The ULTIMA Handicap Steeplechase

[Nathaniel99999]

I'm actually glad School boy hours was not declared thank god, makes Our Powers chances even better. Done a small e/w on Doctor Duffy 7 places just incase I think the mark its on could be workable to get into a place I think. Our power is my main fancy for this now though.

[Kevloaf]

I'm actually glad School boy hours was not declared thank god, makes Our Powers chances even better. Done a small e/w on Doctor Duffy 7 places just incase I think the mark its on could be workable to get into a place I think. Our power is my main fancy for this now though.

Maybe start a diary in the members section mate?

[RufusFlynn]

For anyone interested:
SkyBet place markets - Vintage Clouds is 3/1 for 7 places.
seems a bit of a no brainier given record in race, returning champ & recent run.

[Supermaster]

As open and competitive as ever - could this be the handicap of the meeting? It used to be won by younger first or second season chasers on low weights but more recently higher weights have been doing well. Good Chelt form and good form over 3m+ seems to be the key to this race:

Long list:
Frodon, Does He Know, Ben Dundee, Death Duty, Vintage Clouds, Rapper, Fantastikas, Full Back, Corach Rambler (list needs whittling down!)

[OffTheBridle]

Long list:
Frodon, Does He Know, Ben Dundee, Death Duty, Vintage Clouds, Rapper, Fantastikas, Full Back, Corach Rambler (list needs whittling down!)

Let us know how you get on whittling down this list please. My list is at 5 horses at the minute and the 5 are actually in your list.
For with its worth my list is:
Does He Know, Vintage Clouds, Rapper, Fantastikas, Full Back.

[Supermaster]

Let us know how you get on whittling down this list please. My list is at 5 horses at the minute and the 5 are actually in your list.
For with its worth my list is:
Does He Know, Vintage Clouds, Rapper, Fantastikas, Full Back.

Sometime tomorrow as I've only just finished working through the card.

edit: Actually I could add Gericault Roque and Doctor Duffy!

I think the answer is this race is just too open to be confident about the winner.

I would love Frodon and Vintage Clouds to fight out a dead heat finish and then have Sue Smith and Paul Nicholls give a joint post race interview.

[Supermaster]

I was a bit worried about Corach Rambler's head carriage and quirkiness but there's no doubting his will to win. Quite a rough race with a tricky start. Frodon seemed to be baulked by the elbow lining up on the wide inside. Vintage Clouds going well until the blunder. A race that requires multiple viewing to work out what happened. 3-0 to the Brits!

[ComplyOrDie]

Absolutely loved the performance by Corach Rambler today.

He wasn't my biggest winner in the race, by any stretch, and the Irish record is still poor in the race, despite chucking, what looked like, decent enough horses at the race this season.

The Grade 3 at Warwick over 3m5f in January has now produced two of the past 3 winners, so it's a race I'll be taking a keen note of next season with a view to the race.

[Nathaniel99999]

Had Our power and I thought the horse did well just didn't find enough and was fairly beaten, could not believe where Corach Rambler came from when watching it back and even made mistakes early in the race unreal performance.

[FinalFurlong91]

Had Our power and I thought the horse did well just didn't find enough and was fairly beaten, could not believe where Corach Rambler came from when watching it back and even made mistakes early in the race unreal performance.

The jockey took our power on a tour of Cheltenham

Mustve covered 4 miles being that wide the entire way round

He has a big pot in him

[Saxon Warrior]

Post 1 updated with 22 figures - and ready for 2023 discussion

[ComplyOrDie]

I keep looking at this market, as I do like this race.

I keep coming back to last years winner, Corach Rambler.

Now, first off, obviously connections keep on mentioning the National as his target, but I'm not sure I believe it. It's not that I don't think they will run him in it, because they will, but ultimately the National is a bit of a lottery, so to put all their eggs in one basket would seem a little foolish IMO, and I can see him going very close in the Ultima again before heading to the National.

Can he win off a 6lb higher mark than last season? Well he was going away at the finish and won by 2 3/4 lengths, so I don't see why not.

For me he has the best credentials for the race, and is not wildly out of form either. His run at Newbury was full of promise again, and it's one of the 'right' races to run in as a build up to the Ultima. He's two from two at Cheltenham, is still relatively lightly raced under rules over fences given his age, and his chase form over distance from 3m-3m2f is 1-1-UR-1-4, with the 4th being beat in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury back in November.

14/1 will do me, and I'll be adding him to a few multiples too.

[Quevega]

I keep looking at this market, as I do like this race.

I keep coming back to last years winner, Corach Rambler.

Now, first off, obviously connections keep on mentioning the National as his target, but I'm not sure I believe it. It's not that I don't think they will run him in it, because they will, but ultimately the National is a bit of a lottery, so to put all their eggs in one basket would seem a little foolish IMO, and I can see him going very close in the Ultima again before heading to the National.

Can he win off a 6lb higher mark than last season? Well he was going away at the finish and won by 2 3/4 lengths, so I don't see why not.

For me he has the best credentials for the race, and is not wildly out of form either. His run at Newbury was full of promise again, and it's one of the 'right' races to run in as a build up to the Ultima. He's two from two at Cheltenham, is still relatively lightly raced under rules over fences given his age, and his chase form over distance from 3m-3m2f is 1-1-UR-1-4, with the 4th being beat in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury back in November.

14/1 will do me, and I'll be adding him to a few multiples too.

I've backed him but only as a saver.
My thought process is similar except I just don't see them going all out to win if he gets behind or held up in the race for some reason, which he normally does.
I think they will have the National in mind.
He also bucked a trend last year as his run style is not normally successful in the Ultima, you usually need to be in the van, or midfield at worst. He was my first antepost bet for the race last year but I was shocked when he got up after being held right up at the back. I was hoping for him being midfield so had dismissed him.

[ComplyOrDie]

I've backed him but only as a saver.
My thought process is similar except I just don't see them going all out to win if he gets behind or held up in the race for some reason, which he normally does.
I think they will have the National in mind.
He also bucked a trend last year as his run style is not normally successful in the Ultima, you usually need to be in the van, or midfield at worst. He was my first antepost bet for the race last year but I was shocked when he got up after being held right up at the back. I was hoping for him being midfield so had dismissed him.

He'll be ridden the same way, for sure. He's a bit of an enigma, he can be an awkward ride too, but he absolutely seems to love slicing through the field. Big field races are his bag.

If he fails to get up but is ridden held up then I'll have no excuses, not even 'hard luck' ones, as I know that's how he needs to be ridden, and you have to accept that pre-race, IMO.

[nortonscoin200]

He'll be ridden the same way, for sure. He's a bit of an enigma, he can be an awkward ride too, but he absolutely seems to love slicing through the field. Big field races are his bag.

If he fails to get up but is ridden held up then I'll have no excuses, not even 'hard luck' ones, as I know that's how he needs to be ridden, and you have to accept that pre-race, IMO.

Not sure he's an enigma ComplyOrDie - I just feel he gets outpaced in the early stages of these big races but rescues things when his stamina kicks in and others begin to flag.

Also, can't buy the idea that they won't be too fussed about winning the Ultima because their main aim is the National.

Backed him after writing this last week (8th):


Spent ages mulling over the Ultima without finding anything I really fancy.

But now Scu sez they've had a change of plan and CORACH RAMBLER will target the race as his Grand National prep.

As far as I'm concerned that is terrific news on two counts.

Firstly, I've backed Corach Rambler for Aintree (along with Le Milos) and I'm a great believer that horses who run well in the Ultima or the Kim Muir have a big chance in the National.

Secondly, there's a big gap this year between the start of the Festival (March 14) and the National (April 15) so I reckon Corach Rambler won't be having a jolly at the Fez - they'll be aiming for a repeat win.

He's unbeaten in two starts at Cheltenham over the 3-mile plus trip and the stiff uphill finish is absolutely made for his style of running.

Corach Rambler is still on a very handy mark of 146 (6lbs higher than last March) after being dropped 1lbs for his run at Newbury behind Le Milos.

I reckon he's still 4-5lbs ahead of the capper and with his course form, staying ability, battling qualities and connection with one of the best training operations outside Ireland he ticks a lot of box.


Be surprised if he's not half the current price on the day.

And if Frodon lines up he'll carry 10st 11lbs which would be fine.

Even without Frodon top weight in the Ultima is generally in the mid to high 150s so Corach Rambler would get a maximum of 11st 3lbs which is still a realistic winning weight.

He'll do for me.

4.6pts win CORACH RAMBLER (Ultima) at 14-1 nrnb.

Also couldn't resist a little each way double without the safety on the two I've been banging on about today,

In terms of risk-reward I think it adds up.

1pt each way double CORACH RAMBLER (Ultima) 14-1 and IRISH PANTHER (CB) at 40-1 for a a potential return of 649pts.

Here is yesterday's RP story with Scu's quotes which I've only just seen:

https://www.racingpost.com/news/fest...-avq3b9O6048k/