The 2020 race was the worst race in terms of quality since I got into the festival. Take a look back at the field and what the horses have done since, it’s dismal

Monday night drinking is a dangerous thing as this post shows

I guess the only thing you wouldn’t want to see is a festival race being used as a prep for something else.

Tbh, there’s about 5 or 6 decent amateurs you’d want on board - not far off how many good professionals you’d want on your horse either.

[Kautothegreat8]

https://www.racingpost.com/news/late...-friday/462487

Thanks Kev

[kinloch brae]

Do you know if Court Maid will get the 7lbs Mares allowance in the National Hunt Chase?? That last race she won looks very decent on paper

Yes, I think Saxon Warrior confirmed that the other day when talking about ratings. Currently, that would put her 8lbs clear of Galvin.

[Kevloaf]

Yes, I think Saxon Warrior confirmed that the other day when talking about ratings. Currently, that would put her 8lbs clear of Galvin.

I'm teetering on backing her... she's only double figures still because she's not got an obvious top jockey on.

Trying to look for negatives though, that last run is head and shoulders clear of anything she's ever done. Is taking the 1 run too literally dangerous? Can she really have improved that much for the additional distance to go from being a handicapper, to a graded novice?





If I can't find a negative or reason to doubt her by the end of the day I'll back her.

[kinloch brae]

I'm teetering on backing her... she's only double figures still because she's not got an obvious top jockey on.

Trying to look for negatives though, that last run is head and shoulders clear of anything she's ever done. Is taking the 1 run too literally dangerous? Can she really have improved that much for the additional distance to go from being a handicapper, to a graded novice?





If I can't find a negative or reason to doubt her by the end of the day I'll back her.

My main concern is that most of her form is right handed, and she clearly likes Fairyhouse. Of course that might be no more than coincidence. Her runs left handed are not terrible.

She is 3/4 over fences, all comfortable wins, and she has very easily reversed the Punchestown form with Brace Yourself. If you can use him as a yardstick then she has improved. It's a pedigree packed full of winners going back to the Arkle winner, Denys Adventure.

If you took last year as a case in point, the National Hunt Chase isn't a very good Graded novice. It would be different if we were discussing an RSA.