2022 National Hunt Novices Chase

[Lobos]

We are nearly at the turn of the year and am I right in saying Ontheropes is the only horse of Mullins that is qualified to run in the NHC ?

[Saxon Warrior]

We are nearly at the turn of the year and am I right in saying Ontheropes is the only horse of Mullins that is qualified to run in the NHC ?

I'm not its that unusual.

Most beginners chases are less than 3M until the New Year.

This year Willies waited that little bit longer than normal too.

Makes it easier to spot his 3M entries in January with a view to his NHC types.

There's really only OTRopes, Stattler and Capodanno to look out for, and OTR is already qualified.

[Rooster Booster]

I'm not its that unusual.

Most beginners chases are less than 3M until the New Year.

This year Willies waited that little bit longer than normal too.

Makes it easier to spot his 3M entries in January with a view to not his NHC types.

There's really only OTRopes, Stattler and Capodanno to look out for, and OTR is already qualified.

What about five o’clock....he has entries and was touted for this before his setback...I hope he takes up an entry and I will be watching with a view to this

[JackieMoon33]

What about five o’clock....he has entries and was touted for this before his setback...I hope he takes up an entry and I will be watching with a view to this

I don’t think he’s been touted for this by the stable or owners. I put him up last year for the RSA and apart from a couple of entries, he was never heard of it any updates that I recall. He had an entry last weekend and was a no show again. God knows if there is an issue but I’d want a run before I put any money down on him. My initial thoughts are that he’d be too good for the NH chase but if he did have an injury, he may not have the same ability still.

[Winging The Last]

What about five o’clock....he has entries and was touted for this before his setback...I hope he takes up an entry and I will be watching with a view to this

No run since March 2020
Needs two runs before Cheltenham ideally
Never run beyond 2 1/2 miles
No where near the experience needed. No chase experience.
Not entered anywhere
Been out seriously injured

You'd have to be against him surely for this or any race at Cheltenham?!

[Rooster Booster]

I don’t think he’s been touted for this by the stable or owners. I put him up last year for the RSA and apart from a couple of entries, he was never heard of it any updates that I recall. He had an entry last weekend and was a no show again. God knows if there is an issue but I’d want a run before I put any money down on him. My initial thoughts are that he’d be too good for the NH chase but if he did have an injury, he may not have the same ability still.

It was Ruby who thought this was the right race for him. He is entered in the 23f race at punchestown on the 31st. Hopefully he runs but recognising how long he’s been off starting off over nearly 3 miles certainly wouldn’t put you off this.

[Rooster Booster]

No run since March 2020
Needs two runs before Cheltenham ideally
Never run beyond 2 1/2 miles
No where near the experience needed. No chase experience.
Not entered anywhere
Been out seriously injured

You'd have to be against him surely for this or any race at Cheltenham?!

Is he not entered in the first race at punchestown on the 31st over 2m 7...if so how would you interpret that?

[Lobos]

Is he not entered in the first race at punchestown on the 31st over 2m 7...if so how would you interpret that?

Qualification is finish first 4 places over 2m 7 1/2 furlongs + isn't it ? Don't forget the extra 1/2 furlong.

[Winging The Last]

Is he not entered in the first race at punchestown on the 31st over 2m 7...if so how would you interpret that?

Well I’m incorrect on that one but he would still have to win that and have another run to be anywhere near in the calculations for this race

[Rooster Booster]

Qualification is finish first 4 places over 2m 7 1/2 furlongs + isn't it ?

My point wasn’t that it would qualify him just that it would be a strange choice of race to run a horse in that hadn’t run for so long if they believed he wasn’t a stayer? Anyhow as far as I can see he’s got an entry over further than he has ever run over....if he runs I will watch with interest and take it from there. I have no intention of investing in anything yet.

[JackieMoon33]

It was Ruby who thought this was the right race for him. He is entered in the 23f race at punchestown on the 31st. Hopefully he runs but recognising how long he’s been off starting off over nearly 3 miles certainly wouldn’t put you off this.

Is that a recent comment? I’m a bit out of touch with recent news.

[Rooster Booster]

Is that a recent comment? I’m a bit out of touch with recent news.

No it was in the lead up to this years festival. So some time ago. It was interesting enough for me to write it down at the time but I can’t find where I wrote it but it prompted me to have a little wager at the time (for this year not next)

willie describes him as an old fashioned staying chaser type in his stable tour btw

[JackieMoon33]

No it was in the lead up to this years festival. So some time ago. It was interesting enough for me to write it down at the time but I can’t find where I wrote it but it prompted me to have a little wager at the time (for this year not next)

willie describes him as an old fashioned staying chaser type in his stable tour btw

I posted the below in July 2020 which seems like an age ago now.

Five O’Clock – Willie Mullins – RSA
I posted the below in July last year and I'm going to stick by my initial thoughts. I've not seen anything come to light as to why he missed this season (held entries before Xmas) but hopefully he's just been giving some extra time as he'd have been a young runner in the RSA from a stats perspective.

Sired by Cokoriko, who has had a slowish start to stallion duties, he is very much a chaser and a stayer at that. He had three starts in 2018 which showed more promise than substance but due to the way he's been campaigned, he was never going to be an early type and hurdles would only be a stepping stone for him.

After joining Willie Mullins and after a long break (537 days), he made his stable debut and was beaten over 2m 5f on heavy going. He followed that with a win over 2m before landing a Grade 3 over 2m 5f in February that set him up for a tilt at the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham. He was fancied by some on here and he ran a creditable race where he was a staying on seventh, beaten 4.75 lengths. Whilst it was a decent enough showing, he was slightly outpaced coming down the hill at the business end before getting going again in the home straight where he made up his ground. As the Martin Pipe is over 2m 4f, I'm not too concerned by the effort and it serves as course experience for the future.

His size and the way he raced last season all point towards staying trips over fences and he could be one to show significant improvement over larger obstacles. Although Ricci and Mullins have two staying chasers in his ranks already (Monkfish and Aione), I don't think he'll be able to avoid at least two of them treading a similar path as none of them look like they could step down to the Marsh trip.

[Istabraq]

Qualification is finish first 4 places over 2m 7 1/2 furlongs + isn't it ? Don't forget the extra 1/2 furlong.

Yes.
Another requirement that is often forgotten is that horses must have an OR of 120, not hard to achieve for horses coming here with a chance but it does remove the rubbish that just get in the way…

[Rooster Booster]

I posted the below in July 2020 which seems like an age ago now.

Five O’Clock – Willie Mullins – RSA
I posted the below in July last year and I'm going to stick by my initial thoughts. I've not seen anything come to light as to why he missed this season (held entries before Xmas) but hopefully he's just been giving some extra time as he'd have been a young runner in the RSA from a stats perspective.

Sired by Cokoriko, who has had a slowish start to stallion duties, he is very much a chaser and a stayer at that. He had three starts in 2018 which showed more promise than substance but due to the way he's been campaigned, he was never going to be an early type and hurdles would only be a stepping stone for him.

After joining Willie Mullins and after a long break (537 days), he made his stable debut and was beaten over 2m 5f on heavy going. He followed that with a win over 2m before landing a Grade 3 over 2m 5f in February that set him up for a tilt at the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham. He was fancied by some on here and he ran a creditable race where he was a staying on seventh, beaten 4.75 lengths. Whilst it was a decent enough showing, he was slightly outpaced coming down the hill at the business end before getting going again in the home straight where he made up his ground. As the Martin Pipe is over 2m 4f, I'm not too concerned by the effort and it serves as course experience for the future.

His size and the way he raced last season all point towards staying trips over fences and he could be one to show significant improvement over larger obstacles. Although Ricci and Mullins have two staying chasers in his ranks already (Monkfish and Aione), I don't think he'll be able to avoid at least two of them treading a similar path as none of them look like they could step down to the Marsh trip.

Great thanks JM