2022 Arkle

[Benjy23]

Genuinely still think Blue Lord is the value in this market.

Edwarstone just being backed ahead of tomorrow's run I imagine.

[FinalFurlong91]

Given how terrible the British novice hurdlers were last season I just think the irish form is bound to be better in this division this year

[Appreciate It]

This really is a disappointing crop of 2m Novices. I think Blue Lord had his limitations exposed last time out and I'd be somewhat surprised if Riviere D'etel didn't beat him at Cheltenham. I also can't get excited about Edwardstone. When was the last time a horse spent two seasons handicapping over hurdles then becoming a genuine G1 Novice Chaser?

The one I keep coming back to is Haut En Coueurs. As far as I'm concerned, he's the only one who might prove himself to be a proper G1 animal. Obviously I'd have preferred him not to fall last time out, but he jumped well on debut and gave a pretty comfortable beating to two half decent yardstick.

I am definitely not advocating an Ante post punt at current prices but if he rocks up on the day, I think he'll be a pretty decent bet for me

[ComplyOrDie]

Do you think TTL is a bet at the weekend?

I think at the prices I'd leave the race alone. If TTL went out to 11/4-3/1 then I'd likely have a bet on him, so hopefully the money comes for Edwardstone/Brave Seasca.

I'm hoping Edwardstone confirms the form.

I liked TTL at the start of the season but Edwardstone beat him fairly and the change of tactics for me isn't justified in the odds. I think ridden better, TTL still has ground to make up.


I am not confident about it, but they're probably correctly priced as I don't think I'd back either this weekend.

Yeah, look, I'm not saying he'll definitely reverse the form, but he'll get a lot closer than when they last met, provided the LTO tactics of TTL are deployed, which they should be, as For Pleasure is running again, so he'll have a target to aim for.

[Exar Essay]

This really is a disappointing crop of 2m Novices.

I disagree. I think the division has been deprived of it's two stars and market principles. Now we are left with the second tier of horses who would ordinarily be running for 3rd. Put Ferny and/or Appreciate It back in and it's a pretty good year, I'd wager. Even without them, we have 6 horses who are all "quite good" at this stage; the 3 Mullins, Riviere, and the two Brits. I think they are all decent horses and one or two could end up being very good; HEC (I agree with you) and Riviere are the ones who I think who could make it.

We're very lucky to have an RSA and Supreme field like we've not had in years (well the '20 Supreme was great in retrospect), but I don't think this years Arkle runners are disappointing. Put it this way, I think the horse finishing 2nd (and probably the horse finishing 6th) will be better than Eldorado Allen.

[ToniC]

This really is a disappointing crop of 2m Novices. I think Blue Lord had his limitations exposed last time out and I'd be somewhat surprised if Riviere D'etel didn't beat him at Cheltenham. I also can't get excited about Edwardstone. When was the last time a horse spent two seasons handicapping over hurdles then becoming a genuine G1 Novice Chaser?

The one I keep coming back to is Haut En Coueurs. As far as I'm concerned, he's the only one who might prove himself to be a proper G1 animal. Obviously I'd have preferred him not to fall last time out, but he jumped well on debut and gave a pretty comfortable beating to two half decent yardstick.

I am definitely not advocating an Ante post punt at current prices but if he rocks up on the day, I think he'll be a pretty decent bet for me

It’s really disappointing. I think blue lord confirmed last time up, what a few of us had thought when some people were thinking he may end up rivalling Ferny hollow this season over fences. I think he has probably improved a little bit for a fence, but I don’t think he’s made a vast improvement, relative to his peers, compared to his runs over hurdles last season, in the way that Riviere Detel has.

nonetheless, he’s got a lot going going for him, and is with the best trainer for Arkle horses, and thankfully the opposition doesn’t appear to be great.

I think your namesake would have been the best of the lot, and would have probably been 4/6 by now against this seasons opposition.

[Istabraq]

I disagree. I think the division has been deprived of it's two stars and market principles. Now we are left with the second tier of horses who would ordinarily be running for 3rd. Put Ferny and/or Appreciate It back in and it's a pretty good year, I'd wager. Even without them, we have 6 horses who are all "quite good" at this stage; the 3 Mullins, Riviere, and the two Brits. I think they are all decent horses and one or two could end up being very good; HEC (I agree with you) and Riviere are the ones who I think who could make it.

We're very lucky to have an RSA and Supreme field like we've not had in years (well the '20 Supreme was great in retrospect), but I don't think this years Arkle runners are disappointing. Put it this way, I think the horse finishing 2nd (and probably the horse finishing 6th) will be better than Eldorado Allen.

Alot of sense in that.
And Haut en Coleurs is one that could still reach superstar status…

[Spectre]

As I've just written on the Grand Annual thread, I think Couer Sublime is far to big at 20/1 nrnb for this race. More patient tactics and not giving a stone away to the mare, and I think his level of form is likely to be alongside Blue Lord and Riviere D'etel. So for anyone looking for some value he's the one I'd suggest.

[ComplyOrDie]

As I've just written on the Grand Annual thread, I think Couer Sublime is far to big at 20/1 nrnb for this race. More patient tactics and not giving a stone away to the mare, and I think his level of form is likely to be alongside Blue Lord and Riviere D'etel. So for anyone looking for some value he's the one I'd suggest.

Yeah, there was a conservation about him previously, and I agree fully with what you have said about CS, so much so I've just backed him for the race. I had been putting it off and putting it off, but now I can see a few latching on to him.

It makes absolute perfect sense to me to go for the Arkle over the Grand Annual where he's going to be carrying weight near the higher end. Henry is not adverse to a runner in the Arkle either. His form ties have him not a million miles away, as you've already noted.

The other way I see it is when Edwardstone, Third Time Lucki and Brave Seasca meet at Warwick this weekend, that's likely to result in at least one, possibly two bubbles burst, unless they end up in a bunch at the finish with not much in it (but then I'd question the form anyway). You've got 3 of Willie's horses sitting ahead of CS, not a chance Willie runs all 3, so that's at least one other coming out of the betting, maybe even two if Willie sticks to his more recent MO and only sends one to the Arkle, and then suddenly you find CS 4th/5th in the betting, paying 3 places, when, looking at it, it's likely to be a race of less than 8 runners. Back this up with not having a whole lot to find on bare form, he certainly looks the value play, to my eyes.

[Kevloaf]

New Arkle fav

[darlojim]

2/1 fav, really??

Be gobsmacked if he was better than the Irish.

[Zachx02]

Those tactics by Skelton backfired heavily, basically gave him at 4-5L advantage going into the home straight

[opatcho]

Looking for a Duc Des Genievres or Put The Kettle On this year
Irish horse, something that could improve (had 2-3 low key runs)

[Zachx02]

Looking for a Duc Des Genievres or Put The Kettle On this year
Irish horse, something that could improve (had 2-3 low key runs)

Coeur Sublime

[Lobos]

Magic Daze